KU-RING-GAI CHASE NATIONAL PARK – 1 August 2020
You would think I’d learn wouldn’t you. I thought I was going to do a nice easy walk so invited along my best friend as, from what I’d seen of the walk previously, it was really nice. Turned out not to be such a great idea.
On a positive note though, Anne B who I’d burned many years ago on an overnight walk, decided to come with me and she seemed to really enjoy it, so much so that she said she’d do a similar walk again! Still didn’t make up from the overnight walk though!
I had done the first section of this walk many months ago, and had really enjoyed it and determined to return. As with everything we do, I didn’t quite remember the track as it was. We started at Berowra Station and the walk is written up by National Parks as 10k one way, which is what we were doing.
Anne B and David S, stepping down into the creek, this was after a couple of k walking down hill into the creek, stepping over a lot of trip hazards and avoiding some muddy sections (we’d had considerable rain the week beforehand).
Christine on a nice section of track, no trip hazards and some nice cliff-line on one side. Turns out this might have been the only flat section, I had forgotten how uneven the track was.
Our morning tea spot (l-r Rod, David, Geoff, Anne and my friend Christine). We stopped at a midden mound (a spot where aboriginals had harvested mussels and oysters and eaten them, leaving the shells in a pile.
Shortly after morning tea, I looked down on the track and bent to pick up something that looked out of place. This is what made the trip blog-worthy, I had picked up a 1914 three pence piece, this had laid on the track at least since the 1960s when we converted to decimal currency. Apparently it is worth around $14 to a coin collector.
Further on we came to a rock with this carved into it, I thought it was someone who’d been bored back in 1891 but David assures me it’s just a survey marker, lot of effort to go for a survey marker.
Christine further on the track as it wended its way into Cowan Creek, very nice section of track, except for all the boulders to avoid.
Looking upstream, beautiful day.
I think the boulders to get around are what did Christine in.
Although she was giving me the thumbs-up here!
A few creek crossings, it looked slippery but wasn’t that bad.
And then we got to where we had to turn off to get back to Mount Ku-ring-gai station which is where my car was parked.
We had to walk about 2k up hill, lots and lots of steps and this is what well and truly did Christine in. My fault really, I should have taken her out for a few trips previously and gotten her used to steps.
On a positive note, the track at the top was lovely, and flat!
Christine assures me that according to her Apple Watch the walk was in fact more like 13k not 10. Will Christine ever walk with me again, probably not – eventually I’ll learn not to take the uninitiated out with me! Again, sorry for putting you through that misery Christine!
Normally, I’d be posting a comment here about Marilyn and her “Beginner” grade trips being anything but beginner grade. But this time, I’ll support her and say that this walk was totally enjoyable and certainly “Easy” grade. Will due respects to Christine, or anyone contemplating a 10 kilometre bush walk, you need to be honest with yourself whether you are in condition for such an undertaking.
Marilyn herself will attest, “move it or lose it”. Thanks for a great day Marilyn.
Yes, I agree with the “move it or lose it”, if you don’t keep up a high level of exercise then it’s difficult when you challenge yourself.
It was a great day, perfect weather and it really was an easy walk.