To get to Apollo Bay there is the route along the eastern part of the Great Ocean Road or
The Road over the Otway Ranges from Forest
After travelling via Anglesea and Lorne last week this time it was over the Otways.
Tucked between the Otway Ranges and the sea Apollo Bay remains one of my favourite places to visit and to stay.
From Apollo Bay heading west along the Great Ocean Road in the midst of the Otway National Park is the turn off to Cape Otway and its impressive light house proud upon the steep cliffs of the Cape.
A beacon for shipping on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast
Past Cape Otway the landscape and the road changes.
East of Cape Otway the road is narrower often clinging to the cliff face and the corners tighter, with patches of dense rainforest.
The sandy surf beaches nestled between rocky headlands like Lorne, Wye River and Apollo Bay
West of the Cape the road evens out more sweeping curves than tight corners, the land an open plateau across the top or the windblown cliffs with offshore the rocky monuments carved by the prevailing wind and sea.
From Port Campbell the view back along the sandstone cliffs toward Cape Otway in the late afternoon light is a sight one never tires of.
The Great Ocean Road continues onto Warrnambool from Port Campbell, but my route took me north through the coastal hills and farming land to historic Camperdown
And its famous clock tower.
Then road back to Melbourne.
It is so wonderful to be able to do this ride again free of traffic like it used to be 40 years ago, when sections of the road through the forest was still gravel and tourist coaches had not been invented.
The lockdown provisions in Victoria still preclude staying away overnight. All the hotels and camping grounds are still closed. It was nearly a 10 hour trip by the time I got home in the cold and the dark but what a ride and how good to be free!
A beautiful part of the world! Great that you are out and about on the big goose again. The situation is similar here in Germany, but the coastline isn’t nearly as nice and the roads are full again. Imagine jamming 80 million people into a relatively small part of Oz and you will get the picture. The fact that the locals can’t really go anywhere means everyone is heading to the countryside when they get a chance, so even the small towns and rural areas are more crowded than they usually are. Should be in interesting summer! Stay safe.
Yes I have had a taste of German traffic around Constance. It’s a challenge indeed. The GOR is narrow and windy and so so popular with tourists it’s clogged with big buses. At the moment it’s a joy and the mighty breva just laps it up. Hopefully you can get some nice rides in soon.
Hi Mic, lovely pics and prose as usual. Looking forward to catching up tomorrow! Cheers P
Thanks Pauline see you and Swanny tomorrow it will be great