Saturday 15th Mar 2008 - Apple Tree Bay to Brooklyn

Another pre-dawn start for this triple leg session, thankfully without the stumble-induced injuries of our last walk in the dark. This walk took us from Apple Tree Bay to the Finish line in Brooklyn via Berowra and Cowan. Our longest walk to date spending over 9 and a half hours on the trail to complete the 41km under clear skies and what felt at times like a desert heat beating down on us, making the climbs required for these sections even more painful. After all the time we've spent on these trails, this was the first time we'd come across a snake and a very cute (and probably just as lethal) little fella he was, stopping to have a look at us before slithering off.
Cp6 to Cp7 map here.
Cp7 to Cp8 map here.
Cp8 to Finish map here.

Sunrise over a fog covered Bobbin Head

THE STATS

Cp6 - Cp7
Start Time: 6:21am
Duration: 2:49:06
Finish Time: 9:11am
Distance: 13.60km
Average Pace: 12.26 min/km
Average Speed: 4.8 km/h

Cp7 - Cp8
Start Time: 9:20am
Duration: 2:53:13
Finish Time: 12:32pm
Distance: 12.87km (14km actual)
Average Pace: 13.27 min/km
Average Speed: 4.5km/h

Cp8 - Finish
Start Time: 12:52pm
Duration: 2:51:46
Finish Time: 3:58pm
Distance: 13.06km
Average Pace: 13.09 min/km
Average Speed: 4.6km/h

Total Time: 08:34:05
Total Distance: 39.53km

For a Google Earth file of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Saturday 8th Mar 2008 - Acron Oval to Apple Tree Bay

Our second triple stage walk this time with the twist of starting in darkness for the first time. Even with headlamps and walking on fairly good fire trails our pace seemed much slower till the sun came up. Obstacles were much trickier, well, for me anyhow after almost falling in the drink 3 times during a river crossing. Once the sun finally made an appearance, the rest of the walk was like being on safari with us crossing paths with 3 wallabies, a lyre bird, a swimming lizard and some nutty land-dwelling crayfish.
This walk is the longest so far going from checkpoint 3 at Acron Oval to St Ives Showground then to Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High and down to Apple Tree Bay. After a small break we walked up Bobbin Head Road and back to a finish at Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High where Lynda was wating with one of her sensational sambos.
p.s. Tezz, we salted some leeches for you.
Cp3 to Cp4 map here.
Cp4 to Cp5 map here.
Cp5 to Cp6 map here.

Sandstone seat with a view

When Crustaceans Attack

THE STATS

Cp3 - Cp4
Start Time: 5:47am
Duration: 2:07:11
Finish Time: 7:55am
Distance: 11.04km
Average Pace: 11.31 min/km
Average Speed: 5.2 km/h

Cp4 - Cp5
Start Time: 8:05am
Duration: 1:43:31
Finish Time: 9:52am
Distance: 9.18km
Average Pace: 11.16 min/km
Average Speed: 5.3km/h

Cp5 - Cp6
Start Time: 10:06am
Duration: 1:36:13
Finish Time: 11:42am
Distance: 8.57km
Average Pace: 11.14 min/km
Average Speed: 5.3km/h

Cp6 - Park Entrance
Start Time: 11:59am
Duration: 0:55:21
Finish Time: 12:54pm
Distance: 5.55km
Average Pace: 9.58 min/km
Average Speed: 6.0km/h

Total Time: 06:22:16
Total Distance: 34.35km

For a Google Earth file of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Sunday 24th Feb 2008 - Start to Acron Oval

This week the ante is raised a bit being the first try at 3 legs in a single session from Mosman to Acron Oval in St. Ives via Ararat Reserve in Frenchs Forest and Davidson Park in Killarney Heights. A couple of minor hitches this time with us taking an unscheduled detour on the first leg that cost us about half an hour and another GPS related problem with me accidentally stopping the timer on the second leg for about 1km. The pace was upped to get into Acron Oval as soon as possible and head off to a picnic catered for by our indispensable support crew (our wives).

Start to Cp1 map here.
Cp1 to Cp2 map here.
Cp2 to Cp3 map here.

Bantry Bay (finally on a nice day)

THE STATS

Start - Cp1
Start Time: 6:31am
Duration: 2:43:00
Finish Time: 9:37am
Distance: 13.41km
Average Pace: 12.12 min/km
Average Speed: 4.9 km/h

Cp1 - Cp2
Start Time: 9:50am
Duration: 1:18:45 (recorded)
Finish Time: 11:37am
Distance: 6.14km (recorded)
Average Pace: 12.50 min/km
Average Speed: 4.7km/h

Cp2 - Cp3
Start Time: 11:37am
Duration: 1:58:38
Finish Time: 1:36pm
Distance: 10.12km
Average Pace: 11.43 min/km
Average Speed: 5.1km/h

Total Time: 06:00:58
Total Distance: 29.66km (recorded) acual is approx. 31km

For a Google Earth file of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Sunday 17th Feb 2008 - Berowra to Brooklyn

Third time around for some on these two tough sections and while it was no Sunday stroll it thankfully does eventually get easier. The distances got screwed up because of some GPS dropouts so I'm using the quoted course distances but the averages should be pretty much the OK. A little anti-climactic at the finish with Brooklyn a hive of activity for whatever reason, making the eagerly anticipated feast, average at best... The Crownies were good though.
Cp7 to Cp8 map here.
Cp8 to End map here.

