With the long weekend fast approaching was getting an itch to get out for a hike forecast was warming up a little too much for my liking but figure its always cooler on the high plains.
With a false start on Friday I had a bad sleep so decided to go on Saturday instead and extend it to two nights until Monday.
Headed up around 8ish from Melbourne to Upper Howqua Camp Ground start of the trailhead.
On arrival the place was heaving with car campers enjoying the mini break by the river.
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| hiking crocs! |
The planned route I chose was Stanley Name Spur to get up on the Crosscut and return on Monday via Howitt Spur. The start of the walk crosses the Howqua River and runs parallel for the first 3 kms zig zagging six times to cross the river.
I chose to wear my camp shoes crocs for the remanding six crossings and walked with them to save time of changing between crossings, By the end of it I lost some skin on the insides of foot causing friction rubbery wet crocs ouch!.... snake count 1 copperhead & 1 Tiger snake.
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| Circuit Rd |
With boots back on and 3 kms later I made it to the junction where it splits Queens Spur and Howitt Spur
I went left up the Queens as it will join up to SNS Spur further up, the sound of the river was fading the more I walked up and coming to a section off blackberry bushes and lush fern gully to my right , luckily the Blackberrys were not covering the track too much looked like it had been cleared can only imagine by end of spring would be overgrown.
Reached Stanley Name Spur no problem turned right , its a gradual uphill ascent quite easy going.
I come out to a open clearing with views of Howitt Spur to my right and thru the trees view of the Crosscutsaw. Now where is the track gone??... couldn't trace it on the clearing and ahead lay a big old fallen tree I figured the track is thru there or to the left but I didn't bother to check so I forged ahead to the right and into the dense head high scrub and had a 20 minute bush bash session, also had a wrestle match with a trees branches inter twinned caught on top of my backpack, moving side to side and moving ahead was impossible it was like the tree was alive and slowly constricting my body just like the movie (Day of the Triffids) I shouted F!@#k You! and I broke free. come out of the bush to a steep rocky hill in front , the track is over on top so i scrambled up and found the trail
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| Day of the Triffids |
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| Looking back at bush I popped out of & steep scramble up |
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| Bush bash session |
Now following a narrow spur I popped out to a clearing a great little camp spot with towering cliffs to one side , here another tent was setup of a young couple who had walked from Macalister Springs.
I went and refuelled on water by the creek and settled in for the evening , dinner was ravioli with Napoli sauce yum yum... I tried making light conversation with the couple but wasn't getting a positive vibe and interest in return maybe a Gen Z thing.......
Had a crappy sleep I think due to a full moon was on and off I woke around 7 and lay there for another hour until the sound of march flies started buzzing around. Broke camp bit after nine and started the final steep ascent up to the Crosscut about 2 kms. Sun was peaking thru the trees reflecting as I walked up to a near vertical rock band luckily there is some blue electrical tape on the branches indicating the route up. I stowed my poles on my pack to use my hands to scramble up in wet weather would be very sketchy, walked another 300 meters to another rock band looking for some of the blue tape but none, so had a look at both sides for possible easiest ways up.
Once up on the second I was relieved , the crosscut is so close now was faced with another but large rockbound but impossible to go over I found a faint pad and some tracks that skirts to the left and onto the crosscut.
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| 1st rockband i scrambled up the middle |
Now the plan for today was to head to Mt Buggery or Speculation , now out on the exposed crosscut the sun was warming up I headed left towards Buggery views out to the east are awesome rolling hills to infinity and to the west also with Mt Stirling and Buller in the far distance.
I filled my 4liter water bladder at camp and 2 bottles as there is no water along the way and a possible dry camp. The walking is a bit of a slog as its quite rocky with the odd steep ups and downs and a blaring sun beating down I was overheating rapidly.
I stopped a few times for a break as I knew I had plenty of time in the day , was getting on 11 am and I was only about an hour and half from Buggery , i made my mind up I would go as far as this as was getting too hot , but I changed my mind thinking im going to be there all day doing nothing but beat off annoying March flies in the heat though there is tree cover there, and going further to Mt Spec another hour I decided I didn't want to be walking back in the heat tomorrow so headed back over to Howitt Spur and made the long descent back to Upper Howqua , was happy with my decision was back down by 6pm and made the long drive back to Melbourne. Had a mix of enjoyment & not, the heat got to me I should of just gone to the beach! Mt Spec and Buggery will be there next time.
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