Camping and hiking in The Kangaroo Valley.

I had a wonderful weekend at The Kangaroo Valley this weekend with Sydney Explorers.


Highlights of the weekend included:

• Driving down on Friday evening with Srini.
• The wonderful camp-site in Kangaroo Valley, set on huge lawns, separated by giant rocks, and a lovely river running through.
• Being Dave's birthday on Friday night, Rudy brought a sinfully good chocolate cake. So delicious!
• Great fun and hilarity, especially with JC and Srini.
• Wombats wandering through the camp-site after dusk. I'm amazed how big they can get.
• A 14 km return hike on Saturday to an amazing lake and flooded forest. A perfect spot for a group swim and some leaps.
• Elna and Srini's very impressive one legged poses. Very flexible and graceful, both of them! I would have fallen flat on my face.
• Some fun banter with JC, Srini, Anne Maree and Tony in the car after the hike on the way to the pub. 
• Delicious "crossbow" cider at the pub and back at the camp site.
• Scrumptious cheese and crackers and cherry pie supplied by the lovely Rob and Kim.
• Srini's enormous camping chair that I kind of stole. Sorry Srini, I really must get myself one!
• Gorgeous swims in river at the camp site to cool off and freshen the armpits to make up for the lack of a shower.
• Joining some kids to swing into the river on a rope tied to a tree.  So much fun;  never to late to have a happy childhood.
• A very scenic 11 km hike on Sunday to enjoy three spectacular views of the valley, river and dam.
• The enormous bull ants that seemed everywhere on the hike.  I got bitten again but nothing compared to last time!
• The most delicious pie I've just about ever tasted at The World's Best Pie shop. 
• A last drink at the pub before heading off for our return journey.
• The very picturesque and quaint town of Kangaroo Valley. It has a great vibe.
• The most amazing thunder storm breaking out as we left Kangaroo Valley. Amazing clouds and then rain so hard that we had to stop driving.  Only lasted 5 minutes thankfully.
• A much needed coffee at The Shaggy Cow on the way home. What a great name for a cafe!
• Some nourishing heart to heart chats with Srini on the drive home.

Saturday hike

The amazing flooded forest that we hiked to on Saturday.

Quite a surreal place and the perfect spot for a swim ...

... and of course, some leaping!!

Some impressive one-legged poses by Elna and Srini.

Having an awesome swim

Life at the camp site

The camp site with its huge lawn, lovely river and wombats wandering through. Srini and I gave the tree swing a go.

Sunday hike

Our Sunday hike included three great views.

Beautiful cliffs and views of the river below.

Views of the Tallowa Dam.

JC and Srini have fun on the cliff.

The 3 Amigos

The flowers were out in force again, especially on the Sunday hike.

I loved the different patterns and colours in these leaves.

World's Best Pies

For once, the sign didn't lie. They really were that good!

Kangaroo Valley Town

Lots of old buildings and a quaint, relaxed vibe.

Having a well deserved final drink at the pub.

A wonderful group, as always.

Storm clouds on the way home

I love stormy, dramatic skies!

Weekend at Kangaroo Valley

I always enjoy Kangaroo Valley with its relaxed vibe and this weekend was no different.

Some highlights

• Driving up with lovely Jilly who I dropped off with her daughter, Mandy.
• One girl made fun of us because we were taking so long to pitch our tents. She had a special tent that she threw onto the ground and it instantly erected. Great for her. Except packing it up wasn't so easy!  Took 5 people an hour to work it out when it was time to leave!!
• Mandy taking pity on me with my tuna and giving me some of her salmon for dinner on the first night.
• A steep walk in The Morton National Park with Andrew while everyone else went kayaking.
• The extreme heat on the Saturday. We opted to escape the sun by going to the pub where I tucked into another delicious salmon steak.
• A relaxed and much cooler walk around the town in the evening.
• A short walk on Sunday with amazing cliffs and vistas over the valley.
• Taking some photos for Mandy of her house and adorable new puppy, Jessie. 
• A lovely deep chat with Jilly on the way home.

 

     

Robertson

On Sunday, I went on a drive to Robertson with some friends from Sangha, namely Ava, Stephen and  Richard.  Robertson is about 2 hours South of Sydney.  It was a great day with lovely autumn colours and it was so lovely to get out again into the country side.  It wasn't a photography outing so I didn't take too many photos.  The Farmer's Market was fun and I got to try some exotic fruit which I've forgotten the name of.  Fitzroy Falls was beautiful and very impressive.  I'll have to come here again some time and explore the nature reserve - the terrain reminded me a lot of The Blue Mountains.


Autumn colours

Farmers Market

Kangaroo Valley

Fitzroy Falls