Today an intrepid, happy bunch of walkers set off from Brooklyn to climb up to the top of Peak Hill.

After an initial car reshuffle due to 4 hour parking restrictions; the group, which included new recruit Bronwyn, set off on the uphill climb. The going soon ‘got tough’, so ‘the tough got going’. The path had been marked out with numerous orange tapes by a resourceful but absent Claude. (Happily swimming with Whale Sharks off the West Australian Coast no less!)

Clive knows every path through the bush and with Peter and Lyndy, the team was able to navigate their way through “up close and personal” bush. It was a walk filled with drop dead gorgeous views and plenty of bird sounds to hear along the way. We even managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of some birds as they flew in for a recce, probably wondering why this group of giants was walking on ‘the path less trodden’.

The view from the top of Peak Hill is superb and worth the climb; as were the views over Brooklyn and beyond. Deciding against a descent over the cliff edge (a treat for another day), the group returned to Brooklyn via the ‘man above man’ Aboriginal carving. Maybe they were acrobats, as the top man appears to be balancing on the lower man’s hands.

The descent down one very, very steep fire trail saw the group spread out, as those in front increased their pace when they caught a whiff of the aroma of coffee waiting for them down below.

Peter was a very able ‘tail end Charlie’ and had a map showing our position both on and off the tracks (well wombat runs!)

A great day out and a tough walk for Bronwyn who coped admirably as a first time walker with HVB.

                                                                                                                                       Track from Hawkesbury to Peak Hill: red-bellied black snake       Track from Hawkesbury to Peak Hill: Scribbly gum with track tape, Clive, Bert & Celia          

                                                                                                           Banksias in bloom lit the track                   Scrambling up Peak Hill                                           Flowers on Peak Hill

                                               Track from Hawkesbury to Peak Hill: Peak Hill morning tea spot group portrait
                                                View from morning tea spot

                                                                                                                                       Descending from Peak Hill                  Looking back at Peak Hill

                                                                                                                            Lunch spot view to Hawkesbury River from Porto Ridge                           Lunch spot on Porto Ridge: Martin, Bronwyn (visitor) and Lyndy                                                                     The group admiring the view from Porto Ridge

                                                                                                                                           The descent from Porto Ridge                                         Porto Ridge to Brooklyn: Aboriginal art site - Man above Man                

                                                                                                                                    Porto Ridge to Brooklyn: steep descent on the fire trail                Calm at the end of the walk

Walkers: Kurt, Bert, Celia, Wendy C, Barbara, Peter T, Kas, Nick B, Polly, and Bronwyn (visitor) led by Lyndy and Clive

Words: Lyndy

Photos: Barbara R (1, 2, 10, 11, 13,14), Peter T (6, 7, 8, 9,12), Wendy C (3, 4, 5, 16)