This Year
0
Number of Walks Ticked
0.0m
Total Distance Ticked
All Time
1
Number of Walks Ticked
21.0km
Total Distance Ticked
| Name | Date | Difficulty | Distance/Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aquila Loop (D'Aguilar National Park) |
9 Jun, 2019 |
Hard |
21km 2 days |
|
| We completed this walk early in June 2019 as a clockwise, two-day hike. We started just out of Maiala, leaving our car at a picnic/parking area. We started our walk by following the main road downhill for several hundred metres before entering a gateway signed Joyners Creek Road. We followed this road very happily for several hours, cheered on by hundreds of tinkling Bellbirds the whole way. The luxury of our extended downhill gradient did trigger some misgivings – what goes down must go up again tomorrow – but there was no turning back. Two hours into our descent we met a family of hikers climbing anticlockwise who begged to know, on their uphill way ‘home’ if they were now nearly ‘there’ (back at the main road). We ourselves took four hours of this pleasant descent to arrive at the England Creek Camp. We are about 70 years of age and carried twelve to thirteen Kg in our rucksacks. The England Creek Bush Camp site is very nice, located adjacent to the creek with its concrete ford and flowing water. Tent spaces are small and few. Although there is a fireplace, the available firewood and kindling leaves were quite damp and resistant to lighting. We were however successful and loved our whiskey, warmth and food. There are several flat benches to sit on and do one’s cooking. Our lightweight chair was welcome nonetheless. There is a geocaching location nearby. We met no leeches on the entire hike. Our second day’s walking was more memorable than the first. Memorable because of the long, long steep ascent from the campsite to the Northbrook Mountain Bush Camp, and the Lawton Road junction, followed by a concluding further long ascent to the Westside Track. Westside Track provided a further opportunity for adventure, in the form of a massive treefall obstructing the path. This required a significant scramble and perhaps thirty minutes detour below and around the tangled vegetation and rocks. Finally, an unexpectedly long series of stone stairs led us back up to Mt Glorious Road and before long to our car, six hours after setting off from the campsite at England Creek. |
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