Tuesday 2nd  Feb 2010

Leader:  Neil Sharp

13 trampers in 3 cars headed South with the clouds looming darker and lower the further we went and eventually the rain set in.   Our hopes of a fine day were beginning to fade but as we alighted from the cars the clouds dispersed and the sun appeared.  

We set off over the small bridge, which some hooligans had tried to burn out the centre and reached our first stream crossing.  One of fourteen.  A storm had gone through the night before and the stream was very high with quite a strong current.  Our 3 Shining Knights Neil, Tony & Bill helped the lovely damsels across the raging water.   Getting in and out of the streams was also causing a few headaches as the clay was very slippery and the banks had been washed partly away so we had a few minor mishaps but our boys were there to help. 

Some of the clay tracks had also turned into tiny little streams and once again we had fun, including yours truly, ending  up sliding down on her pack.  Trees had been washed down and lying over the tracks so after we had scrambled over them we were rather pleased to see the grassy paddocks.   Nobody was too interested in going further to look at the Golden Cross Mine and we settled for lunch in amongst the long wet grass and the occasional wasp.

Our trip back was a lot faster as the wind and sun had dried out the tracks and the stream had dropped by at least one foot.  We arrived back at the cars all safe and sound with only Bill showing signs of fighting with either the blackberries or gorse.

Of course being Tuesday trampers our tramp is never finished until we stop at the Copper Kettle for milkshakes and ice-creams.

Thank you Neil for such a fun and exhilarating tramp.

Diane Passau