Trig #21 - Mount Ainslie!

 Finally, I have walked up Mount Ainslie! After 50+ years living in Canberra, and 4 years since my last trig, I did it! It nearly killed me, but I did it!

A lot has happened since my last trig, and my last post.

I am now married to Phil (my centenary trail partner from the last post), and we live a not too far away from Mt Ainslie. Our place is in this photo, left of centre.

So today, we walked from home to Mt Ainslie, then all the way up. It took a very long time (1.5 hours), and I nearly gave up 200m from the top when the lactic acid build up got to me, but being the stubborn person that I am, I rested a little then went on up.

It’s a pretty hard walk. I mean, I’m not really all that fit at the moment and was definitely super slow, but there were lots of folks puffing and pa ting as they passed me. Mind you, there were also quite a few people walking in thongs or denim skirts, or at the other end of the spectrum, running with weighted vests. There were lots of people (and dogs) full stop! 

A local friend (that thankfully avoided all the dogs)

There are a few parts with a lovely steady grade that lull you into a false sense of security, and then some quite steep bits! Also a meaty set of stairs near the top. Phew!

I didn’t take a photo of the stairs (too traumatised!) but there were many lovely things to look at along the way)

But we got there, thanks to the patience and steady encouragement of my darling husband, and finally I can say I’ve done all the major mountains within the Canberra city region. Go me! Might be a while before I do it again, but I’ll do it again. It was/is a pretty spectacular view from the top.

Mount Ainslie

Elevation gain - 260m

Time to trig - about 90 minutes (halve that for a fit person!) 

Difficulty - medium. Just when you think you’re there, there’s a steep bit! 

Best part - the view from the top. 

Centenary Trail - Section 1

Despite being well behind in my fitness, Phil (my lovely boyfriend) and I thought we might attempt the Centenary Trail. Starting today with section 1*: Parliament House to the War Memorial. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the best day to do it, being a controversial public holiday.

By the time we returned to Parliament House for my car there were at least 70 AFP all around the carpark entrance and lined up outside. Possibly a little overkill…

Nevertheless, we dutifully followed the signs down past Old Parliament House, where people were clearly preparing for some action/activity, and then on to the lake via the High Court forecourt. 

We were distracted for a bit while we stopped for a coffee (with a 30 minute wait!!) and saw the spectacle of the fly past and the 21 gun salute, which sent hundreds of fruit bats circling into the air in fright. Poor fellas.

After our (pretty average) coffee, we proceeded east around the lake and over the very busy Kings Avenue bridge. Then around more of the lake until branching off at Blundell’s Cottage and up through Reid until we met ANZAC Parade. 

The last kilometre is up the lovely avenue that is ANZAC Parade. What a beautiful street with many powerful memorial sculptures and beautiful big eucalypts. 

All in all, it was a very doable 5.5km. I have terrible feet at the moment, so will have to tackle the trail in small sections, but I am hoping we can do the whole thing this year (in order!).

*section one as outlined in this book. 

Not a trig: Great walk #6 - Gordon Ridge

I thought I’d seen a trig up on Gordon Ridge, so I thought I’d go and have a look. There was a little sprinkling of rain; enough to give me the place to myself, but not enough to worry about.

I parked on one of the local streets and walked up some stairs and a well-worn path to the fire trail.

It was a little climb, but not too strenuous. But then you can walk all the way along  the ridge on a pretty level trail. The views are pretty amazing, and change all the way along, from views over the Lanyon Valley; to Tuggeranong/Black Mountain views; then around to look out over the Bullen Range.

I had thought I’d find a trig up top, but the top of the hill is fenced all the way along (that I could see), so I settled for a no-trig journey!

I headed most of the way along, then down some big steps back into Gordon. Each step was quite high, hard on the knees!

I decided to loop back through the Gordon streets, rather than doubling back on the fire trail. There was even a nice view from the suburban stairs! 

There were some ups and downs as I made my way back, which made for more of a challenging walk, but it was good getting back into some of that hill walking! It was still less than 3km, but I got my heart beating well! Hopefully I’ll get my groove back nice and quick. 

