I wound up walking all the way down the track which was pretty difficult in some spots. Lot's of rock stairs and large drop-offs. I knew coming back up was going to be a workout. My goal was to get down to the start of the bay behind me.
(Click photos for higher resolutions)
One of the markers of the Bay Track - down where another trail intersects. At this point, you can see the trail starts heading up - this is a typical looking part of the trail where rock climbing is the norm.
Almost at water level, I'd gotten to the end of Bantry Bay but still had a long way to go. I think my next paddling trip will be here. It is completely quite with little wind and the water has a deep blue color to it. The buildings on the far side are old WW1 bunkers where the Australian Navy stored shells and powder. Now closed to the public... Bummer. Any ghost's lingering about?
As the trail curves along the water, you get glimpses of the boats anchored in the bay. It's a very pretty place.
Finally, at the end of the trail there was a cool picnic area with benches and fire pits. I'll be going back here in the near future... the hike was fun, the scenery outstanding, and a place to relax once you're there.
