This walk was organised and led by me as an irregular CBC Tuesday walk:
(Tuesday 2 January: The Ridge of Stone. S/E. I so enjoyed this little wander led by Jeff B last year that I’ll take my overseas visitors this year. Come and join us. Drive to the top of the ridge and explore north and south. Tower Rocks, Legoland, Trojan Wall, Sentinel Rocks, The Belfry and The Cloisters. Excellent granite. Around 6km and a little easy scrambling. With an early start to beat the heat, it’ll be all over by lunchtime. Limit of 8. Map: Corin Dam 1:25000. Leader: John Evans – jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235; contact me by 6pm the previous Sunday to discuss options. Transport: ~$10. Further details at www.pcug.org.au/~jevans.).
10 of us drove through the drizzle, via the Honeysuckle Creek camping ground, then up the fire trail to the collimation tower car park.
This area and its granite climbing features are described in ACT Granite pp 112-174.
Previous Visits
This time last year I very much enjoyed this little walk, led by Geoff B - details here. Max marched me up to the top of the hill and marched me down again mid year - details here.
Planned for 38°C heat and panoramic views, this little walk was executed in 20°C drizzle and cloud-bound. Still, the bush has a beauty all its own (as you press through dripping scrub and regular wattle-shower drenchings) and we sure need the rain.
We were a mixed crew, ranging from the CBC Walks Secretary to a first time walker with the Club, with me somewhere in between. I was pleased to have my daughter from London walking with us (and even more pleased that I had enough gear left over after decking her out to keep myself dry). Our common interest was that we all wanted to be there.
We first followed the well-worn footpad 1km SE until The Belfrey loomed through the mist and drizzle. No point, today, in tracking another few hundred metres through the bush to find The Cloisters (but I must do this some time). About turn and back to the cars. Again, I chose not to try a damp scramble down around Tower Rocks.
Then 1.5km to the NW along footpad to the top of the Trojan Wall (no view) and on to Sentinel Rocks. A huddled group photo!
A cute little recovery from a 180° turn whilst I was talking, then back to Opera House Cave at Legoland (see pics 1 and 2, the only dry ones) for morning tea. We exited via our entry path, as the crawl up the back of the cave was a little wet and dirty.
Another seniors moment for me as I worked out that the cars were SE, rather than NW. I now know why junior navigators like me should concentrate and not talk, and how having restricted fields of vision makes things that little harder. And so back to the cars. An enjoyable, unseasonable wander. Interesting that 5 of the 10 will be doing extended walks in Tasmania in the next 2 months.
A stop at the Namadgi Visitors Centre to show my daughter my photos in the exhibition and to hear Rob's (and other's) descriptions of the AAWT. A lone walker arrived, having just completed most of the AAWT from Victoria, through both bushfire and snow.
Certificates awarded - I still don't know what to do with banked frequent walking kilometres. Thanks for great company to Caitlin, John and Margaret, Mike and Louise, Neralie, Paul, Rob and Shirley.
Distance: 5.2km Climb: 150m. Time: 8.05am-10.50am (2.75hrs), with 20mins of breaks.
