Barrenjoey to Avalon

With close inspection of the trip advert and following trip report you may notice that although we had planned to walk from the Barrenjoey Headland to Newport. On account of the heat (27 degrees max) and the luring beach we piked at Avalon. I was expecting 10 walkers on the walk today, but with a couple pulling out overnight and another few guilty of missing the bus it ended up just Kathy and myself (C/K – athy Squared) waiting for the bus at Railway Square this morning. It was…

Jugglers, Grand and Empress Canyons

Jugglers, Grand and Empress Canyons

Individually Jugglers, Grand and Empress Canyons all have their merits but in combination these three pack a punch! After a somewhat chaotic start, which involved picking up ropes at North Richmond (kindly lent by Todd Harford), buying three trays of mangos and driving around the Blue Mountains National Park via the Bells Line Road, we arrived at our destination — Medlow Bath. We were…

Return to Gungartan

Unfinished business… That’s why I led a second trip this year to Gungartan, a rocky peak in the Snowy Mountains. During winter (July), I led a walk to the same region expecting to have a go at the summit of 2068m high Gungartan as part of a snow camp. Although the trip was great fun and covered in heaps of snow, the summit remain unreached. So, to…

Return to Eden: a nude trip to Paradise

Return to Eden: a nude trip to Paradise

For most people, the thought of a couple people wandering nude around a beautiful garden will probably have you picturing Adam and Eve (fig leaves and all)! The idea of hanging out in the Garden of Eden — a paradise on earth — getting an all-over tan, eating apples and chatting to snakes doesn’t sound too bad to me. And while I don’t condone the pinching of people’s organs in their sleep, or the manufacture of new humans from that stolen genetic material, I am particularly happy to know that the holy book of one of the biggest religions on earth kicks off with a description of the first people by saying they “were both naked, and they felt no shame.” One of many bottlebrushes in flower down in the valley So for the latest nude bushwalk I though what better place to revisit than that stunning swimming hole at Linden known as Paradise. Running up…

Mt Victoria

Mt Victoria

This trip was planned to give both Claire and Marta a last walk before they returned to Europe. It was also Armistice day in France, and Poland’s Independence Day (for Marta). It was also notable for its con-incidences with the date (11/11) and that a short trip turned into a long one. Read on….

Claustral Canyon

Not having been down since the old track was closed, it was nice to return to Claustral, and have to think about the way in and way out! Our way in involved a short walk to a very pleasant fern filled gully to enter the Canyon, with blue skies and a cool breeze. The canyon itself was fantastic as usual, with a few things that stood out to me: the water level in most of the pools is much lower than previously – similar to many canyons since the rain over the past year or 2 has flushed out a lot of debris A lot of bolting action has occurred. Mostly unwarranted,…

Helensburgh Station to Otford Station via Burning Palms

Helensburgh Station to Otford Station via Burning Palms

Eleven of us got together at Central Station and headed off in the train to Helensburgh Station, where Tran was waiting for us. I got some confirmation for the direction to Metropolitan Tunnel from the station staff, which was where I thought it was – underneath the aptly named Tunnel Road, and we all headed off there. At first…