Excellent weather greeted us for our 13.6 km walk on 12th April. After a briefing, we headed off at 8:50am.
My first walk as a leader with HVB was a great experience. Thanks for the opportunity to all. Many thanks to Clive for stepping in as co-leader. His knowledge and experience in this area was much appreciated.
I was pleased to have 10 hardy and capable walkers turn up for this challenging walk. The Hard, Hard, Hard grading was not enough to deter those that attended. The thought of doing total ascents and descents of 620m, crossing a number of creeks and climbing to the tops of these magnificent sandstone ridges, still did not keep them away.
Descending 200m into Joseph (Joe) Crafts (not Craft’s) creek at the 3km mark, gave an opportunity to learn about this very early pioneering family. Name variants and history: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Craft-162
After the biggest single climb of the day (200m in 1km), we enjoyed a scenic spot for morning tea at 10:30am on top of a large boulder for 15 minutes before then heading off along this beautiful ridge towards Berowra Waters for another kilometre, giving us displays of many native flowers and fungi along the way.
Claude apparently summed up the splendid view that greeted us as we gazed over Berowra Waters from the top.
We then started our long 220m descent to the river over the next 1.5 km with a creek to cross part way down that leads to Deep Bay on Berowra Creek. This added another 80m uphill to increase our total descents on that section to 300m. So there were steps, steps and more steps with quite a few having long climbs/drops. The teamwork was excellent with some assisting the “height-challenged” on trickier sections. Walking sticks did not help on these parts of the walk.
A big sigh of relief was heard as we reached the beginning of the last 800m stretch following the river into Berowra Waters.
After 7.5 km in 4 hours (about 2kph average speed), we had lunch at 12:40PM at the picnic tables at Berowra Waters (what flies/midges?) It was a good break, albeit only 30 minutes. Too much more to do so we skipped the coffee shop!
Add adding more work to our tired and now cool leg muscles, we started the steep climb to Berowra at 1:10PM. The first 80m ascent was sharp and steep but it then eased a little with a few ups and downs over the next 5.5 km. Along the way we stopped for photos at lookouts to enjoy the views, breathed in the clean air and the took pleasure in the native bush around us. Discussion of polluted air in other counties was heard. We are lucky!
The last short climb to the roads of Berowra reminded us of what we had seen plenty of, more steps.
Around 3:20PM after 13.6 km in 6 hours and 30 minutes, it was coffee for some at the “hole in the wall” around the corner from the Wise Monkey, given it was out of action for renovations. Then off to catch the train back to Hornsby and homeward.
Thanks to all for a great day and your support.
History of Mary Wall – Berowra: https://amusine.typepad.com/education/beautiful-berowra.html
Alighting at Cowan Station, Leader Peter briefing us on the next few hours Map With GPS Track Recorded in Blue
Group at start of track - opposite Cowan Station
Fringe Lily Thysanotus virgatus Woollsia pungens Eriostemon australasius Multiple Fungi
Morning tea on the ascent from Joe Crafts Creek A rock beauty on Jo Crafts Ridge... morning tea
Setting off again Final descent to Berowra Waters before lunch
A lone tent at Berowra Waters viewpoint
A lookout half way down to Berowra Creek looking at Berowra Waters
Happily downward between magnificent Smooth Barked Apple Trees Steep descent, interesting erosion, Claude, Chris, Sue
and a precariously positioned Angophora Costata
Scribbly gum - beautiful on one side, burnt on the other Pine-leaved Geebung Persoonia pinifolia
View to Berowra Creek & Berowra Waters
Many shells in the middens from past times. It is believed that Berowra Creek was the boundary between the Guringai and Dharug peoples.
Nearly at the top! Resting at Berowra After the Last Climb
Group at lookout to the south west of Berowra Heights with view south up Berowra Creek towards Crosslands
Leaders: Peter T and Clive.
Walkers: Celia, Wendy C, Vreni, Kas, Claude, Sue S, Chris B, Barbara.
Photos By: Barbara (7,8,15,16,19,22), Peter T (2,3,13,24), Sue S (1,4,5,6,9,10,11,12,14,17,18,20,21,23),