Sunday, October 25, 2009

Fall colors in Cheesequake State Park, New Jersey

The fall colours are extraordinary in New Jersey this weekend,

Cheesequake Park tree

so the five of us (me, Y, GG & les chiens x2) drove out to Cheesequake State Park, Matawan (up near the shore), for a stroll which turned into an epic 2.5hrs walk as we took a slightly longer trail than planned.

Fortunately we were well prepared: GG had ample cookie, apple & water supplies to keep us going in his knapsack. Although maybe next time I might swap denim short shorts, cashmere, Wolfords & wellies for fleece, jeans and hiking boots. (I do possess these things!)

We started off walking through the woods around the lake:

Cheesequake Park Fall Colors a

light through trees Cheesequake Park

After circumnavigating the entire lake, we ended up at this vista point, where it's hard to believe that we were a scant hour from Manhattan:

Hook Lake Cheesequake Park

We then headed over the boardwalks which cross the coastal salt marshes to the pine forest:

Salt march Chessequake Park

Salt marsh Cheesequake Park

Finch was game:

Finch Cheesequake Park

But was exhausted by the time we were three quarters done:

exhausted Finch

As were we.

God knows why I thought it a Good Idea to do commando style speed trotting up and down the steep wooden forest steps half away around the trail. Lunacy.

There are more images on my Flickr page.