For the first day of June I went on a walk with Bob along a nice section of the Great North Walk. We met up on the train and got off at Berowra. We then crossed the busy road and walked a short way to the trackhead. It was raining lightly so we put on our parkas. We walked in them most of the day.
Berowra Creek
We were soon in the bush. The track dropped down to a firetrap which we follow for a while and then we met up with the Great North Walk where the track leaves the firetrail and descends to a creek. The creek was not up too much and we had no trouble crossing. However the creek had a horrible stink. A shame as it flows through nice forest.
On the other side, it was not far to Berowra Creek, and then easy walking on a nice track a few meters above the creek. Along here, we could not help noticing a lot of aboriginal middens. All there round seemed to be full of broken shells.
Further upstream, we entered a section of swamp, and then crossed the new bridge over Calna Creek. Then we followed a good riverside track and boardwalk to Crosslands. Here we had a break at one of the picnic tables.
More easy walking followed as we continued on our way upstream towards Galston Gorge.
Not long before we reached the gorge, the rain became heavier which was a nuisance because we wanted to stop for lunch. Once across the road, we found a nice dry cave just above where the track climbs up steeply. The floor of the cave was a bit slopey however and I was alarmed when my pack almost rolled out.
After lunch we continued on our way, reaching a firetrail that took us to Tunks Ridge Rest Area and then down to the historic Steele Bridge. It appeared from that point on that the track had been closed off because of a rifle range nearby. We thought it unlikely that shooters sound be out on a wet day, so continued on anon the Great North Walk track to the Fishponds. Berowra Creek is quite beautiful along this section with small cascades and some delightful river gums.
At the Fishponds, we noted some very new track work – heading up to Tunks Ridge. We headed the other way – up the track to Hornsby, a pleasant walk through a small forest of Blue Gums.
More photos are online on my website here. The map we used is a new one published by the Friends of The Berowra Valley.