On a beautiful Autumn morning, twenty cheerful walkers assembled at Samuel King Oval for an anti-clockwise circuit of North Turramurra.
The day began by walking along & appreciating several quiet streets as the walkers made their way, chattering happily, to the Bedford Ave Trackhead of the Dharri Track.
Walkers on the quiet streets of North Turramurra
From there, the track followed one of the branches of Cowan Creek downstream, joining the fire trail from St Ives Chase and then regrettably passing a couple of stretches of creek where there the smell of sewage overflows, caused by the recent rains, was evident. The fire trail condition was fair with some large wash-outs.
After negotiating a concreted crossing of the creek, the morning tea spot at the junction of the Glengarry & Dharri Tracks was reached.
The long & steep ascent of the Glengarry Track to the bottom of Glengarry St and the subsequent similar ascent of Glengarry St itself were accomplished by all with aplomb and after pausing to regain our breath, a welcome short break was called at the North Turramurra Sports Fields. Here, a childrens’ soccer carnival was in progress, and the walkers earned the distinction of a group of parents saying we were making so much noise chatting and laughing amongst ourselves that they thought we were putting their offspring off their game!
Some street walking followed to the end of Murrua St and then a delightful “informal” path behind Hammond Care (Princess Juliana) and the houses bordering Gwydir Ave took us (past a bevy of loudly barking dogs) to the pleasant lunch spot at the Gwydir Fire Trail Trackhead.
Lunch Lunch
After lunch, the Gwydir Fire Trail was followed to its junction with the Stonecrop Fire Trail, via a very steep, but thankfully concreted, descent & ascent.
Male Golden Whistler
At the next junction the Samuel King Fire Trail option was taken and after another steep rubbly ascent, a long descent & finally yet another steep ascent, the tired, but still chatty, group arrived back at the start point a Samuel King Oval.
On the final section of the walk, Lyndy sighted a Brown Cuckoo Dove, a Golden Whistler & a Fantail.
A joyous half-hour with coffee was then held at Twenty Seventy Four at the North Turramurra shops, where Louis had kindly volunteered to go ahead to reserve table space.
Coffee at Twenty Seventy Four at North Turramurra
Thanks to Tim, for helping with the recces, Lyndy & Elizabeth as First Aider & Assistant (thankfully not needed) and Don “Red Socks” B as Tail Ender.
Leaders: Michael & Sue
Walkers: Helen A, Don B, Tim, Elaine, Annette Ell, Mary, Lyndy, Dawn, Christine M, Bill & carer Sally, Claude & Margaret, Elizabeth, Wendy P, Vreni, Lyn & Louis.
Words by: Michael
Photos: Christine M (1, 2, 3, 5), Lyndy (4)