Sunrise over Lake Burley Griffin at 6.30am (from an iPhone 4S!)
Saturday 7 February: CBR100 Challenge training – Parliament House to Mount Majura return – L/E. A walk following the Centenary Trail and taking in Mount Ainslie and Mount Majura. Starting from the Foundation Stone in front of Parliament House, we’ll follow the trail around the central basin of Lake Burley Griffin, before visiting the summits of Ainslie and Majura, and then returning to Parliament House. Between 30 and 40km. You’re welcome to join me for as long or as short as you like – phone me to check where I am. Bookings: By 2pm Thursday 5 February please. Map: Canberra, Hall Leader: Nathan H. Transport: drive yourself but let me know if you need a lift.
10 of us met near the Federation Stone. Several more joined as we walked.
Further Information
I had a luncheon engagement, so took the opportunity to start a little earlier and leave the party a little earlier.
Summary
Distance: 29.9km | Climb: 870m | Time: 4.50am-11.00am (6hrs 10mins), with 20 mins of breaks | Grading: L/E; M(11)
Track Maps
Track overview
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Profile
Photographs
Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.
gpx File
Download the .gpx file here. (Right click, Save Link As…, Save – if you want to use it.)
kml File
Download the .kml file here.
Track Notes
Having not yet done 50km in one training walk and lining up for the Cbr100Challenge 100km walk on 21-22 March, I need to take every opportunity to train. With a lunch engagement with friends at 12.15pm I thought I couldn’t get a walk today, but in a light bulb moment on Friday, I asked Nathan if I could join him for part of his walk.
I decided to get a few km in early, so parked at the back War Memorial parking and set off before 5am. I was certainly the first person on Mt Ainslie this morning, but met 3 others on the way down. A beautiful morning! We are blessed/fortunate/lucky to live in Canberra!! Fabulous views under a near full moon from the track and at the top. Back down by 5.40am, 4.2km in 50mins.
I then wandered down Anzac Parade, a bit along Constitution Av, down to and around Blundells Cottage, anti-clockwise along Gallipoli Reach, under Commonwealth Av Bridge and along to Westside@ActonPark, the start of the walk on 21-22 March. Then back and over Commonwealth Av Bridge – a great photo of the sunrise over the lake. East along the paths at the edge of the lake, up through Reconciliation Place, past a boot camp setting up, past the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, past Old Parliament House and so to the road near the Federation Stone to meet the main walking party.
At 7am, 10 of us set of on the advertised walk. 2 more soon joined us. Back down through Reconciliation Place, turned right and around the construction of the Bowen Dr underpass, over Kings Av Bridge, through Kings Park to Blundells Cottage, under Parkes Way, left onto Constitution Av, then up Anzac Pde. At the back of the War Memorial we met our walk leader (slept in as alarm didn’t ring!) and more starters. From car to car was 12.7km in 2hrs 20mins. Once again Nathan is ‘da man’, attracting 17 walkers.
Nathan then led us along the Canberra Centenary Trail up to Mt Ainslie (more starters, one left) and towards Mt Majura. Nothing new, as Chris and I had done this last Tuesday. Except for:
Some local knowledge from Gerald, who led us through the intersection we had trouble with on Tuesday, and showed us a great way (with only a little off-track) to join the Mt Majura southern track:
Blue track – today | Red track – last Tuesday | Green track – official Cbr100Cahllenge 100km route
On our outward trip, we went south-west on the management trail and over the first dam wall, as we did last Tuesday. However, we turned left instead of right on the first track we came to and went down to near the second dam. Here a footpad took us up a little way to the north to join the Mt Majura track. Excellent! 6.5km in 1hr 50mins.
Now 9.50am, I needed to turn around and get home, so said bye-bye to my companions. Down the footpad, then the only change was to continue south across the wall of the second dam to join the management trail. More excellent! And so back to the car. 6.5km in 1hr 10mins.
I rang my dear wife to let her know I was on time. But I also had to ring the Wonder Woman of Walkers’ Wool which works wonders on wicked and woeful wacked (w)feet! Thanks CC, first use and my feet have not been better.
Party
17 walkers – Jillian B, Gerald D, Jacinta F, Chris F, Nathan H (leader), Peter J, Bob L, Lindsey MacD, Jenny M-B, Lyndall M-B, Susan M, Lauren O, Jo P, Jasmine S, Margaret W, Edwina Y, me.