Perry's Blog

It's a shortish day's walk today as we wanted to overnight at Crosslands Reserve. We'd picnicked and camped there over many years when we lived in the area: it has water on tap with Barbecues with wood supplied.

We'd only left us a little bit (750ml) of water for the morning's walk, as we're planning to take some out of Galston Gorge an hour and a half down the track. We'd inspected the water in Galston Gorge on the drive through and thought it was safe enough with treating.

From the journal:

Beautiful morning!! The sun has just come through the trees at 7:07.

I woke at about 5am (for the hundredth time that night, it seemed), got comfy, dozed and woke at 6am when we got up. Took a 360 of the campsite.

Interesting that the track lengths on the map are quite different to the markers on the track.

One other couple walked to the campsite last night, who turned out to be Iranian. Whilst we were chatting to them another group of walkers came in who also turned out to be Iranian! Sandi wrote:

Influx of Iranians most amusing. Started as a trickle with one not speaking English, but carrying a pair of sunnies that Raz suddenly realized were his. Then about 5 more came, some speaking English. Really quite bizarre.

9:15 Leave Camp Site
It's a short walk over the top of the ridge and down into Galston Gorge. On the way we passed a glorious Goanna and filled out one of the Track Registers. The track markers so far are great, and thankfully we haven't had too many forks to negotiate!

The walking was pretty easy until we came to the steep decent, which was not easy with a big pack; but we were very thankful to be going down rather than coming up. Someone had written in the Track Register, obviously going the other way, that their "legs were not talking to them", I wanted to write, "Mine wont shut up!"

Sandi wrote:

Yesterday's walk very hard down into Galston Gorge. It was a bit freaky going down ladders with a heavy pack on, and I felt really nervous crossing the creek, just wobbly stepping stones and fairly deep each side and me with jelly legs!! P was great.

10:30 Galston Gorge
Down at the creek under the bridge we had a slightly tentative crossing then filled our water bottles and treated the water.

On our previous drive through we'd bumped into a local that'd said that the well known bantams that had lived in the Gorge for years had been removed by the Hornsby Shire Council, so we got a huge shock to round a corner and come face-to-face with a pair angry bantam cocks!

From the Gorge you walk up and out over a small spur, and then walk along a fairly level track beside Berowra Creek. It is a magic landscape walking through the dappled shade of Grey Gums and a miniature forest of Grass Trees.

11:40 Morning Tea (Camp Site 2.2)
The next camping spot that we came across was just as shocking as the last was surprising! Exposed with lots of rock and no where really to put a tent.

The shade was sparse and the rock hot so we were glad we were only stopping for a muesli bar and water.

After a short stop, the track descends steeply again to the creek, which quickly widens into a sizable body of water. The walking here is easy, and cooling with so much water close, but we are feeling weary.

We weren't going to stop again but by this stage we're feeling the need for a little more sugar and a sit down.

12:45 pm Camp Site 2.3
We are feeling so weary that we stop for another muesli bar under the trees at Camp Site 2.3. This is a nice site, close to the creek with plenty of shade, tent spots and a fire. Mosquitoes may be a bit of an issue though.

Had to pick ourselves up to keep going, but quickly found the closeness of the destination energizing us. Sandi wrote:

Was quite hard the first part of the walk, takes quite a mental push but the flat part along the river was marvelous, bolted along with a glad heart. Very relieved that a half hour break does seem to revitalise us. Feel very conscious always of having to press on.

1:55 Crosslands Reserve (Campsite 2.4)
Bursting upon Crosslands, which was full of picnicers on this Sunday afternoon was an odd experience. They were dressed well with smart cars etc, and we were feeling pretty tired and dirty.

We are completely spoilt by the abundance of fire wood and water: it means we can have as many cups of tea that we'd like! Which is what we did first. The PNG Bath was a waswas like we had in Papua New Guinea with swimmers on, under a cold tap.

Perry wrote:

Lunch/Dinner of salmon and dehydrated pasta + beans: amazing when you're hungry - which we were (still missing the bread - anyway, we'll be able to buy some tomorrow).

Crosslands is just the same as when we used to some down 10 years ago - very funny feeling stumbling in, weary and leg sore, and the place is full of picnicers, partiers and festivity. We walked the length of the park - passing the BBQ meat was very difficult - past the boules and football - down to the North end where there always was less people, and was today.

Cup of tea first, then lunch, then washing the clothes and a PNG bath!! Now we're sitting having a coffee and dates at the end of the day. We nearly have the park to ourselves now.

We do feel quite weary, back a little sore - legs hate going up hills, but we only need to do one day at a time. Sandi is a tank: I'm finding it difficult to keep up with her!!

Washing the clothes was great! They were getting quite smelly. Some we had to finish off drying in front of the fire.

Sandi wrote:

How gorgeous Crosslands still is and the memories of family times here overflow. If there would be one place we used apart from Bateau Bay it would be here.

Low tide seemed very low last night. Large fish jumping, baby ducks out in family groups this morning as they were last night.

Showered under the tap here while the sun was hot: hot enough to wear swimmers for a couple of hours after. Washed clothes, knickers, socks and shirts. Finishing drying this morning, rigged a branch next to the fire for P's shirt, very pleased with it. Very much enjoying all the water available [for drinking].

As the walk progressed, I became more and more amazed at the amount of noise that we were subjected to:

Such a glorious day (hotter than yesterday), the wide blue expanse and noisy planes - funny being under a flight path. We started under a flight path too. Noise pollution is an issue - walking down into Galston Gorge a flock of Harley Davidsons drove through - far too noisy. A notice of development here says that an extra boat ramp is in the planning - if it increased motorised boats that would be terrible.

End of Day Two where we ended up 19 kms into our walk, which we'd walked in just under 9 hrs @ 2.2 km/hr (including breaks).

Tomorrow we'll be walking through to Berowra Heights, a fairly hard walk with a couple of sizable climbs.