In an attempt to shake up her routine and get more ‘feral’, Hilary is walking the 250km Great North Walk, from Sydney to Newcastle, across four consecutive weekends. Weekend two saw her nurse a rolled ankle, sustained the weekend before, on her 55km trek from Cowan to Somersby.

 

We Are Explorers acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which this adventure takes place, who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Recovering During the Working Week

After last week’s rolled ankle, I was nervous about how to tackle week two. My initial plan was ambitious, but with a month of weekend adventures in my sights, I knew that with a bit of rest, my bruised, angry ankle would soon forgive me.

I decided to outsource the decision and was pleasantly surprised to find a physio who didn’t balk at my headstrong plans to hike 65km on a swollen ankle. I gave her three options: rest completely, go the whole hog, or take it easy and walk 50km over three days. My rehab was paying off, so I left feeling confident that I wouldn’t be doing more harm than good.

The rest of my body had also recovered, which was a relief. On Monday, I was going downstairs sideways, but after a few baths and boxes of epsom salts, my quads had loosened, and I was feeling fresh. As a runner, I’m used to delayed onset muscle soreness getting worse before it gets better, so a linear recovery was a welcome change.

Soon enough, Friday rolled around, and it was time to catch the Newcastle line again. I’d managed to whittle my base weight down from about 15kg to 13kg, opting for my summer sleeping bag and fewer clothes.

I’d stuffed everything into a 20L Salomon fastpack and threw it on just before heading out the door. But the fastpack sat too high and left me feeling off-balance, so I repacked into my Gossamer Gear 36L hiking pack, which sat on my hips, taking weight off my shoulders and feeling much more grounded.

Read more: I’m Walking the 250km Great North Walk Over Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 1: Sydney CBD to Cowan

 

Hiker taking a mirror selfie with a loaded backpack before the Great North Walk in NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

Then I was out the door and on the next train to Cowan.

Great North Walk – Cowan Station to Somersby Quick Facts

Start: Cowan Station
Finish: Somersby Café
Distance: 55km
Duration: 2.5 days
Elevation gain: 1,826m
Nearest town: Woy Woy
Skill level: Grade 3 – Grade 5

About the Great North Walk

The Great North Walk links Sydney Cove and Newcastle in NSW. It can be walked in either direction, as a thru-hike, as day hikes, or in sections. The trail is 250km long, with approximately 8,500 metres of elevation gain and loss. The trail varies in difficulty, with sections ranging from Grade 3 (moderate) to Grade 5 (difficult). On average, people take 10-14 days to complete the full trail. Some sections intersect suburban public transport networks, making them more logistically accessible.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

How to Get to the Great North Walk

Cowan and Hawkesbury River Stations are both on the Newcastle/Central Coast line, and Somersby is a short Uber or taxi ride to Ourimbah Station, also on the Newcastle/Central Coast line.

Where to Stay

There are a range of campgrounds along this section, with Brooklyn Dam and Mount Wondabyne having toilet and tank facilities. There’s also a caravan park in Patonga, or you can go bougie and stay at the Boathouse Hotel in Pataonga.

 

Waterlilies and bushland reflected in Brooklyn Dam on the Great North Walk, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

Where to Eat

I highly recommend the Anglers Rest in Brooklyn for a pub feed, or the Boathouse in Patonga. Beyond Patonga, there’s no food available until you reach Somersby Café & Hotfood (which is unfortunately closed on Sundays), where there’s a service station next door for a cool drink!

 

Chips and drinks on a pub table overlooking the water at Brooklyn, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

What It’s Like to Walk the Great North Walk

Day 3 – A Post-Work Ramble

To keep up the kilometres without overdoing it, I squeezed in 10km on Friday afternoon, which also gave me the chance to test the ankle. If it felt awful, the plan was to call it a day in Brooklyn.

It helped that this was the section of the trail I was most familiar with, as I’d walked it over the long weekend that inspired this whole adventure! I initially planned to camp at Jerusalem Bay for a leisurely afternoon of sun and swimming, but with an overcast afternoon and low tide, I waltzed right by.

From the bay, the trail wound up and over, weaving between Sydney red gums and Hawkesbury sandstone boulders. My poles did a lot of the heavy lifting to take weight off my ankle. I’ve heard that using poles can reduce strain on the legs by 20%, and I’ll take any assistance I can!

After climbing to the ridge, the trail joined a fire trail for the final 6km, (except for a slight shortcut!). After bypassing Brooklyn Dam Campground, it was a short, sharp descent into Brooklyn.

With a 40-minute wait for the train, I went straight to the pub for a schooner and bowl of chips, then caught the train from Hawkesbury River to Woy Woy. Here, some friends generously picked me up and put me up for the night in Umina Beach.

The trail continues in Patonga, but the ferry between Brooklyn and Patonga is no longer operating, which makes this bit logistically tricky. Your options are a water taxi, a train to Woy Woy followed by a bus to Patonga, or a train to Wondabyne to rejoin the Great North Walk there. Or to ask some hospitable friends for help!

A shower and a comfy bed were a real treat, as was a proper coffee and toastie from a local café on the way to Patonga the next morning.

 

Day 4 – Patonga to Piles Creek

From the idyllic township of Patonga, my short climb from sea level was promptly rewarded with epic views across the Hawkesbury River to the Pacific Ocean. From there, the trail turned north along an exposed fire trail for most of the morning, and I ducked and weaved through Brisbane Water National Park.

 

Hawkesbury River and forested headlands viewed from the Great North Walk above Patonga, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

The highlight was the abundance of flannel flowers, one of my favourite native blooms, and I fought the urge to stop and take photos as the bushes became bigger and more bountiful. The clouds cleared allowing for superb views towards Mount Wondabyne.

 

White flannel flowers with Mount Wondabyne behind them in Brisbane Water National Park, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

After a brief stopover at Mount Wondabyne Campground (equipped with a tank and toilets), the trail meandered down to Kariong Brook Falls, the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon dip. My wet shorts and sports bra kept me cool on the inevitable climb out in the afternoon heat.

Read more: Staying Safe Around Swimming Holes and Waterfalls

 

Water flowing over sandstone ledges at Kariong Brook Falls in Brisbane Water National Park, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

My ankle held up okay, except for the occasional misstep that elicited grunts and profanities – thankfully, I had the trails mostly to myself! The twisted, gnarled, gargantuan trees distracted me from the discomfort as the kilometres ticked by, with no sign of the outside world except the increasingly loud gunfire from the nearby rifle range. How’s the serenity?!

A few hundred metres from my intended camp at Piles Creek, there was a beautiful, free-flowing stream where I filled up my water reservoirs. Despite the warm day, the creek didn’t look overly appealing for a swim, and the occasional roar from the Pacific Motorway reminded me I wasn’t far from civilisation.

 

Hiker collecting water from a shallow stream near Piles Creek on the Great North Walk, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

After a very disappointing (but still satisfying) rehydrated risotto, I was tucked up in bed before the sun had even set. Bliss!

 

Red hiking tent pitched among trees beside Piles Creek on the Great North Walk, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

Day 5 – Piles Creek to Somersby

Despite the early night, Sunday morning started slowly, as I distracted myself with the ‘Merlin’ app, identifying the incredible array of birds I could hear from the comfort of my sleeping bag: Golden whistlers, Sacred kingfishers, and even a Green catbird. I enjoyed a morning cup of tea by the creek with my new besties (leeches) before breaking camp around 9am.

Read more: Leeches: How To Remove, Avoid, and Appreciate Them

 

Hiker holding a mug at a bush campsite beside Piles Creek on the Great North Walk, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

It was a cruisey start, following Piles Creek and then the larger Mooney Mooney Creek, with the flat, easy walking loosening up the body. Mooney Mooney Flats, where I crossed the creek, was the perfect spot for a mid-morning dip, with lots of waterholes to submerge myself into without getting my shoes wet!

 

Suspension footbridge over a creek on the Great North Walk between Piles Creek and Somersby, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

 

It was all uphill from there, as the path followed the boundary of the national park and private property, with some weird moments walking amongst giant tanks and threatening ‘NO TRESPASSING’ signs.

Before long, the sheltered single track ended, and I was spat out onto the bitumen for the final 3km along local roads to Somersby Café, which I knew was closed, but the disappointment still hit. I called an Uber for the ten-minute drive to Ourimbah Station and onwards to Sydney.

Read more: I’m Walking the 250km Great North Walk Over Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 1: Sydney CBD to Cowan

 

Sunlit tree and bushwalking trail on the Great North Walk, Cowan to Somersby, NSW. Photo: Hilary McAllister. Article: Trekking the 250km Great North Walk in Four Consecutive Weekends – Part 2: Cowan to Somersby.

This piece was brought to you by a real living human who felt the wind in their hair and described their adventure in their own words. This is because we rate authenticity and the sharing of great experiences in the natural world – it’s all part of our ethos here at We Are Explorers. You can read more about it in our Editorial Standards.