Albany

We felt a bit low when we drove from Bremer Bay to Albany because the last two nights of our trip were upon us and it seemed to have all gone too fast. We had both been to Albany before, in my case, in shitty weather, so my expectations were rather modest, especially since the weather forecast was streaky this time around as well. How surprised was I to find yet another gem down south when we arrived at our home for two nights – a little cottage just outside of town and on the footsteps of the Torndirrup National Park.  

We had booked a cottage to ourselves at Lilacs Waterfront villas and cottages. We’ve decided to make it a little tradition on our holidays now, if possible to spend the last couple of nights in ‘proper’ (non-camping) accommodation. The cottage was small but perfect for two people, with a little table, bed, TV, bathroom, kitchen with all amenities and even a little veranda out front. There’s a playground just a short walk away so it’s the perfect location for families too. The drive into town only takes about ten minutes and we only paid under 20 AUD (11 GBP / 13 EUR) one way with a taxi from Albany City Cabs, who promptly picked us up twice on a Saturday night when we went into town.

Lilacs villas and cottages is conveniently located along Frenchmen Road, en route to the Torndirrup National Park. We arrived before check-in so we took some time to explore the town of Albany. Albany is the oldest colonial settlement in Western Australia, founded in 1826, and therewith predating Perth and Fremantle by over two years. This means that there are many old-ish looking houses in Albany to admire.

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Since we still had a bit of daylight left when we arrived at our accommodation, we merely dropped off our stuff and went straight on towards the national park and the Blowholes, just a short 15-minute drive and another 1.6 km return walk from the well-signposted car park.

The Blowholes produce spray and loud eerie sounds when the ocean is rough, due to water being forced up through a crack line in the rock. And the ocean certainly was rough today! Massive waves were rolling into the bay that we overlooked from atop the cliffs, and the water was splashing viciously up against the rocks. We spent a while admiring the sheer force of nature, then headed back to the villas to enjoy a lazy night in with TV and wine. I really find that I enjoy these ‘normal’ amenities so much more after a few days camping!

The Bald Head Trail

The next morning, in spite of the weather forecast, it was lovely and sunny albeit not too hot – in short, a perfect day for a hike. Liam’s uncle Ted and his wife Rebecca had recommended this hike to us, so my feet were itching to get on the trail. Because of the summer heat in Western Australia, I hadn’t done much hiking in a while. The Bald Head Trail is a 12 km return trek, not too long really, but it’s on challenging terrain with quite a bit of steepness to it. According to the hike description, it’s a difficult, Grade 4 trek and one should plan between 5-7 hours to do it.

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Right from the get go, the trail led us up a steep ascent into the lush scenery of the national park. The ground was at first a firm and sturdy boardwalk made of some kind of rubber material. This then turned into wooden planks, which were in parts broken and more difficult to walk on. Steeper sections, consisting of rough concrete steps covered in sand, led us to Isthmus Hill and provided jaw-dropping views across two beaches. Further along towards Bald Head, the trail was mostly sand while we had to climb over rocks as well.

We made it to Bald Head in around 2 hours, having to climb down a really steep and sandy descent during the last kilometre or so. The views were incredible, but in fairness, they are throughout the entire hike. We made it back in around 4 hours walking time, adding on two short breaks. I’ve got to say, this is absolutely one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done, and we even came across some goannas on the trail. I really wouldn’t recommend the hike when it’s wet though as rock surfaces that hikers have to cross are bound to become very slippery in wet conditions.  

A brewery and a distillery

We were both buzzing after this hike and decided we couldn’t let the remainder of this gorgeous day go to waste just because we were a little tired. Liam found a brewery not far from our accommodation, so we headed towards the relatively new local craft brewery, Wilson Brewing Company for the afternoon. The owner, as the taxi driver told us later on that day, had saved money working in the mines to fulfil his dream to set up his own brewing company. By now, he sold his beer to pubs Australia-wide. We ordered a tasting platter with eight different beers of which the Lighthouse Session Ale most as well as the Ginger Beer were my favourites, and enjoyed some live music from the Blue Lizards. They interrupted their performance for a while to give the stage to a rapper from Karratha, who also put on a great little show.

Just a few minutes before closing, we entered the Limeburners Whiskey Distillery, where Liam tasted some whiskeys while I tried a couple of the gins on offer. I found both the botanical gin and the Australian native gin very tasty and enjoyable.  

Saturday Night in Albany

We were already quite cheery when we went into town for dinner and drinks. As per another recommendation from Liam’s family in Perth, we had tried to book Majuba, a very classy looking restaurant in town, however they were booked out for the night Therefore we went to the Earl of Spencer Historic Inn. I got a bit homesick for London right away when we entered, because this is probably the most traditional English pub I have come across to date in Australia. Over 120 years old, this is as historic as it gets in Australian terms. On top of that, food and drink was utterly tasty – I had grilled barramundi and Liam went with steaks, and I treated myself to a German Weissbier, which was simply delicious. We ended the night with a few cocktails at Liberté, a very French-atmospheric bar with adjacent restaurant which is also highly commendable.

The Point Possession Heritage Trail

We were so enchanted with the area and the stunning little bays that we decided to squeeze in another little hike in the morning of our departure, just before heading back to Perth. The Point Possession Heritage Trail is a 6-km loop around the Vancouver Peninsula, which extends out from the Torndirrup National Park. It’s a much easier walk, up along one beach and back along another, but also has some more challenging and steep sections in it. The starting point is at Fishermen Bay, which at the same time is my absolute favourite bay in Albany. Whilst it was quite windy elsewhere, this lovely little cove was quite sheltered, the water was completely clear and the white sand eye watering.

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There’s still so much we haven’t seen in Albany, like the Whaling Station, Emu Point and all the wineries, let alone Williams Bay National Park closer to nearby Denmark. I’m already itching to go back soon.