Cathedral Ranges in a day

[Earwig]

A day's hike in the Cathedral Ranges - a long, tiring day's walking covering the entire range. My preference is slow hiking, plenty of time to explore, but that seems to becoming less common. On my last two hikes I have walked with people who have raced past what I reckon is interesting stuff - dragonflies, lizards, a touch of geology. Am I now a dinosaur?

http://ian-folly.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/cathedral-ranges-quickly.html

[Lophophaps]

Nice pics and report. I agree about not rushing - take time to enjoy the views. For maybe 45 years the track has gone through and below Wells Cave. It may have chnaged but if you come to the cave hop down a few levels to the track, or just sidle round until you are below the ascent gully, and then go up in series of easy steps. Not hard. There is also a track that ascends the summit by curving left from the day shelter. Oxfam involves walking fast on level surfaces, and as such Sugarloaf is not a very good training walk. The scope for misadventure due to excessive speed is a little high for my liking.

[Empty]

Nice report! I share your pain in remembering a similar group I used to walk with in the Kananagra and Wollemi areas of Sydney. They would set a punishing pace mainly off track picking the hardest and most remote routes. The bush would fairly flash past until you gout to a steep uphill at the top of which one or two would exchange comments as to whether they made it up just breathing through their nose! A test of strength apparently.

I am now a much happier subscriber to the 'take time to smell the roses' philosophy.

[hobbitle]

Inspired to do this walk! Thanks for the report.


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[neilmny]

A day's hike in the Cathedral Ranges - a long, tiring day's walking covering the entire range. My preference is slow hiking, plenty of time to explore, but that seems to becoming less common. On my last two hikes I have walked with people who have raced past what I reckon is interesting stuff - dragonflies, lizards, a touch of geology. Am I now a dinosaur?

http://ian-folly.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/cathedral-ranges-quickly.html

You are not a dinosaur Ian.......I can't see the point in bolting for the destination and forgetting the journey.
It's amazing how many critters, wild flowers and stunning glimpses (of places that the bolters miss) can be seen, if you keep your eyes open.
I walked a bit of the Dandenongs the other day with my daughter and her new camera. We did about 6km. She took over 100 pictures....definitley taking our time.

[JohnStrider]

What section of the Dandenongs did you do, Neil?

[neilmny]

What section of the Dandenongs did you do, Neil?

The Bartlett Road, Rifle Range Gully Track near Olinda.

[JohnStrider]

Love the Arboretum. One of my favourite parts of the Dandenongs to go hiking in.

[Hallu]

Are you sure the first pic isn't a mountain dragon (Rankinia diemensis) ? They are very similar, hard to diffentiate them, only way to know for sure is the inside of their mouth : pink for the mountain dragon, yellow for the other one.

[Empty]

Jacky lizard is simply the commonly used or loacal nickname for a that lizard that may be properly call a mountain dragon (or some other dragon). Calling it a jacky is not to suggest that is the type of lizard. Just like calling a magpie lark a pee wee. Depending on where you live in Australia you have your own local names for things. That's what Aussie do - stuff up names for fun.

[Earwig]

I didn't get a look inside the little critter's mouth, but I believe it was a Tree Dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus) rather than the Mountain Dragon. The id is based on advice from a friend who's into frogs and lizards and stuff like that. I also thought Mountain Dragons were blue inside the mouth, not pink, but may be that's a boy girl dragon thing.