Barrington Tops March / April 2004
Wednesday March 31 - JohnO, Yarro and Phil left Epping at noon exactly to set up camp at Little Murray Camping Area. Paul and Richard had scouted out the spot the prior weekend. It was an easy drive via Gloucester with only one stop for petrol at the end of the expressway to Newcastle. The drive up to the Tops brought back memories of last years big climb up from the "Dude Range".
Little Murray was really nice - toilet, flat and handy water. The drive in with the Odyssey was interesting with a little track grading done by the exhaust system.
After a couple of hours setting up it was dinner time - pasta with vegies and italian chilli sausages. Of and a glass or two of wine. Beautiful night with bright stars and around 8.00 or so JohnD and Richard arrived.
Thursday April 1 - Late start with only the five of us so far. Graham was due around noon and Paul early Friday. We headed out on the Barrington Tops Trail to the Tops Road then West to Paddys Ridge. North to Butchers Swamp Road then West for a fantastic downhill to Tubrabucca Road and South onto Polblue Trail. Really nice picnic spot for a rest on the way. Even nicer was when we hit the Tops Road again and headed East with a stop at the Firs Walk and a ride in the forest on single track.
Onward to Polblue Camping Area, where we stayed the previous year. Little Murray is so much nicer. We decided to try cut through from the Swamp Loop walk to Barrington Trail but went a bit far. Ended up on an old and unmarked four wheel track that got us to Polblue Trail again. Probably better in the long run 'cause we never did find an easy way from the Swamp to Barrington Trail. We spotted an Echidna on the Polblue Trail.
Back to camp we spotted Graham driving in the Passat. Graham and JohnD went for an afternoon ride to Junction Hole on the Barrington Trail and back while a few of us just relaxed, read books or even slept.
Once JD and Graham returned safe it was time for a quick chat, wash and collecting of fire wood and it was time to prepare dinner. Chops and snags on the gas burner.
Friday April 2 - Relaxing start while we waited for Paul to arrive. Right on time he arrived and we headed off for the first big ride. After much debate we settled on a spur ride on Mount Carson Trail. The original plan had been a loop connecting the trail to Moppy Link Trail then onto Quarry Forest Road and back on the Tops road to Barrington Trail. From a good look at the topo map it was a clear 500+ metre down and up in around 2kms. Too much. Needless to say (always happens to us) the ride was tough on a grasses and a lot more undulating then we thought.. Some then thought the drop might be easier than the ride back - that was until they saw the deep, deep valley. "Ok - the ride back looks good". We went along the spur a little more but distance was hard to track so we relied on Richard altimeter. Didn't want to give up too much high and then have a huge climb out.
Shortly after Graham went over the handbars on the lounge chair, the Trek, we decided to head back. It was tough and a good decision we headed back then 'cause the ride back to camp on the Mount Carson Trail and then the Barrington Trail was starting to make a few of us very weary.
Another good wash under the Camp Showers and it was time to put the Chooks and vegies in the Camp Ovens - magnificent. This car camping stuff is too good.
