Shark Rock Ridge - October 2020

Access to this track was a little obscure. Part of the access involved proceeding north along the edge of the freeway in the breakdown lane until arriving at the track head. The track is unmarked, quite faint and very 'scratchy'. There is a "Rock Art" warning sign some distance in. The noise of the freeway gradually lessened as I continued, but never really ceased for the whole shuffle. The rock engravings are worth a look at, but there are other more accessible engraving sites around Sydney.

An early sixties Ford Falcon

The Motorway

 

 

Cowan Creek

 

 

Tessellate Rock

Stats,

distance: 9.33Km

moving time: 1hr, 33min

Elevation: 72metres

Calories:745

Great North Walk - Palm Grove & Hidden Valley - September 2020

Another section of The Great North Walk ,on a warm spring day, it was around 30 degrees by midday when I arrived back at my ute. Not much to report on this one, lots of snake tracks, although I didn't see any snakes. I commenced this section just north of Somersby,  passing through the Palm Grove Reserve with it's huge rain forest trees, palms and ferns. Then down to Hidden Valley on the Ourimbah Creek. Hidden Valley is a small collection horse properties. From Hidden Valley the Great North Walk follows the the Ourimbah Creek upstream, until finally crossing the creek and heading up to the watershed of the Ourimbah Creek and the Yarramalong Valley. Thats where I had brief rest and then retraced my steps back to the Somersby track head.

Somersby Track Head

Upstream of Happy Valley

Ourimbah Creek Crossing

Ourimbah Creek further downstream

Notches in a stump, used to support the loggers springboards

A Forest Giant in the Palm Grove Reserve

Stats,

distance: 21.7Km

moving time: 3hr, 44min

Elevation: 842metres

Calories:1586