This walk was organised and led by Max S:
(Folks, I suggest a walk along Booth's Range before weather becomes too hot - 26 tomorrow should be Ok - plenty of water needed as ridge will be very dry work. I am proposing to walk up the ridge from Caloola Farm (still to ring to confirm OK to park and walk through their property. Distance is about 8.5 km up ridge, 2.6 back to track and 6.5 track return = 17.6 km and 850 m climb. Say 5 hour walk up ridge, 3/4 back to track and 2 back to car = 8 hours, hence long day. If all becomes too hard I think we could drop down to track at any time for return. Leave from John's house at 7.00 - yes I know daylight saving makes that 6.00 for us who are late developers! John, while road is not bad to Caloola can I prevail please for you to be driver! As usual no reply will be taken as unavailablity from a sensible person. 2 of us left town at 7am and drove S through Tharwa to Caloola Farm. |
The Caloola Farm manager (whom Max had contacted and received the necessary permissions) met us. He gently checked us out - gear, water, planned route, etc (certainly his right to do so) - and briefed us to watch for snakes and report any wild dogs, as neighbours had recently lost 50 sheep to the dogs. In the end we saw 1 owl and no pussycat.
Away at 8am to stroll past the farm buildings and along the fire trail heading to Brandy Flat Hut. Covered 1.3km in 15mins. A sunny day (forecast 26°C in Canberra), but a little hazy/smoky.
Then up the N end of the Booth Range, a heart-stopping climb of 270m over 0.8km in 30mins. The going was relatively easy, but steep.
The next leg to morning tea gave us a little of everything - open ridge-top, thick scrub and regrowth and some woodland walking. A series of rises and flats, taking us a further 380m up over 2.6km in 1hr 20mins. Max never does anything the easy way. 15 mins for morning tea, enjoying a hazy view back down the spur (see pic 1) and good views to the W, to the tops in the Bimberi Wilderness.
Morning tea to lunch at Booths Hill trig took a further 1hr 50mins, climbing the last 250m over 3.1km. Lunch for 30mins, leaning against the old trig post (see pic 3). Reasonable views across to the grasslands of Rendezvous Creek, Nursery Swamp and Orroral Valley (see pic 2).
Away at 12.30pm, heading just W of N and a whole lot better route down than my last 2 times - although this time we were going home to the N, rather than to the S. A relatively easy descent through open scrub, except for my gammy leg and an ant bite on my neck. This leg 615m descent over 2.7km in 1hr 15mins.
The last leg took us down the Caloola fire trail beside Gudgendy Creek. Steep in places, a descent of 260m in 6.7km taking 1hr 15mins. Ouch, my leg - that's 5.4kph.
A nice little walk, not spectacular views, but now we know the Booth Range. A further contribution to the economy of Tharwa. Thanks Max.
Distance: 17.3km Climb: 950m. Time: 8am-3.10pm (call it 7.25hr), with 45mins of stops.
