Just back from a fantastic walk on the AAWT out of Canberra. We left after work on Friday and camped at the Orraral Camp Ground arriving about 10. Away at first light on the AAWT from the old tracking station site on the Cotter Hut Rd. Left that to follow the AAWT on a foot track up and over Cotter Gap. Descend beside Pond Ck. before striking across to the Cotter Flats. Wade across the river and up to the hut which is locked. Head up valley on the Yaouk trail before branching off to the Murray Gap Trail. The sign says 4.5k to the NSW border. Almost all of it was steeply up hill. Finally break out into the open on the gap where we stop for lunch. It is overcast and quite cool. Not as steep off the other side. Very pleasant in the upper flats of Dunns Flat Ck. Very pleasant grassy camp site in saddle before the final descent to the Goodradigbee which is crossed at a fancy concrete culvert. ( Even though all the roads are impassable most of the crossings have fancy new concrete culverts? ) Wander up to Oldfields Hut where we take afternoon tea admiring the view out over Bimberi Pk. A few other people in occupation. Then up and over to pick up the Pockets Saddle Rd. which we followed around to Pockets Hut for the night. A very roomy, clean and comfortable hut with excellent camping on the front lawn. One draw back though the dunny lid was nailed shut! A very pleasant evening was spent lounging in front of the fire.
Cold night. Shoes were frozen stiff in the morning. Away at first light. Cut across country and picked up the Leura Gap FT. Followed it down back across the Goodradigbee (another culvert?) then up steeply onto the Rolling Grounds Ridge. Very pleasant once on top. Grassy glens and tall timber. No sign of the ruins to the Leura Gap Hut. The gap itself was very swampy with just enough room for the track on one side. Passed back into ACT and then descended steeply down to the Mt Franklin FT. Here we turned left and followed it down to the Cotter Hut Rd. Here the sign said 24k to the Ginni CP. 20k to the Orraral CP and 10.5k to Yaouk Gap. Quite a remote little intersection. We dropped down to the Cotter River and followed the Cotter Hut Rd up to 80 Acres where we had lunch. Then it was down the other side to Smokers Gap trail whuich we took before leaving it to follow the Orraral Valley trail. We soon lost this in a dry creek bed so cut across country and at length relocated it. Hot going in the open valley with no shade. Passed the old yards and the burnt remains of Rowleys Hut. At length recrossed the AAWT and over the rise was the tracking station site and the car.
An excellent round trip of about 65kms. Thoroughly recommend it.
K.