Tidbinbilla Peak and Camels Hump from near Mt Rob Roy

Saturday 9 August: Mt Rob Roy – No Tartan Required – M/E-M. A half-day stroll mainly on fire trails around the hills near Canberra’s southern-most suburbs. Geocaching opportunities numbering seven in all. We’ll start at 8am from Banks and be finished by lunchtime. Distance about 12 km and 550m climb. Grade: M/E-M. Map: TAMS Canberra Nature Reserve – Rob Roy. Transport: Drive yourself or let me know if you need a ride. Limit: 8. Leader: Cynthia C for the walk, John Evans for the geocaching and catering. Book by 2pm Thursday prior to Cynthia. If you haven’t entered your emergency contact details on your CBC member page please do so.

10 of us drove through the Canberra fog to meet at the appointed place and time.

Further Information

If time and opportunity, GC1HVQQ Am I watching YOU????, GC1Z627 Big Monks, GCH1XC Southern Views, GC1CWN6 Fort Sensible, GC10WQD 1007. Maybe independently, GC23NPA Tuggeranong Suburbs – BANKS and GC1Y7E0 Tank Valley (multi).

Summary

Distance: 12.7km | Climb: 600m | Time: 8.00am-12.20pm (4hrs 20mins), with 30 mins for morning tea | Grading: M/E-M; M(9)

Track Maps

Track overview

Track 1

Track 2

Photographs

Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slide show.

Google Earth

Download the Google Earth .kmz file here.

Track Notes

I arrived a few minutes early and collected the answers for GC1Y7E0 Tank Valley.

A bit foggy as we walked up the severe hill at the beginning. Very foggy over Canberra. Later we got above it, but it didn’t clear from the suburbs until towards the end of the walk.

Marmaduke Rothschild, BlackLotusEater and JohnnyBoyACT skipped off the track to bag GC1HVQQ Am I watching YOU????, then rejoined the plod on up the hill. We spotted a couple of Euros (common wallaroo (Macropus robustus)).

At the track junction our leader permitted a few of us to go up to Big Monks. In the fog I headed towards the nearest knoll, but was soon corrected by my caching partners. Up to the top, we bagged  GC1Z627 Big Monks. Back down in a roundabout way, we regrouped with the rest of the party.

A lovely stroll along the fire trail in the cleared area below the tree line, along the SW flank of Rob Roy. South of Rob Roy and above Telephone Gully we turned N and NW back up towards the hill. Cynthia shared with us her research on the area, particularly the Scottish influences on naming Rob Roy, Royalla and other parts in the area.

Up to the saddle just NW of the top, where 6 Gang-Gangs in a tree entertained us. Up the footpad to the trig on Mt Rob Roy. Little view, as it is treed in.

However, our trusty leader had recce-d this walk and knew of a great spot with views, around 10 minutes north, for morning tea.

Arriving there, sumptuous goodies appeared out of packs and we celebrated our leader’s birthday. (Note to self – Tuesday walks should include such 30 minute breaks.) Great views SW over the foggy valleys to the snow-topped Brindabellas and closer Tidbinbillas.

Back in action, we followed the fire trail NW and W, with forays by some of us to log GC10WQD 1007, GC1CWN6 Fort Sensible and GCH1XC Southern Views. A great little dry-stone walled ‘fort’ built at the latter site.

And so further down the fire trail, breaking back out of the trees at the saddle area east of Big Monks.

Nearing the cars, four of us peeled off and logged the final GZ for GC1Y7E0 Tank Valley, my caching companions having already plugged the answers into the formula for the final GZ of the multi. In deference to other cachers (particularly the CO) and, more importantly so I don’t get into trouble YET AGAIN for my caching etiquette, the loop to the east of the descent track has been doctored so that the final GZ is not shown :-).

I’m obviously not a dedicated cacher, as I didn’t stay on (like one) to do more caches.

Thanks Cynth, great morning ramble. Thanks everyone for assistance with the catering. All the contributions were excellent – I couldn’t decide which of the bikkies and cheese, strawberries, honey and comb, chocolate fudge, almonds, savory sticks or chocolates was best, even after multiple sampling.

Party

10 walkers – Cynthia C (leader), Lorna C, Jenni C, Roger E, Gavin F, Chris F, Alison N, Llewellyn S-P, Deddo W, me.