Pescadero State Beach Part 2
Pescadero State Beach
We walked up the creek for about 100 yards and then came across a trail which headed north. Maybe we could walk this way to get back to the car. There was an information board about Steelhead Trout which I found very interesting and further along another sign which said ’Pescadero Marsh Preserve ‘. A little further on we came on some water. I wasn’t sure whether it was a small creek or the the south edge of the pond opposite where we were parked. We sat on a wooden fence and contemplated where to go from here. From where we sat, we could see Highway 1 to our left and almost spot our car in the car park. Should we go back the way we came; could the trail to the left get us back; or was there a way round the marsh? We decided on the last option. After all, it was a lovely day and at the worst we could always retrace our steps.
The marsh was very tranquil and there were a few birds on the water. Walking along the sandy path was no effort and we came to a wooden bridge over a marshy bit of lands. The path curved to the left, so maybe we had made the right choice.
Along the way there were lots of signs with information on the preserve and what to look out for – garter snakes, red legged frogs, poison oak and stinging nettles. It was an interesting walk but we could not see a way across to the other side. Up in front I saw a group of walkers and two of them were wearing yellow docent coats, so they were the ideal people to ask. They were a charming couple of ladies who assured me there was no way through. The path just led to an overview of the marsh.
So we turned round and went retraced our steps – back to the creek, under the bridge to the beach. Here we found some steps up to the road and decided it would be quicker to walk along the road. There was no sidewalk and most of the way we were walking on the hard shoulder but we did make it safely back to the car.
(When I got back home I checked online about the Pescadero Marsh Preserve . From this page I went to the trail map and could see exactly where we went wrong – we should have walked up to Highway 1, where the path continued around the North Pond, which would have taken us back to the car park.)
There was no time to explore the southern part of Pescadero State Beach on this occasion. We will have to pay another visit. We went via Pescadero on the way home and stopped off at the Country Bakery to get some of their wonderful artichoke, garlic and herb bread. The smell as we entered the shop was intoxicating and when we picked up a loaf in its white bag it was warm to the touch. We also bought a bottle of water. When we returned to the car, we immediately pulled chunks off the loaf and wolfed them down with generous amounts of water.
We decided that some cheese would go very nicely with the bread so we drove to Harley Farms on North Street. It’s easy to find, just follow
Harley Farms
the signs of the little girl and a goat. The girl points the way.
At the farm, we went into the shop where their cheeses are displayed and sold along with olive oil. The cheeses are very pretty. The white Monet is decorated with flower petals from the garden. Sampling them is great fun. It is always difficult to know exactly what to buy. In front of each basket of wrapped cheeses is a board on which is a large round of the cheese covered in cling film and with a handy knife to cut it with. There is also a large container with small chunks of bread. Mmm… In the end we chose some feta cheese which tasted divine ($10) and a small button of Monet cheese with yellow petals and a pansy on top.
Afterwards we took a wander around outside. In the distance we could see the goats grazing in the field and climbing on the chicken houses. We also took a peek inside the milking parlor. I noticed that they do goat tours at the weekends – $20 per person - so that may be worth doing one day. But for now it was time to head home after another wonderful trip.
February 01 2010 | Special Places | 2 Comments »
