Day 187 Sandy Camp Hut

The road to Widden Stud

NSW Day 45 (187) Saturday 27th November, 2021 17.6km

3746.9 / 1352km

The trick in working out how to proceed is second guessing the weather and effect it will have. I can see the bigger river heights but the smaller creeks are not monitored as well.

Widden Brook. Just a little fast in the middle.
I got a lift across.

There are two apparent creeks that cause trouble. Bit confusing as one they keep mentioning is Nile Creek. On my maps I can't find it but in the end it turns out it is the Umbiella Creek crossing at The Nile.

Through Widden Stud to the Woolemi National Park

The other is the Cudgegong River. I know already that Widden Creek is up but the Widden Stud has a solution by lifting staff and visitors across the creek on a tractor. So even though there are rivers still peaking I decide to move across the trail whilst there is a break in the weather. We've had one day without much rain and two or three days more. That gives me a couple of days to get to problem spots with hopefully no rain topping up the waterways.

Foaling paddock

The first stop is to get to Widden Creek and get across. Tracey drives me out and I miss the road walk and maybe if I walked it the creek might be down far enough to walk but with more rain predicted my concern is the Cudgegong crossing which is more remote and no tractor to get me across. In the end we got to the crossing but there was no mobile signal to ring the stud to tell them I was there. I was not willing to chance walking it. Tracey took off to find a signal and staff arrived just as she left to check the creek. I got a lift across and Widden has a local mobile network which works closer to the office. Had to walk back to the crossing to say goodbye to Tracey and her family. Had to throw a water bottle across as I left my water when I threw the pack in the Ute.

Myrtle Creek at Myrtle Grove

By the time I get walking it's about 11am and the plan is to get up to Sandy Camp Hut. About 20k. The first part of the walk is through the stud. An impressive place.

Up further is the Myrtle Creek near Myrtle Grove some water over the road to negotiate but proved fairly easy. I finally get to the gate to the park and start climbing.

Myrtle Grove

It's a spectacular walk especially as the creek is running and there are little waterfalls and drips everywhere. The climb is through a rain forest. There are portions of the track that are crowded with plants that seem to provide a citrus type smell so whilst it's a pain pushing through it smells OK.

The climb through Woolemi

The higher you get the forest thins out. There is a lookout called Keith's Lookout, I don't know who Keith was. About 2 kilometres from there is the Hut which was a welcome sight. The wind was blowing and I set up the tent inner inside. A little bit of rain but not enough to cause a problem I hope.

Myrtle Creek

The view back down. You can see the trail on
the right. This is from Keith's lookout.

Sandy Hut. Stopped here for the night
and set up the tent inner in the hut.

Day 186 Unexpected Zero Day

The Goulburn River at Phipps Cutting.
Not camping by the river tonight.

 NSW Day 44 (186) 26th November, 2021

The Goulburn before it meets the Hunter River

Today I should have been walking to Phipps Cutting and camping beside the Goulburn River. But Tracey came back with her children as the buses were not running. We checked the news and weather and a few roads were closed and more rain was due.

The Widden Creek crossing was closed into Widden horse stud which is the trail. So I decided to stop and Tracey offered me another night which I accepted.

The Hunter River at Denman. Expected to peak
9am following day.

We did see the Goulburn and Hunter Rivers with the peak due through Denman about 9am tomorrow. I spoke to few people and Widden Stud said they were ferrying people on a tractor across the creek but depending on how much rain would decide my next movements. So a rest day checking the property after the rain. Then a drive to see how things looked for tomorrow.

Day 185 Sandy Hollow

NSW Day 43 (185) Thursday 25th November, 2021 22.5km 

Castle Rock

3685.1 / 1403.2 km

The rain is drizzling when I start walking.

It's mainly road walking for the next couple of days. Today I was heading to Sandy Hollow, where there is a pub, service station and caravan park. We haven't been able to get onto the park and the pub doesn't have accommodation. I want to get out of the rain tonight if I can.

Morning drizzle

I walk until I come to the possible diversion and they do have a road closed sign up but it's about 900 metres to go have a look and save about 8 kilometres. It didn't rain last night heavy and the creek has dropped below the causeway meaning I could walk across. It was a couple of metres deeper and there is a lot of mud and debris on the road down.

The closed road crossing, you can see the depth

It's constant rain as I walk the road. There is some roadworks on the Golden Highway and they have diverted all the heavy vehicles down this road. Makes an enjoyable dodgem all day.

Now below the causeway so I saved the diversion.
It came up again that afternoon.

I finally get into Sandy Hollow and I head straight for the Caravan Park. Belinda has been leaving messages and I find a sign on the office door saying they are not taking bookings till the 26th November which is tomorrow. I put the pack on and walk next door to the Service Station. I just took my pack off and must have had that lost look when a lady asked me if I had come off the National Trail. I said yes and we had a quick chat about my predicament and she offered me a bed for the night. Her name was Tracey and as she had to go to work, she would talk to me later. I was going to the pub for food and said that was where she would find me. I don't know how she explained to the rest of the family but I was later greeted by Greg (the husband) who was picking their children up from the school bus. They offered me a bed in their donga and considering we had 50 mm or so of rain that night it was quite welcome. More trail Angels making the whole experience special.

