Winter Walk - August 27th 2009

Plan for August walk- Millthorpe to Carcoar on 27th.

Stay at Royal with famous roast for dinner.

Next day to Neville via Fell Timber Road staying at Neville Siding and fish and chips at pub or self catering?

Day Three: Walk to Carcoar via Mt Macquarie(1 in 5 here Aida)and either Royal or Stoke Inn? Final day back to Millthorpe for "Musical Evaluation" at Old Mill Cafe.

Should be wonderful if we get good weather. Hope all walkers in good shape.

Cheers John

It's not all about walking

Up and Up

Silhouettes

Rest Time

Feast

Dance Time

Ooooo

May Days Poem Continued

Tea Break

Our Fearless Leader

That evening David joined us, which was fine
As he came bringing nibbles and extra red wine.
A foot massage bath, what a wonderful treat
Just what was needed to soothe our sore feet.
A beer and a shower, the order was right
Sunset over the lake, a peaceful sight

Dinner came next, what a grand affair
Cooked as it was by chefs extraordinaire.
Sausages, salad, potatoes, then cake and cream
When Steph spied cream her eyes did gleam
With dinner all done, it didn’t take long
To clear the table and start a sing song.


Armed with a song sheet, Stewart playing guitar
Singing our version of “Stay by Me Di an NA”
Peggy Sue and Caroline we had to a try
Remembered songs from days gone by.
Having sung and danced and finished the red
Tired and happy we drifted to bed.


Next day the last, fun times together must come at an end
As back to homes our way we do wend
Some by car, the others on foot
Still checking for trees when needing a toot.
Some treasures were found, a horseshoe, a tap
But beginning to wonder if John lost the map

When straight ahead, Bathurst we sight
Our intrepid leader takes a sharp turn right
Another dirt road all up and down
Wondering if ever we will get to the town
Finally Bathurst and coffee at the Hub
Even better, home and a soak in the tub!

May Day Poem

May Day
The leaders step out, their thoughts to unravel,
The rest follow on, boots crunching on gravel.
Lunch on the hill, while sat on a rock
The vista from here would be hard to knock.
The hills from the valley rise up to the heaven
While on to O’Connell trudge the magnificent seven.

The breeze in the trees sounds like a sigh
A flurry of arms as Gordon drives by.
A sky pale blue, the clouds fluffy white
Poplars all yellow, what a beautiful sight.
Cows in the paddock, white, black and brown
Move slowly forward their heads always down.

After lunch we put on our pack
To proceed to O’Connell, to meet Gordon coming back!
The café was our next scheduled stop
For coffee and scones with thick cream on top.
O’Connell’s pub is a homely place
A good country pub with no frills or lace.

The atmosphere friendly, the food just great
Beef pie on mash piled high on the plate.
Stewart meanwhile went with friends to be fed
He could go no further without brown bread!
Cosy and warm all felt just fine
The mood enhanced by the local red wine.

Virginia, Gordon, Marni and John
Discussing our walk and the day just gone
Also Stephanie, Dawn and Pete
Comparing the state of their feet.
At the end of our day we went to our bed
Content with our lot and the way we were fed
Day three of our walk and the crew complete,
With Edwina, Diana, Aida and Pete
The name of our group must now be amended
A name comes to mind with no malice intended
With no one related, not even a cousin
The Magnificent Seven becomes The Dirty Dozen.

Virginia had problems adjusting her pack
To get the straps right, didn’t quite have the knack
The road undulating, a bit of a slog
One more should be mentioned and that’s Pete’s dog.
After a couple of hours we stopped for a rest
Dawn awaiting the sign that said crest!

A trig station perched high on a mound
A mark for surveyors easily found.
John pointed the spot to which we were bound
Why then did he take us the long way around?
With road signs directing, we knew we were near
Finally arriving, greeted by John and a beer.

Walking up the road to the dam

We looked for a DBP but could not see one.

The water was crystal clear and the poplar trees threw down a beautiful golden reflection into the river

Dawn Chifley Dam - Sunday

Breakfast - Toast (brown bread available) lavishly buttered with Butterfully which when we read the ingredients turned out to be not so butterful at all - with a choice of yummy homemade jam, delicious Courtyard Marmalade made by Virginia, Vegimite and Cazzie's Green Tomato Pickle (which is Virginia's choice of breakfast -apparantly it's great - just like Vegimite, savoury, salty). Oh yes and lashings of fresh fruit, coffee and tea - how civilized (and nearly Enid Blyton) for those who picked up the hard boiled eggs from the O'Connell Cafe breakfast the previous day.

Kanga on the Line

The last of the cream


Poplars

Tarana

Pete & Steph

The morning of the last day of the Great Walk from Yetholme to Bathurst.

The Cabin at Chifley Dam where overnight we survived a wild party next door and a howling dog. (not ours!!!!)

Dinner was Sausages and a fabulous salad with boiled potatoes accompanied by lots of wine and beer. Stuart sang the songs after dinner and played the guitar and we all joined in

Pete wrote fabulous poetry about the whole journey and gave us a reading -and Dawn sketched the scenery she had seen along the way!

Yetholme to Bathurst Walk 30 April - 3 May 2009

Day 1 Leave vehicles in Bathurst. Depart countrylink coach at 13.55 arrive Yetholme at 14.18 cost $5.90 Walk 16k to Tarana stay Tarana Hotel 63375841 $90 Cabin sleeps 5 Dinner available

Day 2 Walk Tarana to O'Connell 22k coffee stop at OConnell Cafe then overnight at O'connell Hotel 63375745 $60 double Dinner available.

Day 3 Walk O'Connell to Chifley Dam via The Lagoon 18k (Ha we measured it - 19.5k) Stay Pacific Cabin Ben Chifley Dam 6332 1444 Sleeps 16 $310 - Bring bed linen towels food and drinks

Day 4 Walk Chifley Dam to Bathurst via The Lagoon and Gormans Hill 21k ( and no doubt a 1 in 5 John!) Pick up vehicles after Coffee at The Hub 52 Keppel Street