Day 152 Lemons Hut

The path up the creek

 NSW Day 10 (152) Saturday 23rd October, 2021 16.5km

2996.2/2102.7km

I had heard stories about the next section but in the end it was OK.

It was ok getting through

Firstly I had to follow Dry Creek for about 3 kilometres. Even though it's a park there is a fairly distinct cow pad, or in some instances more than one. I followed the one I thought best even when it took me over a large spur. The creek at that stage was squeezed between to cliffs and as the creek was running the alternative would have been to scramble through the water. The cows did ok with a fairly easy climb up and down.

The ridge to climb out

At the 3k mark you've got to find a spur to climb out. I checked one out but it was wrong. The second one just a little further had the markers and I was about to climb.

Up top meeting the North Fire Trail

The book mentions a cattle pad but it is a vehicle track with something coming down recently. I would say a large front end loader after seeing some of the trees pushed aside and the tyre track. It made it fairly simple to follow. And I needed simple so I could concentrate on the climb. It's a 500m elevation gain over 2k and it was warm and humid. On these climbs I just put my head down and get into a rhythm. You get told not to look down when your high up but when I'm climbing I don't look up. With the sweat dripping off me and I'm puffing I really don't want to see how far I've got left. 9 times out of 10 when the legs just don't want to push you sneak a look and stop.

Warratah

I promised myself breakfast when I met up with the North Fire Trail. Which was the top of that climb. In the end I was glad I had moved up the creek yesterday as I got to the top of the climb by 9am and the day only got warmer from there.

It's the weekend and I expect to see a few people but it's not till I reach the Boundary Falls picnic area that I see any. I didn't go to the base of the falls as my jelly legs might not lift me out again. But I did spy a BBQ and hot wraps are better than cold so I fired it up and boiled the billy for tea.

Lyrebird Falls

Whilst I was sitting there Marg drove up and looked at the Falls then spoke to me on her way back. We sat down and talked. She drives the big ore trains in the Pilbara but is now stuck in NSW after taking extended leave. Her home base is Grafton. I wondered if we could put her up for a home quarantine in Perth so she can get back to work. The subject of food came up. My pack is running bare but Marg, the angel, offers me 3 bananas and a half block of Cadbury dairy milk. I will try to head to Grafton on one of my car shuffles and buy her a drink. One of the bananas was gone before she had cleared the car park. Thanks Marguerite Leahy

Boundary Falls

I loaded up and headed down the track to Lyrebird Falls. Did the tourist thing then started the trek to the camp for the night at Leamons Hut. It was rebuilt by a couple of Petits. Ron and Lyne I think. Not happy with it and got stung on the hand by that bloody plant again. It was growing near the door. I setup the tent outside and Belinda sent a message of a severe thunderstorms. Glen Innes was at the northern edge so I decided to chance it and it proved OK.

I had the block of chocolate for sweets and promptly zonked out for a pretty good sleep considering the standard of the rest.

Leamon's Hut