Mother’s Day walks on the Mornington Peninsula
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Published on 6th May 2016 in Blog, Holiday Tips and Advice, Mornington Peninsula Activities
Mother's Day is just around the corner and we're celebrating all May long here at Moonah Links. From lavish treatments at the Moonah Day Spa to tasting the local food and wine at Pebbles, there's something for every mum on the Mornington Peninsula.
Sometimes though, it's nice to simply unwind with a relaxing walk through a beautiful area. In our busy lives, this isn't an opportunity that all of us get very often, and a slow stroll through the natural wonder of the Peninsula is a great opportunity to spend time with mum.
The science of strolling
It's not just the beauty of a nature walk that makes it a great activity on the Peninsula, but the exercise itself is great for your body and mind.
A recent Stanford study on the benefits of taking walks through natural, as opposed to urban, areas discovered that walking through an organic part of town led to decreased anxiety and increased memory performance.
In fact, the benefits of walking are so numerous, that psychologists often refer to it as the 'perfect exercise.' And if you're looking to get into the habit of taking regular strolls, what better walking buddy could you have than your mother?
Get into the habit this May with some of the best scenic routes the Peninsula has to offer. Here are a few of our favourites that all take roughly an hour:
Arthurs Seat
Arthurs Seat dominates the skyline above the Mornington Peninsula, rising 314 metres high and provides a beautiful contrast to Port Phillip Bay below. The summit provides some of the best views of the bay, and is also home to a number of spectacular walks, each with its own unique perspective on the area. We'd recommend that you do all of them!
If you only have time for one though, the Arthurs Seat circuit walk is a great introduction. At 1.8 kilometres, it's not too much of a trek, but it will still take you to all of the most stunning parts of Arthurs Seat.
Devilbend Reservoir
Home to the largest body of inland water on the Mornington Peninsula, the Devilbend Reservoir is an absolutely stunning place to take a relaxed walk with mum. The abundance of water (over 250 hectares of it), means that there are fish and birds aplenty, all adding to the otherworldly ambience of the reserve.
There are two different walking tracks on the reservoir, but the Daangean Point route will take you right out onto a spit of land that juts into the water, providing gorgeous views and a great picnic spot.
Balcombe Estuary
The Balcombe Creek was first known as "Tji'tjin'garook", which translate loosely to mean "the voice of frogs". With all sorts of different amphibians to be found in this beautiful stretch of the Peninsula, it's as auditory as it is visually striking. Even better, a boardwalk runs through the estuary and makes for one of the most beautiful walks in the region.
The last unspoilt estuary that flows from the east side of Port Phillip Bay, the Balcombe Estuary is Australian flora and fauna at its finest. Like all of the walks in the region, the estuary is so peaceful and so pretty that you can't help but relax when you're taking it all in. And who better to be with than mum.