Not a trig: Great walk #5 - Eucalypt Forest

New Year’s morning was lovely. Cool, cloudy and quiet. I got up early (for New Year’s Day, lol), and drive out to beautiful Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. I wasn’t aiming to push myself hard yet, so I decided on a wildlife focus. I headed to the Eucalypt Forest, where the first thing you are greeted with is the koala breeding enclosure. They are very cute. Hi 

I started along the Eucalypt loop, then branched off onto the Peppermint Trail. Almost all the way around I was joined by beautiful monarch butterflies. They were everywhere! 

It was a lovely, shady walk through the bush, with lots of beautiful bird life, bubbling streams and pretty Australian bush. I was alone for the first half, then a family got close behind, spiking the set with a bit. But that’s the way it goes I guess. 😬

Once again, it wasn’t a huge walk (less than 2km this time), but it was nice. I’ll definitely head back there for more over the coming weeks.

Not a trig: Great walk #4 - National Botanic Gardens

As I mentioned in the last post, I haven’t walked for a while. Probably a good month since I’ve done much at all to be honest. I had terrible lung problems for a couple of week, then for the last couple of weeks of term (and the couple of weeks since) I was completely and utterly exhausted! 2020 in a school took it out of me.

So around Christmas I started doing some short walks around my local area, trying to build my fitness. On New Year’s Eve, I ventured further afield. 

The National Botanic Gardens is a beautiful natural wonder just to the west of Canberra’s CBD, on the slope of Black Mountain.

My favourite part is the rainforest gully, so I started there. 

The rainforest gully is an absolutely amazing space. They have spent the last 50 years turning dry Canberra scrubland into a lush, cool rainforest,

and it’s gorgeous. On a warm day, it’s a lovely place to walk around.

From there, I walked to the rock garden, where there were lots of gorgeous water dragons sunning themselves, and a lovely little duck family.

I wandered around the gardens for a while longer. There is so much to look at, and for a keen gardener like myself, there is lots of inspiration. 

All in all, I managed just over 2km. Not a huge walk, but a lovely one. And it got the heart pumping. Perhaps one day I’ll combine it with the Black Mountain Summit Walk. 

Still here!

 Just checking in, just in case I have any readers! 

I got sick a few weeks ago, something related to asthma, hayfever etc, and my lungs were pretty bad. So I couldn’t really do much walking. I’m ok now, but trying to manage the last couple of weeks of school! I will be back to walking from next week!

Not (quite) a trig: North Mulligans Circuit

I walked part way around this circuit not long before I started with all this business. At the time I wasn’t nearly as fit, so I only went halfway and then turned back. But I did manage to see some of the beautiful dusk-time views across NSW before I did.

This time, even though I was setting out at 5pm, I was committed to going all the way around. I decided to go in the opposite direction. 

The track starts at the Mulligans Flat Road carpark, 

and winds through a grassy area with a few resident kangaroos. 

It then starts to work its way up a good hill, which you don’t realise until you’re some of the way up it that it’s quite steep.

It then keeps going up,

and up,

and up! Talk about false summits! But I got there.

At the top, I spotted a nearby trig, 

but it was on the private property over the fence and another good climb, so I decided to keep going around the circuit.

It was a lovely walk, which went along a little saddle, then down into a forested section. It was a lovely shady walk after the hot, sunny walk up the hill.

Someone had been busy stacking rocks along the way!

Next I knew, I came out onto a spot that awarded me with the most stunning vista.

Probably the most amazing I’ve seen yet, with beautiful views right across to Lake George and its wind turbines around to Black Mountain Tower and beyond. Plus more rock stacking!

Absolutely breathtaking. So much so I even took a video!

A cyclist passed on his second lap of the circuit, and he seemed impressed that I had climbed the hill, so that was nice. 

I stayed and took in the view for quite a while before heading down the opposite side. Luckily, while there were a couple of steep sections, it was a more gradual descent, and the landscape changed again. 

Perhaps I’ll go the other way around this circuit next time! 

After a little while, I got to the path that runs parallel to the private driveway (and NSW). Before too long o picked up the trail that I had walked the last time. It was a nice walk down, with kangaroos, wildflowers and lovely rural views, and as always one of my favourite things, hardly any other people! 

The walk ended up at 4.75km, including a good 750m of  climb. The absolute highlight was the spectacular views from the top, and I will definitely be walking this one again.