The wet road in

Old church

Day 184 Wybong Creek

 NSW Day 42 (184) Wednesday 24th November, 2021 28.2km

Aberdeen

3662.6 / 1425.3km

Finally up and moving again. Today is a long day to the camp. Mainly road walking except for a bit across a property.

Hunter River

I can see the effects of all the rain with the paddocks saturated and water over the road. As I come out of Aberdeen I cross an old bridge across the Hunter River and can see the water has been higher. The rain is expected to increase over the next couple of days.

I come across a creek that is flowing well but the debris shows it was much higher. Some of the sights are making me nervous.

You can see the height the water got

Finally I go through some cattle yards and then follow a station track across a pass called Bells Gap in the hills. I come out on another road, then it's a 900 metre walk up a road that I have to walk back on tomorrow. The TSR backs onto Wybong Creek and I chose to stay up near the road and walk the kilometre to pick up water. The creek has been very high.

I was hunkering down in my tent when Rosemary, the section co-ordinator came down to have a chat and give me a diversion if the predicted rain falls. In the end it drizzled a little bit.

The track

Another hanging rock

Sad end for this old girl

The actual gate I should have taken. It has the
combination lock. But the grass and the rope
pretty much makes it a bit of a chore to go
through.

Blue sky disappeared real quick

Days 179 to 183 Time off

 NSW Days 37 to 41 Friday 19th to Tuesday 23rd November,

Zero Days

I had a break of nearly a week, spending time with Niall, and we even managed a day at the cinema.

One notable thing was I left Wallerawang in the morning on Friday and paid $4.20 for a bus fare to take me to Lithgow. From the train station I sat in trains for 6 hours travelling from Lithgow to Strathfield then jumped on the northern line to swap again at Hamilton to the Hunter Valley line to arrive at Maitland around 2.30pm. The train fare was $10.80 for the whole trip. So $15 total for bus and train Wallerawang to Maitland. I was a little shocked but didn't argue.

A pub dinner, a home cooked meal and some cinema snacks put on some weight. It rained constantly whilst I was at Niall's.

I got picked up on Monday by Sue and Don who are coordinators for Book 8 up near Gundy, who were returning home from Sydney.

We dined at the RSL in Scone before I spent the night at their place at Rosewood. Sue took me back into Aberdeen the following day as she had business at Muswellbrook. I spent the night at the hotel getting ready to start Book 9 tomorrow. There is a pie shop here that had a good curry pie. I put together a dinner from the Foodland as the pubs kitchen is not open. $100 for pub room a little expensive.

Rest of week predicted to be wet.

Days 176 and 177 - Zero days car shuffling

NSW Days 35 and 36 17th and 18th November, 2021

Zero Days

These days are driving days. Mushgang and myself get up and on the road to Tenterfield.

It's a 4 hour drive up and I decide to return to Mushgang's place for the night and head south in the morning.

The following day is a drive south to Wallerawang where my car will be dropped off behind the Commercial Hotel. I check out some of the route which is 10 or 11 days with only one piece of civilisation on day 2 where dinner will be at the Sandy Hollow pub. It looks interesting and a night at the pub cost me $45 for a room and I had bangers and mash for tea. I left a couple of messages but have an e-mail with updated notes for book 9. Now for a trip back north and to visit a friend near Maitland for a couple of days.

Day 175 Scone

 NSW Day 34 (176) Tuesday 16th November, 2021 19.8km

Another stud

3634.4 / 1454 km

Today was a fine day. The plan is to get to the train station then head north to Armidale.

Another couple in a caravan arrived and they offered to give me a lift. I accepted. I could also get the school bus out of Gundy at 7.50am at the shelter in front of the store. I didn't find out how much they charge.

Aberdeen Road

The road to Aberdeen flows through more horse studs and I didn't miss walking that way. Scone is closer and the train is scheduled to stop. I went up to the train station and the information centre only to be informed train tickets are bought at the community centre/ library at the other end of town.

I got a good tour of Scone (pronounced Sc-own) I still eat Scones as in Scons. The train was 5 minutes late and $41 to Armidale. I sit for four hours watching the countryside pass as I head north again.

Road to Aberdeen

Mushgang has agreed to come down and pick me up from Armidale. I don't mind another visit as we had a good time last time. Hope he doesn't pass fresh road kill on the way down.

There is a connecting bus to Tenterfield but Mushgang is keen for a drive in the country and look at some things north.

He picks me up and we head back into the hills where the clouds are covering the countryside. A dinner at the Ebor pub and we settle in for a catch up chinwag.

Thanks once again Mushgang.