Saturday, January 2, 2010

Mt Caley


Heading out.
With the weather in NSW a mixture of floods and total fire bans, most of the national parks (e.g. Culgoa), are closed to overnight camping. We decided to do a series of day walks to get out of the house.
Mt Caley is a small mountain, (in fact some of my NZ and European friends would say "hill"), located to the east of Mount Banks. The walk is a 7 km easy trail with spectacular views into the Grose Valley. Many of the highlights of previous walks can be seen from the vantage point of Banks wall. The bush was busy with the sound of lewins honey eaters, lyre birds, Superb fairy wrens and thornbills.

Mt Caley through the trees?
The bush varies from open scrub to more rainforest sections along the more protected sides of Mount Banks. There is a water tank when you approach Banks Wall but my advice is to carry enough yourself and, if you do use the water in these tanks use a water purification system anyway. Back in the 1970's I drank from one of these tanks and was violently ill. I could only assume a frog or a possum (or something) had fallen in and died. Its an experience I would not forget.
Approaching the lookout.
From this point the track deteriorates, and follows a valley to the left. Its not too long before an intersection appears. A short stroll to the top for some more spectacular views. I had taken my Sigg stove and David and I enjoyed a cup of tea and later a chicken soup. Here we Spotted Welcome Swallow and Nankeen Kestrel, as well as numerous spectacular waterfalls.

My favorite stove- the Sigg!

After a shot rest the walk back to the car park proved to be just as enjoyable.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody! I have a good feeling about 2010!

8 comments:

  1. I just cannot believe the weather! I am grateful for the rain as it means no bush fires :o) just wet boots.

    ReplyDelete
  2. No bush fires is good! A few days ago I saw a short clip on the news about fires burning in Australia. I missed exactly where they were, so I had no idea if they were close to you. Snowing here tonight...again. It's snowed quite a few times in the last couple of weeks but only one that was a bit of trouble. Your son must really appreciate his father taking him out so much. I can just imagine the time will come when he takes his son or daughter out and remembers his time with you. Or it might be like me... I get to do just about as much with my grand kids as I did with my kids.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Simon
    Those images are really beautiful. I love the one of the clouds drifting over the escarpment.

    The weather is really strange isn't it? Has been so since the end of winter, a series of hot days followed by a radical drop in temp and overcast most of the time. Strange weather.

    Well I hope 2010 is great for all of us. I have a good feeling about it too!! Take care and enjoy those walks, sans the water tank water!! .. Julie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mount Caley? We'd call that a slope ;-)
    Your stove is very like what we'd call a trangia

    Nice walk mate.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jim-trangia is the brand- mine is a sigg. same thing, except mine is stainless steel not aluminium :o)

    Julie- thanks!!

    Lilah- grandkids! crikey

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy New Year, to you, as well. I love hearing about your neck of the woods, Simon.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Willow!
    BTW Maalie- Mt Caley is about 1000metres... ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete