How far is too far?

[puredingo]

Recently I've discovered the awe inspiring Kanangra/Boyd national park and have hit it for 2 overnight romps. BUT I find the 4 hour run from Wollongong a real drag (not to mention expensive) before and after the walk.
I was wondering just how far people are prepared to go for a simple overnighter, if at all, or do bushwalkers tend to keep it local until they get the time to put a muti day walk together?

Also I've only travelled to Kanangra walls via Goulburn/Taralga....Does anyone know if going through katoomba/Jenolan is quicker or longer?

[Turfa]

Hmmm... Probably a close call, but going via Katoomba might be 1/2 an hour faster, but is more likely to be affected by traffic (especially on Friday & Sunday afternoon/evening) so could end up the same or longer if you are unlucky.

Have you tried heading South ? Some very nice walking down there (Budawangs etc.) and much closer to home

[ULWalkingPhil]

I tend to stick locally till I have the time and money to venture further a field like I am now. I spend a fair bit of time off track back at home because I have to drive 3 hours for the nearest walking trails. Or drive an hour and a half and take a 45 minute boat ride.

Spending some time walking around Sydney, Blue Mountains and RNP at the moment. the nice manicured tracks. Lol

[ULWalkingPhil]

Next time I venture further a field, It will not be anywhere near a city or where theres to many people with such a high concentration in population in a small area the more likely to encounter strange pathetic people. Someone stole my groceries today at the hostel I am staying in central Sydney. Pissed off big time.
Living in a country town I don't get to see how some of the other live and treat there fellow humans.
I don't know how you people live in citys.

My next big bushwalk will be well aeay from people. probably the Great Walk up at Carnarvon Gorge.

Want to do the Overland Track. But I dont think I will enjoy it in peak times. That will have to be a winter venture I think.

[wayno]

the more long driving i do the more i get put off. possibly the less you go on those four hour drives the more you will probably appreciate the trip when you get there

[photonaturally]

My favourite place is the Victoria Alpin NP. It is 4.5 hr drive from Melbourne. It is a pain which is why I try to do 3 days if I make it trip.

Last winter, I was up at falls or hotham almost every weekend. 4.5 hr there, 4.5 hrs back. After a while I just got used to it.

[wayno]

honestly, from melbourne or sydney you could fly to queenstown in under four hours. an hour in a shutle would put you on the routeburn , or the rees dart or the five passes tracks....

[Hallu]

I did 4.5 hours each way in two days to Little Desert once, but I wouldn't do it again. Now I try to leave early from work on Friday night when I do this. Of course in winter it's a pain because you need to drive at night... To me it's not the amount of time you stay there, you can enjoy an area in a day. I don't mind arriving somewhere in the afternoon, it means you can walk there at sunset, then walk the next morning at sunrise, both perfect times for wildlife and landscape photography.

[wayno]

whats good is arriving somewhere at night, especially somewhere you havent been before, you wake up in the morning to a scenic surprise and a full day ahead of you.

[FatCanyoner]

I live at the base of the Blue Mountains, so on easy day walks I can be somewhere interesting in no time at all. Despite that, I do link to walk and canyon further afield. I regularly go to places like Kanangra (2.5hrs), Newnes (2.5hrs), Glen Davis (3+hrs). Even for a day trip I'll do that. I don't mind, although as others have stated I do like to go out the night before when I have the chance.
Personally, given the choice between seeing heaps of people and being stuck on tracks or heading somewhere remote but suffering the extra driving, I'll almost always chose the second. I'm willing to commute for genuine wilderness!

[ribuck]

I'm willing to spend one hour driving for each three hours walking. That makes the "sweet spot" about 3 to 4 hours away for a weekend walk. Anywhere more distant can wait for a long weekend.

[surly 17]

That's a nice way of working it out, 3 to 4hrs is about my limit too. With children its about half that.

[DarrenM]

I drive to Kosciuszko for a daytrip several times a year from Sydney, winter and summer.

Regularly for overnighters year round. Worth it? absolutely.

[Happy Pirate]

Recently I've discovered the awe inspiring Kanangra/Boyd national park and have hit it for 2 overnight romps. BUT I find the 4 hour run from Wollongong a real drag (not to mention expensive) before and after the walk.
I was wondering just how far people are prepared to go for a simple overnighter, if at all, or do bushwalkers tend to keep it local until they get the time to put a muti day walk together?

I feel your pain brother.
I used to drive 5 hours on a Friday night to get to the Otways from Horsham just so I could see the ocean and some tall trees. Admittedly I usually tried to take a day off or at least cut my Friday at work short. But when I lived in the inland flat dry treeless plains a 10 hour round trip was never too far.

Now that I'm in Townsville I regularly drive 4-5 hours north on a Friday to get to the Southern Tablelands with it's awesome rainforest and river gorges.

How far you are prepared to go depends on how badly you NEED it!

How far would YOU go for awesomeness?

cheers
Steve

[ferozious]

I often do weekend ski trips to Thredbo/Perisher in Winter. That's 5-6 hrs on a Friday night there and Sunday night back. Tiring as hell but always worth it!

Frequent day trips up to Blue Mountains (2hrs each way) and Kanangra/Newnes (3hrs each way). For anything more than 3 hours (Morton, North Wollemi, etc.) I'd prefer a weekend trip or Friday night drive and camp but would consider a day trip. I love it when the sun rises as you're doing a long drive.

How far would YOU go for awesomeness?

An investment in awesomeness provides far greater returns than any other form of investment! (My excuse for blowing all my savings on trips and gear)

[Grabeach]

The key issue for me is my state of physical and mental tiredness driving home. Years ago having been driving for about four hours after a particularly hard walk, I fell asleep at the wheel. Fortunately I woke up from the jolt of the left side wheels leaving the bitumen. It of course scared the hell out of me. I came to learn about 2 hours is probably enough after a walk. Even coming back from Megalong, I will usually stop at Glenbrook for a five minute break prior to droning along the M4. Living in the SE corner of Sydney and typically driving on my own, it limits me pretty much to east of Mt Victoria in the Blue Mountains. Could explain why I tend to know so much about so little!

[roysta]

honestly, from melbourne or sydney you could fly to queenstown in under four hours. an hour in a shutle would put you on the routeburn , or the rees dart or the five passes tracks....

an excellent point.

[Wollemi]

Today I drove alone 145km one-way Springwood - Berrima so as to meet up with others and paddle WW kayaks 6km. Off the water a little after midday.

As has been said; Worth it? absolutely.

[DarrenM]

Looking at the Gauge down that way, I'd say worth it for sure!

[north-north-west]

Well, it took me 4,200km and almost three weeks of travelling (admittedly with a few walks and paddles included) to get to the start of the Larapinta . . .

. . . and, given I've decided to scrub the Eastern loop of the itinerary and return via the West coast, it's going to take a lot more to get back . . .

[Happy Pirate]

Recently I've discovered the awe inspiring Kanangra/Boyd national park and have hit it for 2 overnight romps. BUT I find the 4 hour run from Wollongong a real drag (not to mention expensive) before and after the walk.
I was wondering just how far people are prepared to go for a simple overnighter, if at all, or do bushwalkers tend to keep it local until they get the time to put a muti day walk together?

Also I've only travelled to Kanangra walls via Goulburn/Taralga....Does anyone know if going through katoomba/Jenolan is quicker or longer?

Ultimately it was proximity to wilderness that drove me out of big city life. As a young person, bushwalking showed me the surprising realisation that you didn't have to wake up to traffic noise and the background rumble of human society. It didn't take long being out bush before I knew this was my natural home.
Ever since I've been grown up enough to run away from home I've been living in one or another of a wilderness-friendly back-water - or else I've been desperately pining for one.
It can be hard to extract oneself from big-city life but bushwalking is a great motivator.
If you are too far from the places that you love; consider packing up and moving closer. You may be surprised at the unexpected gains; and at how hard it isn't!
cheers
Steve

[andrewbish]

I think something is only too far if the effort to get there outweighs the reward ie.

- The 4-5 hour drive from Melbourne to Mt Hotham is far, but it's worth it.
- The 6-7 hour drive to Jindabyne is far, but that area is also worth it.
- The all day drive/flight/drive from Melbourne to the WOJ, Arthurs, etc is very far, but by all accounts (not mine yet) it is very much worth it.

It's all relative.


What is too far? This is going to far:

toofar.jpg (48.31 KiB) Viewed 7833 times

[GPSGuided]

When I was just out of uni, weekend commando ski trips with 5hrs each way in the dark was easy. Now, I dread those long night time drives. Too tiring and too dangerous. For day trips, 2-3 hours each way is the absolute maximum. For multi-days, 4-6 hours if it's a really really good location, or it should be split across two days. Fortunately, I am re-discovering a lot of tracks in and around Sydney. 1-1.5 hour is very comfortable, leaving more time walking.

[Giddy_up]

Driving and distance is not that hard. Music on, sunnies on, off you go..........as a side, my wife use to have to drive a 240km round trip just to buy our groceries. So to drive a long distance to do something you love should be easy I would think.


"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards"

[wayno]

depends, when its a friday night and it cuts into your sleep it makes a difference
i've done trips where you get to sleep 3am on saturday, and up at 6. get home in the wee hours on the day you go back to work, can take its toll especially on a long weekend.

[GPSGuided]

Age is certainly a factor.

The other issue that plays in my mind these days is one of environment. I can no longer justify a 10 hour return drive and associated fossil fuel burn just to satisfy my personal desire for a nice quick walk by myself. Of course, this is all relative but a sense of guilt in the current social environment. Is a 2 hours return drive justified? I don't know but there's less guilt.

[Giddy_up]

I guess we are just use to driving after living remotely in Western NSW. There are no taxis, or buses or trains. Kids sport could involve an 8 hour trip!!!!!!!!!. Just no other options in large chunks of Australia I'm afraid so if you want to do something you had to leave early and get home late.



"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards"

[icefest]

Want to do the Overland Track. But I dont think I will enjoy it in peak times. That will have to be a winter venture I think.

My impression after doing it in winter is that there are still too many people. Not a single day without seeing someone.

Why not do a WoJ/Lees paddock loop instead?

[ULWalkingPhil]

Want to do the Overland Track. But I dont think I will enjoy it in peak times. That will have to be a winter venture I think.

My impression after doing it in winter is that there are still too many people. Not a single day without seeing someone.

Why not do a WoJ/Lees paddock loop instead?

Thanks, I will look into that walk.


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[Davo1]

Tassies only small.
Left home in the north 3.30am travelled to Mt Field, done the tourist bit with Russell and Horseshoe Falls.
Next stop Strathgordon lookout and Lake Pedder, umpteen zillion photos later on to Scott Peak Lookout on the other end for umpteen zillion more photos.
Great day and could see the length of the Arthurs, Mt Anne, Sentinels etc.
Back home again arrived at 1.00am the next morning and covered 987kms.
How far is too far? This was probably pushing it too far!!