Tag: nice vegetation

Pierces Pass to Blue Gum Forest (+ Rigby Hill), Blue Mountains NSW

A classic Blue Mountains walk taking Pierces Pass down to Blue Gum Forest in the Grose Valley, with a side trip to Rigby Hill at the start.

This was my first time down Pierces Pass, and my first time in a long while into the Grose Valley. You can do a quick side trip to Rigby Hill at the start for already excellent views. Return to the start and descend on the Pierces Pass Walking Track through patches of attractive rainforest to the Grose River. Cross the river and walk downstream as far as Blue Gum Forest for perhaps the most attractive vegetation of the day—tall, straight trunked blue gums and various understory plants including tree ferns.

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Bundanoon Short Walks, Morton National Park NSW

Two very short walks and nearby lookouts in Morton National Park near the quaint village of Bundanoon in NSW’s Southern Highlands.

Bundanoon is a quaint village in the Southern Highlands near to a number of good walks in Morton National Park. One day we stopped on our way back to Sydney from Canberra and did a couple of very short walks. These included the Fern Glen walk, and then the Amphitheatre Track plus a five minute section of Nicholas Pass to an area of clefts and waterfalls. We also took in a few lookouts, including Grand Canyon Lookout (at the start of the Fern Glen walk), and possibly Sunshine Lookout and Tooths Lookout (although I forget). 

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Bombala Walking Track, Glenrock State Conservation Area, Newcastle NSW

Stroll the short Bombala Walking Track in Newcastle’s south, through attractive forest to a beach & rock platforms.

The Bombala Walking Track is a very short walk through distinctive and beautiful forest to a beach and rock platforms in Dudley, south of Newcastle. The coast is undeveloped in this area so you can enjoy a wild feeling down there.

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Dinosaur Ridge 공룡능선 Circuit, Seoraksan 설악산, South Korea

Korean mountain & valley scenery at its very best on this challenging circuit along Dinosaur Ridge and down Cheonbuldong Valley, in Seoraksan National Park.

Our first time in Seoraksan National Park was one of our enduring hiking highlights. This time we did what is supposedly the best and hardest walk in the park—Dinosaur Ridge 공룡능선—so named for the jagged peaks along its spine (looking like a Stegosaurus I guess). It was bound to be a classic walk with stupendous scenery lifted right out of a Daoist painting, especially in Autumn / Fall, whatever the conditions…

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Bungonia Gorge Red Track, Bungonia National Park NSW

Uniquely spectacular scenery on the Bungonia Gorge Red Track, passing scenic pools, a giant boulder field & towering cliffs on either side of this enormous slot canyon.

I first visited Bungonia National Park a few years ago, walking two of the easy tracks on the plateau and visiting various impressive viewpoints. From one of them you get a clear view of Bungonia Gorge, but on that day I didn’t have time to visit. I’m kind of happy I waited to do the Bungonia Gorge Red Track together with my wife Sophia, because it ended up being one our more challenging walks. The scenery is uniquely spectacular, with scenic pools, towering cliffs, and giant boulders in the slot canyon, as well as grass trees, maidenhair ferns and a pleasant stretch of river.  Continue reading “Bungonia Gorge Red Track, Bungonia National Park NSW”

Mount Howitt, Mount Magdala & Crosscut Saw, Victorian Alps

Fabulous mountain views from Mount Howitt (1742m), Mount Magdala & Crosscut Saw in the Victorian Alps, with a night at Vallejo Gantner Hut.

The Victorian Alps have some of the mainland’s best mountain scenery, and the collection of peaks around Mount Howitt (1742m) are one of the area’s highlights. There are rugged peaks and cliffs, views for miles, and beautiful, atmospheric snow gum woodlands. We visited Mount Howitt, Mount Howitt West Peak, Mount Magdala (1725m) and Crosscut Saw (1708m), staying one night in comfortable Vallejo Gantner Hut for our first Australian overnighter.

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Peach Trees Trig Station from Audley, Royal National Park NSW

This pleasant Royal National Park walk from Audley to Peach Trees Trig takes in a variety of interesting vegetation with views here & there.

A very pleasant Royal National Park walk from the NPWS visitor centre at Audley to Peach Trees Trig Station along a ridge. The highlight for me was the vegetation, including many colourful and gnarled trees, wildflowers, and a variety of unusual seed pods.  There were also birds, lizards and insect life. Just one spot with decent views, but you won’t mind given the many interesting distractions along the way. We finished the walk on a different track that takes you down to the Hacking River, and added to the variety of vegetation. 

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Mt Burns and Tarns, Fiordland NZ

The route to Mt Burns (1645m) delivers beautiful Fiordland scenery the whole way, including unique plant life, tarns, lakes, peaks & valleys.

Our first time in southern Fiordland, and it did not disappoint. We chose perhaps the easier of two walks to peaks that are accessible from Borland Road, climbing Mt Burns (1645m; the other is Mt Eldrig). It’s a very beautiful landscape packed full of lakes and tarns, and fabulous plants, but far fewer people than the touristy spots further north.

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Valley of the Trolls – Lake Wilson – Mt Erebus, Mt Aspiring National Park NZ

Lake Wilson & the Valley of the Trolls is an absolute classic hike in Mt Aspiring National Park. Add on an adventurous side trip to Mt Erebus (1978m) for even more grandeur.

A visit to the Valley of the Trolls and Lake Wilson had been on my to do list for quite a few years. We finally did it in our last month living in New Zealand, staying a night and climbing to a vantage point high on Mt Erebus on day 2. The area is accessed off the Routeburn Track, which already takes you through some of New Zealand’s best scenery. But this off-track side trip will take the scenery next level.

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Longslip Mountain from Lindis Pass, Canterbury/Otago NZ

Walk along a ridgeline from Lindis Pass (971m) to Longslip Mountain (1494m) surrounded by the famous tussock grasslands of the area.

The area around Lindis Pass is famous for its golden tussock grasslands. You can see them from the highway, and can climb to excellent views on Double Peak in less than two hours return. But to really get amongst it all consider a day-walk to Longslip Mountain from the lookout car park. It’s pretty much one long ridge all the way to the summit, and with some of the best views early on you could shorten your day and still leave very satisfied. Continue reading “Longslip Mountain from Lindis Pass, Canterbury/Otago NZ”