This walk was organised and led by Janet E as a CBC walk:

Saturday 1 August: Orroral Valley/Legoland – M/M-R From the Orroral Valley carpark cross the creek and climb fairly steeply, about 400 m up the fi retrail towards a huge rocky outcrop known as Legoland. Explore the cave underneath and eat lunch dangling legs from the rock’s edge. Continue along this ridge and then we descend to the valley below, this can be slippery and steep, returning to the cars. Map: Corin Dam 1;25,000. Leader: Janet E. Transport: $48 car.

9 of us drove in 3 cars to the Orroral Valley Tracking Station car park.

Walk

A lovely day as we set off from the car park, old and new friends to chat with. Through the Minitrack and Space Cameras sites of the tracking station, then NW around the broad Orroral River swamp to cross the bridge and onto the Link Track. E then NNW up the track. At about the 1140m contour I found the W-G OR20 site (more information here). Continued on up the track to the locked gate, considered the option of bush bashing to The Belfry, but decided to stick to the Orroral Ridge Road to the collimation tower (site) car park.

From here we followed the footpad SE along the ridge to The Belfry (see pic 1). Always a staggering tor, visible like a thumb sticking up from the ridge from much of the Orroral Valley. Great views down to the valley, but we knew there were better to come. Time for morning tea, but not to try to find The Cloisters, described in ACT Granite to be 'about 200m over the ridge' from The Belfry. We turned about and wandered back to the car park above Tower Rocks.

From here, it was NW along the ridge, crossing W-G NA43 and forging on to Legoland. We had a wonderful time here! First a visit to the Opera House Cave underneath, with hopefully the cool breeze funnelled through it not dislodging the enormous chock stones in the ceiling (see pic 2). Next, up through the crawl at the back of the cave and a run up the massive ramp of granite which provides a massive, wind-blown view. Below us snaked the Orroral River through its winter brown swamp. Lifting one's gaze, the next level revealed the Cotter Hut Road snaking up from the valley towards Cotter Gap and Split Rock. N of the Gap are the McKeahnie knobs, with SH1339 in front. To the N was Dutchies Peak and Mt McKeahnie. The horizon contained snow-capped Mt Murray, Bimberi Peak, the rounded 'Ginger Ale' and Mt Gingera. A magnificent vista (see pic 3)! Close at hand to our right were further rock piles tumbling down from the ridge - Mushroom and Toadstool Rocks, the Trojan Wall and Sentinel Rocks.

Back down the ramp, we navigated the next stage of the crawl. From here, he and she who talk a lot took some of us up to another (new for me) massive set of tors. Same huge view, from a higher and more exposed location. We regrouped back near the entrance pad down to the cave, then wandered up to the highest spot that Janet had chosen for lunch. A wonderful place!

With time ticking away, options were presented and 4 of us were permitted to try the planned exit off the ridge. We all went along the footpad to just before the Trojan Wall, where the westward ho party began the descent. The others went on further along the ridge, then retraced their steps.

A relatively easy descent. Great views from near under the Trojan Wall (see pic 4), then just a matter to trying to pick the best going for the descent. 55 minutes saw us break out into the open, 1km and 350m down from the ridge.

We wandered down to the Orroral River, but too wide and wet to cross. We usually walk the W side, so just a bit different on this E side. I took a couple of waypoints where one could cross. We headed to W-G OR12 Footbridge site and had a gander (see pic 5). A couple of hundred metres further downstream we crossed and examined the wire netting skirted boulder which I'd first seen on 27 May 08.

Back on the E side, we followed animal tracks down to the huge W-G OR10 'boulder' just NE of the bridge over the Orroral. Our first surprise was a cat scurrying out of our way and into the 'cave' in the middle of the boulder. I'd visited this place before, but never made the time to go inside. This time we did, and it's quite cool. A lot narrower than Split Rock and Peter showed me how to chimney up the sides.

Back down to the Link Track, across the bridge, catching sight of the other party. Back to the cars.

A wonderful walk on a wonderful day with great company, thank you Janet, and Barrie, Brigitte, Dianne, Lijun, Peter, Phil and Helen.

Thanks also for your generous sponsorship for the Walk for Uganda!

Distance: 17km  Climb: 500m.  Time: 9.05am - 4.45pm (7hrs 40mins), with 1hr of stops and plenty of exploring.
Grading: L/M-R; M(11)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Orroral Valley-Legoland