There were claims made by the walk leader that he'd used the indigenous counting system (1, few, some) when indicating the number of hills in the walk description.  The British numbering system would have been better (quite a few); and the Australian most accurate (a bl...y few hills).  However, not knowing this at 7am, 9 foolish souls (including one visitor on her first club walk and one new member on his fourth) were led, like lambs to the slaughter, through the streets of Kambah and up the flanks of Mt Taylor.  A brief pause at the top and we were away to the SE, across the S edge of Torrens and SE along the Farrer Ridge.  We crossed Erindale Rd at 8.45am (7.5km and 1hr 45mins to here).

A quick ascent of Mt Wanniassa, then SE above the suburbs of Fadden and Macarthur.  Crossing Isabella Drive just near Rose Cottage, we paused for 10 minutes for morning tea (11.6km and 3hrs).

Continuing SE, we crossed the Cooma Road and hit the railway line.  Turning S, we walked the track and the trail beside it for over 2km, leaving it when it curved away to the E.  Heading just W of S, we topped SH764 (Melrose) for good, open views down to the Cooma Road.  To the W, the familiar hills and skyline could be seen (see pic 1) (15.7km and 4hrs 5mins).

Our track continued to take us S across Dunns Creek (see pic 2), up Tuggeranong Creek for a while and back across the Monaro Highway.  Into some light scrub as we climbed towards the knolls leading to our objective.  A pause at 12.30pm for a bite of lunch (20.2km and 5hr 30mins).

A final push along fire trail to Mt Rob Roy, reaching it at just before 2pm (22.7km and 6hr 55mins).  The trig point is a few tens of metres up off the fire trail, an old wooden riser in a light metal frame.

From here we walked via fire trail NW to Big Monks (SH916).  A lovely little feature, complete with trig point, granite and Coolabah tree (25.5km and 7hr 40mins).

The wind was blasting and the weather closing in so we quickly plunged down the hill towards the obvious S edges of Banks and Gordon (see pic 3).  Reaching the SE most house of Banks we pulled out shells as a squall came over and headed along the edge of the suburb.  We crossed Tharwa Drive and continued along the S edge of Gordon, then along the W edge of the suburb on a fire trail.  Coats off, although the wind kept blowing and it was cool.  The verge of Point Hut Road took us to Point Hut Crossing (30.8km and 9hr).

With my feet getting a little tender, we motored along the Murrumbidgee River corridor track from PHC through the Pine Island Reserve (which I'd done with my daughter on 26 Dec 05).  A few minute's break at S Pine Island.  Reached the dry stone wall near Tuggeranong Creek at 5.15pm (36.5km and 10hr 15mins).

The promise was a call to the Kambah home to boil the kettle and heat the muffins at the next rise, so we walked up the gully with cattle on the left and roos on the right to the saddle overlooking the Gleneagles Estate.  The call was made, but we still had a way to go.  Down along the edge of the houses, nearly every one with a barking dog, across the golf course and along a walkway between the houses.  We hit the roundabout on the Kambah Pool Road at 10 past 6 (40.2km and 11hr 10mins).

All that remained was to trudge back along the road to our starting point, dodging the cars with headlights on high beam.  The first time I've finished in the dark!  A most enjoyable cup of tea, hot muffins and fruitcake.  Thanks Jenny!

My second WBB, which pushed me through my previous limits.  Thanks, Rob and Jenny and other walking companions, for a great day.  Remarkably, I pulled up pretty well the next day - thank goodness, as Bimberi Peak comes up in 3 days.

Distance: 42.4km  Climb: 1200m.  Time: 7am-6.45pm (11.75hrs), with 35 minutes of breaks.