Once again, a lovely drive from Weston Creek via Uriarra Rd, Fairlight Rd and Mountain Creek Rd to Wee Jasper, then on the couple of km to the James Fitzpatrick Trackhead.  We left Canberra at 7am, the trip taking around 1.5 hours. 

I did this walk with DB and MF, with whom I'd walked previously.  We parked the car at the trackhead (the old rodeo ground), where a couple of groups were camping.

We were on the track by 8.20am, setting off from the rear of the ground.  The track winds its way up past the registration point and major entrance for the local caves, then out into cleared grazing land.  It looked a picture in the cool morning light, crossing a couple of fences in style via stiles.  A sharp left turn and up a fence line to the trees.

The track climbs quite steeply, but is easy walking.  It's benched (cut into the hillside so that it's level across its width).  In an hour, we'd reached the point where I'd turned back last time.  Lovely country, not burned.  By 10am we were at the waterfall, marked on the map in Harry Hill's book as point 5 (GR497088).  We were in 'wander mode', so after a few tens of metres following the creek downstream, had to backtrack and pick up the track as it goes upstream to the top of the waterfall.

10.40am saw us at the Buccleuch State Forest sign, a few minutes on a vehicle track, then up through the pine forest.  A final pinch and we were at the Mt Wee Jasper trig point at 11.05am, 1121m.  A wonderful view to the south, with Mt Coree's northern cliffs clearly recognisable.  The track heads on down to the Log Bridge Creek campsite, but was a little too far for today.

Lunch was a marvelous affair.  Chicken salad, a huge container of fruit and nuts, cabanossi and cheese, washed down with a fine, chilled sparkling burgundy.  Chocolate and plunger coffee.  All that took an hour and a quarter.

Our return journey was certainly quicker than the outward leg and we were back at the car by 2.20pm.  Light cloud was coming over.  The drive back was just as pretty.

Great company, excellent tucker and a beaut walk for the first Saturday in Spring.

Time:  8.20am - 2.20pm, with 1 hour 15 minutes of stops.