Otford to Figure Eight Pools via Burning Palms

From Otford Lookout, this hard out-and-back follows the Coast Track through Palm Jungle and Burning Palms, then crosses a rough ocean rock shelf to Figure Eight Pools. The mapped trail is about 14.5 km return (8.98 miles) and takes around 6.5 hours. Otford Station is a separate walk from the mapped trail entry; that link is not included in the distance. It’s a varied, full-day walk, but the final stretch to the pools is optional.

Check the official wave-risk forecast and tide before setting out for the pools. The pools sit on an exposed shelf where waves can wash across the rock. South of Burning Palms, the last approach is over uneven rock rather than a formed track. Continue only when the tide and swell are suitable; if conditions are uncertain, turn around at Burning Palms and retrace the Coast Track.

The route climbs from Otford Lookout toward coastal views, then drops into the shaded Palm Jungle gully. Cabbage tree palms and ferns close over this stretch, a sharp change from the open coast ahead. On the way back, the downhill into the gully becomes a climb toward Otford.

Past the palm forest, the track opens onto grassy slopes and Burning Palms Beach. Historic beach shacks mark the approach to the sand. From here, the walk changes again: the formed track gives way to the exposed shoreline route toward the pools.

The distinctive figure-eight pool is part of a broad coastal rock shelf below the headland. The shape and nearby pools make this the route’s signature view, but there’s no safe way to guarantee a visit: sea conditions decide. Keep the shelf out of the plan when the official forecast is unfavorable.

Grade 4 and hard is a fair description of the full outing. Allow about 6.5 hours, including the uneven track, elevation changes, and time at Burning Palms or the pools. There are no food or drinking-water refill services on the route, so carry what you’ll need. Pets aren’t allowed in the park, except certified assistance animals.