Doing the Great North Walk Backwards
Day 4 - 11 Dec 2013  Heaton Gap to Baraba Ridge
I set off early and climbed into the Awaba State Forest. Met a guy who had done the whole trek some years ago. Now he does the climb from Heaton Gap to Heaton Lookout and back once a week, and reckons that keeps him fit. I reached the lookout by mid-morning and the view looking back to the coast was spectacular.

The map indicated water was available at Heaton Lookout so I had been drinking freely, not concerned I'd run short. I found the water tank, but it was marked with a cautionary sign that made me think it was not for drinking.

So I continued without filling my bottles, trusting the maps again which indicated there was more water ahead at the 'Forestry Campsite'. Sadly by early afternoon, I found the tank there was empty.
My choice was now to walk back for six hours to Heaton Gap or keep going  and chance finding water on the way. I chose the later and pressed on into the Watagans National Park.

Good walking although I was distracted by the water issue. At dusk around 8pm I was exhausted but had reached a beautiful place called 'Barraba Campsite' and pitched the tent among the xanthorea trees. Feeling sore and sorry for myself, thirsty, aching feet and shoulders, I didn't sleep well but had better spirits by morning.

Day 5 - 12 Dec 2013  Baraba Ridge to Paxton
I packed up and took off towards the Congewai Valley, which on the map showed beautiful blue bits that I convinced myself to be lakes of fully potable water. Heading down hill in the cool morning was a relief. I rationed my walking with 5 sips of water each half-hour, but soon noticed I was cheating by sometimes having a full swallow instead of a sip, so I changed it to 10 micro-sips which were easier to measure. Each sip was bliss.
As I got thirstier I started to fantasize how cold beer felt at the back of the throat. I thought I would go to Paxton which is half way up to Pokolbin and maybe stay at the pub.

Around mid-day I came to a sign indicating drinking water, and was relieved to find an old shack with sweet, sweet water in the tank. I rested, filled myself and all my bottles. On the track again and feeling good but still thinking about a cold beer at Paxton Pub.

Congewai Valley is beautiful. I climbed a fence and turned north onto Congewai Road; it felt good to walk on a level surface.

After a while I got a lift in a ute for the last bit into Paxton. The guy turned out to be a land owner who owned the shed I had found and recently had replenished the water in the tank. We had a great talk about life, walking, water, beer, cattle, land, water, and beer.
Paxton Pub looked fantastic, completely original, and I can still remember the feel of the first sip at the back of my throat.

Day 6 - 13 Dec 2013  Rest day at Paxton
I stayed a day at Paxton Pub to fulfil my fantasy during the dry march over the Watagans. Had a real bath, slept in a bed, had a few beers, met some characters, washed my clothes, rested my feet.... bliss.

Yes I know. No posts for two years. I've been busy in my spare time completing an MSc in Coaching Psychology at Sydney University. It was challenging and fun, but I'm so glad it's done!  
At the end of 2013 I decided to do the Great North Walk. My friend Peter wanted to do it too, in fact he had all the maps, but sadly he could not get leave from work. Peter did fly down from Brisbane and we walked the first few days together, starting officially at Queen's Wharf on beautiful Newcastle Harbour. The GNW is about 250km and was a Bicentennial Project under NSW Premier Nick Griener.

Doing the Great North Walk Backwards
Day 1 - 8 Dec 2013  Newcastle to Warner's Bay

Our first day was easy and fun, walking the whole length of the Newcastle beaches, past Nobbies, along Newcastle Beach, over the hill to Bar Beach, Dixon Beach, Merewether Beach, and then we got a bit lost but finally made it to Charlestown for a rest and a bite for lunch.

Bar Beach-  8 December 2013

A few hours later we found ourselves at Warner's Bay, and checked into a motel. Another friend of mine Karen kindly collected us for a drink and meal at a local club.

Day 2- 9 Dec 2013  Warner's Bay to Heaton Gap

Next day we set off heading due west, following the shore of Lake Macquarie past Speers Point, through Teralba, past Wakefield, had a break sitting under the M1 overpass, then climbed up, down, up (etc) and along the Sugarloaf Range. By late afternoon we were close to exhausted and getting a little worried about the water situation. Keeping each other's spirits up, we made it eventually to Brunkerville and checked into a room at the Heaton Gap service station on Freeman's Drive.

Peter, finally we made it to Heaton Gap.

Day 3 - 10 Dec 2013 Farewell to Peter and rest day at Heaton Gap
Early next morning Peter had to catch a bus to Morisset, train to Newcastle, then flew back to work at Brisbane. I decided to rest for a day, to drink lots of water and do some drawings of the local bush.