We picked up a hire car in Seattle, got the ferry across to Bainbridge Island
and then drove through lovely countryside with glimpses of Puget Sound along the way, we passed through the pretty Port Gamble (now a site of historical interest but was an old logging village) with its old houses, passed by lavender fields and the John Wayne marina at Sequim and then stopped at Port Angeles for a couple of days in a delightful tiny home. Our first day started off very misty so we wandered the sea front of Port Angeles and then as the weather was clearing went to Hurricane Ridge – well that was the plan – it seems they have a limited number of private cars (since the visitors centre at the top burnt down in May this year) and that limit had been reached when we got to the visitor centre. The only way up then was via a shuttle bus that was back down in town where we’d just travelled up from. Not well advertised at all, so we gave up and headed for Lake Crescent instead – so glad we did!
We spent several hours walking the Moments in Time trail (really interesting information boards on this trail) and the Marymere Falls (bit tame by previous waterfall standards but still lovely!) and had lunch by the lake in glorious sunshine before heading back.
After leaving Port Angeles, we carried on along Highway 101, passing Lake Crescent again (and also an overturned logging lorry) and headed up towards Cape Flattery – that coastline is beautiful with views across to Vancouver Island. We spotted seals on the rocks, deer in the verges and when we stopped at Sekiu for coffee we were lucky enough to watch several bald headed eagles flying around the bay – two young ones were there too.
We headed straight up to Cape Flattery, parked up and hiked to the end – it is the furthest north west tip of the USA and we got there just before the infamous fog rolled in so could see the lighthouse on Tatoosh Island.
Then, back to Neah Bay for lunch before heading to Forks. Forks was an old timber town but now is making its name from Sasquatch hunters and The Twilight Saga films (based but not filmed in Forks).
From Forks, we took the trip to the Hoh Rainforest in the middle of Olympic National Forest, bit of a queue to get in but worth it. This area gets 140 inches rain a year (over 70 to date this year) and because of this, there are amazing curtains of mosses and lichens growing on the trees – quite eerie in places. We did a couple of the shorter trails (the Spruce and the Hall of Mosses) but you can hike to Mount Olympus from here (if prepared).
It was fascinating to see so many nursery trees in this area – huge old trees that have lived their lives, fallen, started to rot away, giving other trees opportunity to grow on them – you see new trees (quite large ones) growing on old rotting trunks. Mostly, they grow in rows along the old trunk so where you see a short column of trees look at their base – the old tree may be there still! This process takes many years.
We stopped off for coffee at the Hard Rain cafe, just cos we liked the name!!!! Sadly, no keyrings!
We left Forks (all the shops decorated in preparation for Independence Day celebrations) and meandered on down Highway 101 to Westport. Along the way we stopped off at the beaches – Ruby, beaches 4, 3, 2 and South – they are the short stretch of accessible beaches on this part of the coast and once again we were so lucky with the weather – it was sunny with clear blue skies but with odd patches of sea mist – usually this coastline is fog bound, even if it’s clear a mile inland!!
The coast here is stunning, wave sculpted rocks, pebble beaches and SO much sun bleached driftwood it was amazing. We even spotted seals playing in the surf at beach 4.
We stopped by the big old Cedar tree but sadly it looks as if it’s dying now – wonder how long before it becomes a nursery tree.
We spent a couple of days in Westport relaxing. Not a huge amount to do there but had a walk to the marina – Westport is a fishing town so lots of fresh fish for sale, it’s also a good surfing area apparently – our accommodation (Westport Loge) rented out surfboards etc. We walked some of the dune trail and met a gentleman walking (well zipping along really) on a 3 wheeled contraption – turns out it is an alinker bike/frame and has given this man with MS his life back. When we got back, we were entertained by a good band (start of the 4th July celebration weekend), albeit without a drummer. He’s a tug boat captain and had been called to take a boat out!!!!
Next, we drove down to Astoria, Oregan past cranberry bogs and the stunning Pacific coastline. We stopped off at South Bend to see the Pacific County courthouse – a rather magnificent building erected in 1910. It looms over the small town and has a stained glass dome, which, being a Sunday, we couldn’t get in to see. South Bend also claims to be the oyster capital of the world. Then, on to Cape Disappointment, where we hiked to the Cape D lighthouse, had a picnic lunch in Deadman’s Cove and also had a tour of the North Head lighthouse. It’s amazing to see how the coastline has changed here since building two jetties, which changed the course of the mighty Columbia river. Cape Disappointment is where Lewis and Clark sighted the Pacific for the first time since crossing the US on their epic 2000 mile expedition.. Our final stop was Long Beach on the 28 mile Long Beach peninsula – crazy busy due to the holiday weekend so we just stopped for a short walk, picture of the rather large frying pan and an ice cream before heading into Oregan over the impressive Astoria-Megler bridge and onto our next AirBnB for 4 nights.
