Cathedral Rock NP to Wollomombi NP incl New England NP
Hike : Cathedral Rock loop
And a few short ones around lookouts
I didn’t want to get out of the tent this morning as I was cuddled up in 2 sleeping bags , 4 layers on top, 2 layers at bottom socks and beanie as it was the coldest night I’ve had so far .
Temp was 0C but feels like was a few degrees cooler .
The weather didn’t look either too good nor too bad so I decided to head out on the loop track and perhaps go further to woolpack rock lookout point. The walk was rather undulating , between varying sizes of granite boulders . The cold, strong , wind continued blowing …despite the trees surrounding me. These forest were very much more Eucalyptus than what I’ve seen the last few days . About half way in the clouds came in, with the wind and also a ever so slight drizzle …which made it cooler still. This made me decide that the loop was enough …just in case it rained harder .
I did enjoy all the different lichens growing on the granite rocks…its like mini forests !
As I was walking down one of the downhills, a superb lyrebird jumped in front of me to cross the path. Unfortunately I couldn’t find him again between small boulders and shrubs. I wouldn’t have thought in this entirely different environment I would find them here too. It’s different vegetation and nearly double the altitude !
The hike took me about 1.5hours and was 4.2km .
After I was done here I bumped into a lady that also spent the night and we had a 15min chat and then I took off to my next destination… Point Lookout in New England National Park . I had hoped to spend a night or two here but so many tracks were closed that it didn’t warrant it. This is so unfortunate as it was rather out of this world… with lichens draping from the trees. this NP was set up to protect the Antarctic Beech. Would have looked stunning in fog! Just surreal !
After this stop I headed out to Beech lookout … no as dramatic but still see a lot of national parks
As I drove passed a trout hatchery I got a half tour and also brought some smoked trout fillets for a few meals … yummy!! What took me by surprise is how much more difficult brown trout is to farm than rainbow trout. They are notoriously fussy fish. They also tend to mass suicide and jump out of their ponds on days that are consecutively not sunny . The reason for this is unknown … depression ?
After I was done around these parts I headed another 20min or so down the road to Wollomombi NP, where I would spend the night , so I again set up camp.
I had some of my trout for late lunch in a salad and headed off the the very nearby Edgar Lookout which has great views of the ravine and then grabbed the car to the Wollomombi Falls lookout and short walk.
These falls are the 2nd highest in Aus … 220m -with a100m single drop and are rather breath taking …especially with the dramatic ravine into which they fall . As I walked from the first to the second lookout a lyrebird jumped across my path again …but this one I got a better glimpse and video of. Also recorded some of it’s birdsong …very complex really …a large range !!
Once done here I headed back to camp , made early dinner and dived into the warmth of my sleeping bag
