Day 189 Grassy Mountain - Glen Alice

Some giant playing stackem

 NSW Day 47 (189) Monday 29th November, 2021 30.4km

3822.8 / 1271.5km

A long day planned today. Not the best for looking after all those niggles that are happening but I want to get onto the road again and there doesn't seem to be a spot to stealth camp.

Waterfall

The trail follows the state forest then up a road then back into the Coricudgy State Forest. Its a pleasant walk then I re-enter the Wollemi National Park where it turns into a magical walk.

The trail

The trail follows a creek and has cliffs towering one side and a drop off the other. There is a lot of water dripping off the cliffs and waterfalls in some areas. A lot of photo opportunities and it's hard to get the magic on the small screen.

Again when I climb to the top, the Forrest thins out and I arrive at the Grassy Mountain Shelter.

More trail

From here I get a good view down the Capertee Valley or canyon. It is fairly long valley but it's claim to fame is that whilst it's not as deep it is 30 kilometres at its widest which is 1 kilometre wider than the Grand Canyon in the USA.

Up top the country changes due to the rocky ground

It's about midday so I begin the descent down to the property known as The Nile. Where there may be a creek that will cause me problems. More magnificent views as you come down. Hard to photo but in person it's a joy.

Grassy Mountain Shelter

Down the bottom I'm back into cattle country and the annoying flies become a swarm. So the fly net has to come out again. It looks like someone is rebuilding at the property and they have created a stable crossing on the creek by using those wire cages filled with rocks. Whilst the creek isn't running fast it does make the crossing rocky and only ankle deep.

View down the Capertree Gorge (valley)

The walk is then a long one down the road to a little village of Glen Alice. I'm able to use the phone box to ring Belinda (thanks bloody Telstra). The camp spot is behind the church down by the creek. Some fellow looks like he has pegged out a block between the church and the cemetery. Not official survey pegs and a caravan and a toilet surrounded by bamboo screens. Also the ubiquitous private property signs. Ho hum. They are not there so I just walk down to the creek and setup. Another long day and the plan is for another tomorrow.

Umbiella Creek. The Nile creek crossing everyone
talks about.

The long road to Glen Alice

The church at Glen Alice. I camped behind
down by the creek.

Day 188 Cudgegong River

The Livery Stable. A cave with art

NSW Day 46 (188) Sunday 28th November, 2021 32km

3792.4 / 1306.5km

The hut is surprisingly bug and critter free. Had a fairly good sleep and the wind died down last night. It came up again this morning.

I saw the red markings and didn't notice the horse
until I looked at the photo

The plan to day is to at least get past the Cudgegong River. I'm starting to get a few niggles, like my right knee is starting to get warm and pain a little.

Also a problem I had with my right foot on the Heysen walk is coming back. I think it has to do with a couple of long road walks. Also, I have bruised my right hip when I left a toggle on my rain jacket got caught under the waist belt of my pack. Now I can't do the pack up it feels uncomfortable in the correct position on my hips so I lift it higher on my waist and then it drops as I walk till I have to lift it again. Makes the day longer as I'm always lifting. Much worse on a heavier pack.

The road through the State Forest

The first stop today is a small cave with some indigenous art. Then I come out on top of Nullo Mountain. A long walk down the road where I passed some pig carcasses with the backstrap removed. A little further I find a hunter with a bow. Have to be careful as there seems to be a lot of hunting in these State forest areas in NSW. Apparently there are deer up here but the Hunter is having trouble as the forest is choked with debris from the bushfire and of course that makes stealth hard.

Red Belly to cold to move

I then drop off the road down to the Never Never Trail which is fairly clear but the Middle Trail the National Trail follows is overgrown and doesn't look like it is maintained any more.

Middle Hill track Nullo State Forest

I get to the Cudgegong River and the designated camp is on the north side of the river I intend to cross. Where the trail crosses the river it's about 3 metes wide but of unknown depth but it drops fairly quickly to about knee deep just on the edge. I spy a tree fallen just down and check it out. It was certainly wide enough and had a couple of branches to help steady. Just a matter of getting up and on the far side is a blaze at the base that gives me a step so up I get and get across.

Gate back to Woolemi

Another obstacle out of the way. I walk up the track and find a clear spot for my tent and setup for the night. Some light showers but nothing really heavy to add so water flows. Just enough to keep everything damp.

My bridge across the Cudgegong River

Bit deep and fast but I didn't want to take my boots off

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