Berowra Waters

THE STATS

Cp7 - Cp8
Start Time: 6:24am
Duration: 3:17:00
Finish Time: 09:41am
Distance: 14km
Average Pace: 12.28 min/km
Average Speed: 4.8 km/h

Cp8 - End
Start Time: 9:42am
Duration: 3:14:00
Finish Time: 12:56am
Distance: 13.5km
Average Pace: 12.08 min/km
Average Speed: 4.9km/h

Total Time: 06:32:00
Total Distance: 27.5km

For Google Earth files of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Sunday 10th Feb 2008 - Ku-ring-gai High School to Berowra

Two weeks ago it was an appalling arachnid attack on Fred, this week's wildlife encounter was not quite as life threatening and possibly even therapeutic but just as unwanted with Andrew's donation of blood to scores of leeches.. After pausing briefly to peel them off his ankles and occasionally his chest, we'd be back on our way and still completed both stages in a pretty good time. This week was from checkpoint 5 at Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High School via Apple Tree Bay in Bobbin Head and ending up at Berowra Community Centre which is checkpoint 7, a short walk away from the local bakery and their array of pastry bound goodies.

Cp5 to Cp6 map here.
Cp6 to Cp7 map here.

The site of one of our many leech removal stops

THE STATS

Cp5 - Cp6
Start Time: 6:49am
Duration: 1:35:27
Stopped: 00:09:33
Finish Time: 8:34am
Distance: 8.32 km
Average Pace: 11.28 min/km
Average Speed: 5.2 km/h

Cp6 - Cp7
Start Time: 8:52am
Duration: 2:45:12
Stopped: 00:49:48
Finish Time: 12:27pm
Distance: 13.13 km
Average Pace: 12.35 min/km
Average Speed: 4.8 km/h

Total Time: 04:20:39
Total Distance: 21.45 km


For Google Earth files of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Sunday 3rd Feb 2008 - Acron Oval to Ku Ring Gai High School

Today's walk was from checkpoint 3 at Acron Oval, St Ives, though checkpoint 5 at St Ives Showground and finishing up at checkpoint 5 in Ku Ring Gai Creative Arts High School. This was by far our wettest walk to date with last few clicks done climbing out in torrential rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. No pic this week sorry..

Cp3 to Cp4 map here.
Cp4 to Cp5 map here.

THE STATS

Cp3 - Cp4
Start Time: 6:53am
Duration: 2:35:39
Stopped: 00:27:21
Finish Time: 9:56am
Distance: 14.16 km
Average Pace: 11.00 min/km
Average Speed: 5.5 km/h

Cp4 - Cp5
Start Time: 10:05am
Duration: 1:41:27
Stopped: 00:08:33
Finish Time: 11:55am
Distance: 8.57 km
Average Pace: 11.51 min/km
Average Speed: 5.1 km/h

For Google Earth files of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Saturday 26th Jan 2008 - Ararat Reserve to Acron Oval

Two sections were done this week from Cp1 at Ararat Reserve, Frenchs Forest via Cp2 Davidson Reserve, Killarney Heights to Cp3 at Acron Oval, St Ives. A fairly easy one this week unless you had a 13kg pack on your back to lug up hills and under fallen trees. Overall though the pace was pretty good with only real challenge coming at the end with steep fire trails into Acron Oval.

Cp1 to Cp2 map here.
Cp2 to Cp3 map here.

The Coffee Boat

THE STATS

Cp1 - Cp2

Start Time: 6:50am

Duration: 1:24:55

Stopped: 00:23:05

Finish Time: 8:38am

Distance: 6.6 km

Average Pace: 12.52 min/km

Average Speed: 4.7 km/h

Cp2 - Cp3
Start Time: 8:50am
Duration: 2:10:23
Stopped: 00:15:37
Finish Time: 11:16am
Distance: 10.29 km
Average Pace: 12.4 min/km
Average Speed: 4.7 km/h

For Google Earth files of this week's walk, click here.
To see a full sized image, click here.

Saturday 19th Jan 2008 - Start to Ararat Reserve

A NEW START

Rather than send out emails to everyone whether they want one or not, I thought I'd trial starting up a blog to let you know the details of walks we've done and possibly also to post info on upcoming walks. If you prefer the old email method or have suggestions for this blog, let me know.

Anyhow, onto this weekend's effort.

Todays walk was a bit of a gentle opening for 2008 from the start line at Chowder Bay to Ararat Reserve in Frenchs Forest since we'd missed a few weeks over the Christmas period.
This leg comprised lots of footpaths and paved tracks with a couple of decent climbs sometimes in light rain. The link below is a pdf of the map and trail directions.
http://www2.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/sydney/trail/docs/Start-CP1.pdf

Bantry Bay

THE STATS

Start Time: 7:13am
Duration: 2:32:32
Stopped: 00:11:28
Finish Time: 9:57am
Distance: 12.41 km
Average Pace: 11:34 min/km
Average Speed: 5.2 km/h

For a Google Earth file of this leg, click here.

To see a full sized image, click here.