I took advantage of the day off today to head up the mountains. I was walking at 7:10 from the gate on the Grose Rd. At 7:40 I was at the turn off to the Grose River walking track and on the river by 8:20. I then set off up stream. Took me nearly an hour to reach the pool at the big bend and nearly another hour to reach the junction with Linden Ck. Very narrow opening to the creek which you cant see ahead till you are almost right on it. Left for the top at 10:20. Negotiated the lower bluffs without difficulty which gave access to easy slopes up the nose of the ridge. Then at the upper cliff lines sidle to the right till a break opens up which leads through bluffs to the top. Excellent views up and down river. Attained the road at Faulconbridge Lkt at 11:20 and the car at 12:10. The whole thing in 5 hours. Beautiful weather. Grose River running clear since the Feb. rains. a lot of the scunge on the banks has been washed away. Drift wood deposited well above regular flow level. Could find no trace of the Engineers Track. I am amazed they ever pushed a track through there. There is so little room. And how did they ever think they could make a rail road? No real campsites to speak of except on the sand at the big bend and in a CC a bit further along. Found an unusual feature on the top. A cave which overlooked the valley to which access was gained by means of a porthole in the back. Great views of the valley. Looked like someone else found it first because inside was an old pot and other camping gear.
Next time I might go in via Faulconbridge Pt and up to the Wentworth Ck junction and then up Linden Pt. This will necessitate a crossing of Linden gorge to regain the Grose Rd and the car at the end. I noticed a side road before the gate heading west that ends opposite a track heading east from Linden ridge. this could be the way to make a circuit of it just as long as the cliffs in Linden Ck can be negotiated?
K.