We were fortunate enough for all 7 of us to drive out together in the one vehicle. Drive to the Brandy Flat South car park on the left of the Boboyan Road, just up the hill from the turnoff to the Yankee Hat car park.
Walk
Description: Saturday 19 August - Booth Hill and Brandy Flat Hut M-L/R. Ever since seeing the list of ACT High Peaks published in the Nov04 it, I’ve been striving to ‘bag’ them all! Let’s reach the top of Booth Hill, the 17th highest ‘named peak’ in the ACT. At 1585m, it sits east of the Boboyan Road. The walk starts from a car park off the road and a foot track leads to the Brandy Flat Fire Trail, which we will follow for a while. A tough climb through rough scrub follows. After reaching our objective, we’ll descend, paralleling the Gudgenby Creek, to Brandy Flat Hut for a well-deserved break. A slog back along the fire trail to the cars. Around 13km and 700m climb. Limit of 8. Map: Michelago 1:25 000. Leader: John Evans – (h) 6288 7235. jevans@pcug.org.au Transport:~ $10. Further details at http://www.pcug.org.au/~jevans.
Additional Description: I first saw this walk in Graeme Barrow's 'Namadgi and Tidbinbilla Classics: Tough Bushwalks in Canberra's High Country'. His route includes a 17km walk-though to Glendale Crossing along the fire trail, after coming down off the hill. We'll be content with a round trip of about 13km. After parking in the designated car park, we return a couple of hundred metres to the start of the Brandy Flat fire trail and follow it down, then up, for 2km. We leave the fire trail and head E into the bush, up to the trig point on Booth Hill, climbing 510m over 2.7km. A U-turn to the W and we go down to the head of the Gudgenby Creek. Then N to Brandy Flat Hut and a final 4.3km back along the fire trail to the cars.
Not X for me anymore, as I did a recce on 26 Jul.
| Leg | Distance (km) | Time (mins) | Description |
| From Brandy Flat South car park to leave Brandy Flat fire trail |
2.045 |
8.13-8.48 = 35 |
We left the car park and followed the link track to the fire trail. Down to Dry Creek, then up the heart-starter on the other side, climbing around 170m. A bit overcast, but it cleared and warmed to a lovely hint-of-spring day. I thought it best to reveal to all that on the recce we'd placed a little cairn at the turnoff point. |
| From fire trail to Booths Hill |
2.455 |
8.48-10.39 = 111 | A climb of 500m, first through open scrub, then through a bit of regrowth and some mild granite. Good views across to the high hills of the Bimberi Wilderness on the way up. A nice little granite slot onto the area below the trig point (pic 1). |
| Morning tea | 10.39-11.07 = 28 | We enjoyed the break and the views from the trig point. A lot clearer day that my previous visit, with views across to the mouth of Rendezvous Creek (pic 2) and up the Orroral Valley. | |
| Booths Hill to Brandy Flat Hut |
3.015 |
11.07-12.55 = 108 | We came off the hill to a knoll to the NW (with good views - see pic 3), then a steep descent down to Gudgenby Creek. It was pleasing to follow my planned route down a little spur between 2 drainage lines, then down a creek line to Gudgenby Creek. Crossed, then up the W side of the creek and so down to the hut. Another group who had walked in from Glendale Crossing were enjoying a beer and white wine. |
| Lunch | 12.55-13.37 = 42 | An enjoyable laze in the trees beside the hut. | |
| Brandy Flat Hut to the car |
4.267 |
13.37-14.43 = 66 | A pleasant enough slog back along the fire trail, with views to our right. A few ups and downs, with a final pull back up to the car. Total climb 250m on this leg. |
A most pleasant and cohesive group. We moved pretty quickly. Some more lessons learned by me. Certificates were awarded. We took a quick drive to the steel lookout to appreciate the view and signage. Many thanks to Jill B, Rolf E, Rob and Jenny H, Zabeta M and Ros W.
Distance: 11.9km Climb: 1000m. Time: 8.13am - 14.43pm (call it 6.5hrs), with 1hr 10mins of breaks.
