Friday 8th May Having packed up our camp, we began what was to be a long section of basically following the course of the Kowmung River upstream. Where possible we cut across spurs which pushed into its sinuous course, though this inevitably involved much variation in altitude, which was disappointing on day which had looked to be fairly flat going.  Quite early on we passed a spot where Michael had camped on his previous foray, and then took a detour away from the Kowmung up Church Creek to take in the vista of Cathedral Rocks, which we had noted with interest on the map. After some minor navigational difficulties we obtained an excellent view of the Rocks, although Michael felt that a more energetic investigation would have resulted in a better vantage point. I voted against this and we had a coffee break instead.  Returning to the Kowmung we had several more river crossings, which I found rather pleasant (with my “river sneakers”) and Michael found less so (barefoot). This section of the trip was a mixture of highly enjoyable strolling along the grassy banks of a beautiful, remote river, and highly irritating struggles attempting to force a passage through dense thickets of what was essentially a collection of thorns of varying viciousness. Michael, having only a T-shirt and being the unofficial but undisputed Leader, bore the brunt of these beastly briar patches, but I too accumulated numerous splinters and scars.  Eventually we made our way to the inlet of Lannagan’s Creek, where we took the opportunity to have a last short dip in the Kowmung River. Lannagan’s Creek forms the continuation of the Uni Rover Trail which originates high up on the road to Kanangra Walls. To describe this passage as being in any way a “trail” is to demean all other examples bearing this name. It is, essentially, a fairly dry watercourse, heavily overgrown with the now ubiquitous thorny bushes and carpeted by river pebbles of varying size and stability. It is extremely unpleasant to walk through, and very slow going to add insult to injury. I found absolutely nothing in it to recommend to anyone, except possibly an enemy.  In addition to being abominable to traverse, it is completely bereft of even moderately comfortable camping spots for the first 90% from the Kowmung end. The urgency to locate a spot was begun by the diminishing daylight (we had become acutely aware that we would not reach the climb out before night) and increased when I had a slight fall slipping on a wet pebble, cutting open my wrist and causing it to bulge ominously. In the end Michael located a fairly level bank by the creek, thickly covered with ferns and not especially welcoming to the prospective camper. Still, there was nothing better to be hoped for, and tents were duly erected. Michael rather miraculously convinced a fire to both start and continue to burn in this damp little grotto, and we had a brief meal before retiring early, beaten down by the course along the Lannagan’s Creek. Walking time: 8:15 to 3:50pm (minus breaks) Casualties of the day: 1. Yes. Me again. Turned out to be a minor abrasion. 2. In an effort to include Michael in this section I will rather pathetically mention that his maps fell out of his pack and into the river. Fortunately (and rather astonishingly) he both noticed and recovered them. |