Middleton Beach Escape

I was ready to go early this morning. Who am I kidding – I was ready to go last night! Which meant that when I woke at stupid-o’clock this morning, I had a long wait ahead of me til my bestie Erin got here. I paced the house, tried reading and made copious cups of coffee, which I half drank, waiting, waiting, waiting. I hadn’t been on a road trip for so long that it was hard to contain myself when Erin arrived.

My trip to Poland seemed a lifetime ago, so when Erin asked if I wanted to join her on a trip to Albany, I jumped at the chance. I tried to recall the last time I had visited Albany, reaching all the way back to my childhood memories. I couldn’t recall exactly, but it was definitely while I was still enjoying my carefree school days.

With the departure time finally reached and the car loaded, we hit the open road, travelling through the open fields of Mundijong, and down the forested South Western and Albany Highways. It felt so good to feel the wind in our hair and know the next few days were ours.

Albany sits just over 400km from Perth; an almost five hour drive which can be made easier by frequent stops at the small towns and various sites along the route – Big Ram anyone?

We did think about it, but gave the Ram a miss, instead opting for the Country Bakery just near Mt Barker. They claimed to have the best pies in WA so we had to test them out.

I ordered the Curry Prawn and Rice pie, mostly because it was the most unlikely pie filling on offer. It was yummy, but in hindsight and for a true comparison to be made in order to test the bakery’s claim, I probably should have gone with one of the more usual flavours. Good pies nonetheless.

We reached Albany mid afternoon and headed straight for our Accommodation at the Park Avenue Holiday Units. The afternoon sky was bright blue and held only a hint of the cold weather we were expecting to find. We found our simple but functional apartment nestled in beautifully maintained grounds and began to unwind from our city lives almost instantly.

As the afternoon was waning, we decided to head out for a walk. Some five minutes away was Middleton Beach and from there began the Ellen Cove Boardwalk.

Hugging the shoreline of Middleton Bay, the boardwalk rises alongside Mt Adelaide affording stunning views over Middleton Beach and King George Sound.

The full trail, which ends near the central business district, extends 6km. Along the route are various sites like statues of Mustafa Ataturk and Nicolas Baudin, an old lighthouse, battery and even a small rotunda where you can sit and enjoy the view.

It felt good to stretch our legs after the long drive and by the time we returned to the Middleton Beach foreshore, the sun was dipping on the horizon, showering the beach in golden hues. A perfect ending to a long day.