The Dawn of the Cicadas! A short hike with a view

This is the first hike of my 12 Hike Challenge! A short walk with a view! I don’t walk much during the hotter months so I put some shorter walks into the challenge to help me get out during summer. I’ve done a couple of other short ones but this is the one I’ll claim for my challenge.

I must say I’m quite humbled by the response I’ve received so far to my challenge. I shared it wider that I would normally share my blog and have received an amazing response- I have had more visitors to my site in January than in all of the blogs first year! At least five people have taken up the challenge and others have committed to getting out monthly. That’s a great result! I have also received many offers to head out on hikes with people in the various groups and I intend to take some of them up on those offers. Time to meet new people I think!

Anyhow, here’s the first walk of my little challenge: A short walk with a view!

Naa Badu

The day was expected to be a forty degree scorcher but I wanted to get out for a stroll. I set the alarm for 5am with the aim of watching the sunrise at one of my favourite lookouts: Naa Badu on the Great North Walk, Berowra.

It was still kinda dark when I arrived at the trailhead but there was just enough light to start walking. I used my headlamp for a brief couple of minutes to light the way but I soon turned it off and just let my eyes adjust.

The cicadas were quite noisy but as I walked deeper into the bush they became deafening! I’m not kidding, I actually put my fingers in my ears to block the noise, which would have been a funny sight if others had been around as I was still holding my hiking poles and they were flailing all over the place! I walked quickly to try to find an area without them but there must have been thousands in the trees. I walked quickly to try to move past them but there was no let up.

When I finally reached the lookout they were still extremely loud so I actually downloaded an app to find out just how loud – 108 decibels! It must have been 120 back along the trail. Turn up the volume and have a listen to these two clips to give yourself an idea of what it was like. Absolutely amazing!

The sun soon began lighting the valley and I was treated to a now familiar view of Berowra Creek. Well work getting up early for I think you’ll agree!

I had heard stories of workers at Berowra waters having to use earplugs and I can well believe it. It made me think about the aboriginal inhabitants of the area – how did they cope? Did they just run around crazy-like until they found peace? Or did they make earplugs out of resin?! I’d actually like to know!

I couldn’t handle the noise anymore and after finding myself shouting “shut up” to a tree I knew it was time to go! As the sun reached higher in the sky the cacophony abated somewhat but the heat was now starting to build so I headed home. I did spot an interesting little side trail not marked on a map that I’d like to check out one day.

That was a fantastic little walk and I would never have experienced the cicadas in full song if I had not woke up so early. I’m glad I made the effort.

I’m starting to plan next months hike as part of the 12 Hike Challenge but I’m sure I’ll head out on some more little adventures and I’ll be sure to share!

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8 thoughts on “The Dawn of the Cicadas! A short hike with a view”

  1. Pingback: The 12 Hike Challenge! – Solo Hiker

  2. Hey Nathan, we have a little wetland over our back fence and, once they get going, the cicadas are the only noise I can hear at the moment. They are louder than the traffic, the construction, and the television 🙂 The only thing I’ve ever experienced louder was the roar of the wind through the trees when hiking up the Didthul Walking Track near Ulladulla (Pigeon House Mountain).

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  3. The noise of those cicadas is amazing! I had a real laugh imagining you walking with your fingers in your ears and poles waving about and then shouting ‘shut up!’ My husband and I haven’t been on our walk yet as it’s been so wet! The amount of mud everywhere is too much to cope with and tonight we have more rain and a gale brewing – ugh!

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      1. Liked your post. Great pics. I love the sound of cicadas – those hot, crackling summer days when the sun tears chunks out of you . Not that I like walking in the heat.

        Re night vision and torches, use of a red led is the answer. enables you to see without stopping night vision. Might need a strong one though in half light.

        regards
        Barrie

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  4. I walked through here last week, from Crosslands to Cowan (but I bailed out at Turner Firetrail to Berowra – was getting too hot!). Couldn’t believe how loud the cicadas were down the bottom of the valley just before heading up toward Naa Badu.

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