Near Leura NSW
Distance: 4.1km return
Duration: 2 hours
After a failed attempt to do this walk on my birthday in July - failed because Richie was on crutches at the time - we returned on Fathers Day to give it a crack.
With the sun shining and the wind howling we set off from the very end of Mt Hay road at Leura. This track is well marked with open low scrubby heath so you can see well off into the distance to the squat, dome-shaped Mt Hay crouching ahead.
With the short people in tow we took our time as usual, and there were only a few patches where the bushes were so sharp and overgrown that I had to lift Holly up and over them. Some interesting features including a rock ledge to scramble up and some short eroded rock formations that made for a great perching spot for Ty to lean into the strong wind.
The climb up to Mt Hay is gradual but open with little shade in the earlier parts so probably best avoided in the heat of the day.
The track rounds a bend part way along and on this day we copped the full brunt of the wind, but then fairly quickly came to a sheltered area where a climb up to the large cairn at the top began; the trees here grew much taller and there were some rough bush steps up to the cairn at the top. I only had to carry Holly for a little while up the stairs.
Surrounding this cairn is a lovely glade of dappled sunlight; Richie tells me the track continues right over and down the other side of the mountain so we didn't stray too far along this way. We stopped for snacks and slowly made our way back down towards the car, again stopping to play around in the wind gusts.
Had we been without the kids or if they felt fresher we might have liked to explore the side track to Butterbox canyon.
One for next time!
Distance: 4.1km return
Duration: 2 hours
After a failed attempt to do this walk on my birthday in July - failed because Richie was on crutches at the time - we returned on Fathers Day to give it a crack.
With the sun shining and the wind howling we set off from the very end of Mt Hay road at Leura. This track is well marked with open low scrubby heath so you can see well off into the distance to the squat, dome-shaped Mt Hay crouching ahead.
With the short people in tow we took our time as usual, and there were only a few patches where the bushes were so sharp and overgrown that I had to lift Holly up and over them. Some interesting features including a rock ledge to scramble up and some short eroded rock formations that made for a great perching spot for Ty to lean into the strong wind.
The climb up to Mt Hay is gradual but open with little shade in the earlier parts so probably best avoided in the heat of the day.
The track rounds a bend part way along and on this day we copped the full brunt of the wind, but then fairly quickly came to a sheltered area where a climb up to the large cairn at the top began; the trees here grew much taller and there were some rough bush steps up to the cairn at the top. I only had to carry Holly for a little while up the stairs.
Surrounding this cairn is a lovely glade of dappled sunlight; Richie tells me the track continues right over and down the other side of the mountain so we didn't stray too far along this way. We stopped for snacks and slowly made our way back down towards the car, again stopping to play around in the wind gusts.
Had we been without the kids or if they felt fresher we might have liked to explore the side track to Butterbox canyon.One for next time!
Comments
Post a Comment
I would love to hear from you! :) Leave some love in the comments