Fit for a Prince too
Shanti reports…
Mum was looking for an adventure to replace her packrafting trip - and decided that we should do an overnight trip to Princess Bath. It’s an off-route trip (no track to follow, so humans go heaps slower and are more likely to get lost) in a new area…
Mum changed her mind at the last minute, when she heard that Maisy dog (and her Mum, Liz) were up for doing it as a day trip.
Phew! What a trip it was.
First off. It is a long drive. All the way to Hanmer, and then up and over Jack’s Pass on the Clarence Valley road. That was bumpy. Mum said the road was corrugated, but apart from bumpy I’m not sure what that means. Then we turned onto Top House Road and it was bumpier. Mum said it had potholes and corrugations.
Finally, we turned onto the 4x4 track to head up Mailing Pass to the start of our walk.
Mum had found the website where you can register your car to get the code to the gate. I was glad we were able to park close. I was pretty knackered by the time we got back to the car.
Liz on gate duty opening the combination padlock. It worked - phew!This was my first ever real 4x4 road. It was slow and bumpy, with river crossings and dips, and almost nowhere to turn, but my trusty Nissan X-trail dog mobile got us there safely. It was a 3.5-hour drive. Maisy and I were very pleased to get out of the car!
We climbed up to Pt 1572 and stopped for a rest and human refuel break. Then down to a saddle. The route Mum was thinking of following continued up the ridge, but there was a tricky patch of scree to get up - and a route that sidled more to the side. So we sidled and followed tracks (of sorts).
We bumped into a couple on their way down and they confirmed our route was fine - and that we needed to climb up to around 1800m and over the far ridge in front. (Mum said she knew that from reading other people’s report trips, but confirmation was good).
So on we went. We found a few muddy tarns to cool off in. Yay.
And then more up and up until we went over the ridge. Mum thought the ridge route looked too hard so we tried sidling through very rocky scree. It was so slow going that she eventually decided to drop into the valley and walk up again to the ridge which forms the lip of the bath. Phew.
Finally the much anticipated bath was in sight - but it was still a 15-to-20-minute walk downhill through rough and rocky terrain. Mum and Liz had decided that for safety we had to turn around at 3pm. It was just after 2.30pm…
We did eventually get to the lake and enjoyed about 20 minutes there and a refuel for all. I had several lovely refreshing swims.
A swim with a view in the refreshing waters of Princess Bath
In a blink it was time to go. Mum said she was feeling very tired and was worried about getting to the car. Once we were back up on the first ridge her mood improved - but I was tired and taking the opportunity to rest when I could grab it.
I have to concede that it is also harder for dogs off-route. We’re still much better than humans at it, but you do have to work harder.
It wasn’t too long and we were back at Pt 1572. Mum was happier and I just wanted to be left to lie in peace for a while - and that’s when things went a little wrong.
We’d lost and found the “path of no path” often but this was one of the lost sections… Mum and Liz ended up debating which ridge, heading towards the correct ridge, and then over-shooting it and going down the wrong ridge.
Bushwhacking is not my favourite. Maisy loves it and finds her way easily anywhere, but I think it is hard work. It was almost as bad as our trip through the swamp the other week (almost).
We did get back onto the right ridge and got back to the car with no further drama. I found some shade at the side of the car and had a nap while Mum and Liz had coffee and squealed at the fact that the chocolate for the end-of-walk-chocolate-celebration had melted in the car.
I wasn’t too keen on budging (this is usual for me after a walk) but required more persuasion than usual to hop into the car. Then it was a long drive home again. I was able to rest better once we got back onto tarred roads.
It was a long day. We started at 8am. Arrived at the start at 11.30am. Took about 3.5 hours to walk to Princess Bath and around 3 hours back (would have been quicker and easier without the bush detour) and got home just before 10pm.
Mum usually has a few meal rations for me in the car, just in case. But she found it had been removed at some point and not replaced… so I had to wait until nearly 10 at night for my dinner. Better planning needed next time, Mum (please)!
P.S. Mum’s GPS said we only walked 6.81km - I’m sure it is faulty. It felt way, way further!
P.P.S. Mum liked these flowers at the lake. We saw lots of crickets too.
P.P.P.S Mum says it’s definitely at least a two-day trip next time we head to the St James Conservation Area.
