This walk was organised and led by Rene M and myself as a combined CBC/Parkway Sunday afternoon ramble:
Sunday afternoon 30 August: Ramble on The Pinnacle - S/E. (Combined CBC/Parkway walk) Enjoy a stroll on The Pinnacle and share some arvo tea. Around 9km and 200m climb. Map: Canberra, Canberra Nature Park. Co-leaders: Rene M and John E. No need to book; just meet at the end of Dungowen St Hawker at 1.30pm. Enquiries to John – jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: Please drive yourself. Further details at http://jevans.pcug.org.au.
18 of us gathered from far and wide.
Further Information
The Canberra Nature Park for The Pinnacle Nature Reserve is here. The brochure for The Pinnacle Nature Reserve is here.
Maybe visit the nearby cemetery across William Hovell Drive.
Walk
A wonderfully diverse group - living legend CBC walkers, new CBC members, Parkway ramblers, friends, even folk who had found the walk via the CBC web site's publicly available latest walks program. A large group, but not too large for an urban fringe ramble. Thankfully, 18 set out and 18 came home! The weather was delightful too - cleared up from the previous day's rain and strong winds. We enjoyed mainly sunshine and a brisk breeze.
Excellent to have Rene M lead us over her favourite stomping grounds along management tracks and footpads (see pic 1) to The Pinnacle. Here we stopped to admire the views over S Canberra to the Tidbinbillas and the Brindabellas and NE behind us to the adjoining suburbs.
Then S to another knoll on which was built a bit of a kids' fort, with some nicely constructed little dry stone walls. E down to a dam with ducks and ducklings, this time with local guidance from Alison M. Back up and on to a final knoll with views down to the encompassing William Hovell Drive.
Picked up a management track along the SW border of the nature park, then struck up a little drainage line to find a spot out of the breeze for arvo tea. Much pleasant conversation and many new friends made.
Back up to the N boundary (passing a bearded dragon out for a walk) and so back to the cars, where some of the party called it a day.
10 of us continued NW along the Bicentennial National Trail and under William Hovell Drive to the Weetangera Methodist Cemetery:
"Weetangera Methodist Cemetery (18731952) This small late nineteenth, early twentieth century rural cemetery has forty-four burials and eighteen monuments. The church associated with the graveyard fell into disrepair over the years and was demolished in 1955 and a stone cairn marks the site. The last burial made in the cemetery was made in 1964 and the following year a bushfire damaged some graves and fencing. Most of the burials at the cemetery are in the southwest corner, which has the highest elevation, and most occurred before the end of the nineteenth century. The cemetery is particularly important for its age and intact nature, and for the headstones, which have undergone little change since their construction and demonstrate the cultural tastes of their period. One interesting aspect of the monuments is evidence of paint covering, reflecting the nineteenth century custom of painting sandstone cemetery monuments. The cemetery is located near the suburb of Hawker and has public access via a walking track past “Lands End” farm." (from Rural Graves in the ACT – A Historical Context and Interpretation by Anne Claoué-Long, 2006).
Had a scout around there (see pic 2, pic 3) and so back home.
Couldn't think of a much nicer way to spend a Sunday arvo. We'll do another on the last Sunday of next month 27 Sep 09, if you are interested. Special thanks to Rene M and Alison M for telling us (nicely) where to go and to Caroline R, Chris B, Fi B, Gavin F, George S, Greg K, Heather C, Jeff B, Jeff B, Jenny D, Jenny H, John C, Neralie L, Paul E and Tarja S.
Distance: 7km Climb: 100m. Time: 1.35 - 4.20pm (2hrs 45mins), with 15mins of stops.
Grading: S/E; E(5)
KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: The Pinnacle
