Once again, life has got in the way of updating this blog.
Or perhaps, tbh, I've chosen other options over updating this blog.
However, there have been many runs, and some 'new' sections of the Heysen ticked off. But there have also been many easy access runs to train for the Coastal 65 run, and a few other shorter things that were easier to fit in during our warm summer days.
And running-related things too. The most notable has been that I have decided to try and get SA's first trail based parkrun up and running. Lots of paperwork, lots of paperwork, lots of emails. But quite excitingly, I'm now quite close. The idea has been in my head for probably 12 months now (a few months of that sitting in the corner, growing, brewing and not having any action taken...), but hopefully in the next few weeks everything will be squared away and we can get to running. Pretty excited by that and as always, good to create something, give something back.
The Coastal 65 is a local ultra along the beaches and coastline of Adelaide, Willunga to North Haven. Relatively 'flat', it called for a number of longer, tempo type runs working on flat speed, so exploring trails was a little put to the side, in order to get some more specific training in. BUT... it then got cancelled. Forecast temp was very high, heat policy was enacted and the event postponed. Ah well...
So, to a few bits of 'new' Heysen Trail that have been ticked off.
These have been out in the Mt Crawford Forest area, as they allow me to taking the dog along as well and let #TheDingo run off the leash, she loves it. Glad to be getting back to cooler temps so I can bring her out more - shes not so great in the heat - and to not have to worry about our venomous reptilian friends so much, either.
Anyway, the sections that I've now managed to cover include the section over Little Mt Crawford and up to Mt Crawford itself; and Watts Gully to the fire lookout tower.
And these are great sections! These are not firetrail/forestry road bits that are just making up the distance, these are actual genuine, fun singletrail! 'Discovering' these sections was exactly like I suggest in the preamble about this blog; by exploring the trails, not just sticking to the same routes over and over, we find new favourites that we'd not otherwise run along.
Firstly, Little Mt Crawford. After crossing a few roads - be careful, high-speed country roads - #TheDingo and I came to an area that has been recently logged of the pines. However, the Heysen snakes off into a bordering section of native forest, following a fairly rocky singletrail up and along the ridge. There is a fair bit of windfall in here, which makes it necessary to take a moment to pick the trail at times, but a walk through with a chainsaw to cut some of this out would get it back to a great section of trail. Not much in the way of views along here, but the trail is engaging enough that it's not an issue. This was a great 'first find' of such trail up here and had me in better spirits about what Mt Crawford could offer, given I'd only really seen firetrails before this.
At the end of the section, it's back to those forestry roads to work your way over the upper sections of the South Para River - there are two fordable sites, although one was thick with over head height rushes and grass and just seemed like snake bait central, so I missed that and used the rockier one further west; there is also the ability to head to the road and cross further west again, which I also checked out. There is not a whole lot of distance difference, so the road will be handy in winter when the river is flowing.
Once to the other side, you follow the dirt road that is also access for the group campground and head up to Mt Crawford itself. Now, there are two ways up; the firetrail and the singletrail. The lower sections of the singletrail were literally hands and knees crawling under and climbing over downed trees. So much for the 'world class' nature of the Heysen Trail here! The firetrail was clear enough, as I found on the descent. Again though, a walk through with a chainsaw to clear a few of these trees and the singletrail through natives would be a true winner. No views from the Mt Crawford summit, though there is a marker/trig point and a large cairn. This section is probably less worth doing, from a standalone perspective. I was glad to not have #TheDingo on this day!!
And lastly Watts Gully, in Warren Conservation Park. Now, I've made the fire tower plenty of time before, but not done this section. Oh my, what a mistake! This. Is. Rad. A bit more vehicle track immediately after the tower to get from forest to park, but once you enter the trail... so good. Now, I am partial to a bit of techy trail, which is not everyones cup of tea. But I loved it! #TheDingo loved it (tsk, tsk for being there, I know...). Tight snaking trail through native growth turns into rocky lumpy techy climbing to outcrops that give some good views over Warren and South Para reservoirs, up into the Barossa. This is the type of trail that you return to over and over and still enjoy. I reckon we will! And I hear that it may be included in the new long (~36km) course for Mt Crawford Challenge this year, so I think a few more folks will do the same too.
So thats a quick bit of a catch up to new sections that have been covered. As mentioned other bit repeated, other running elsewhere, etc. Sorry for the lack of pics here, but click through to Strava and there are photos there, being too lazy to link them right now....
Watts Gully: https://www.strava.com/activities/941205708
Little Mt C: https://www.strava.com/activities/832237242
Little and Big: https://www.strava.com/activities/839934440
Labels: adelaide hills, heysen, heysen trail, HYSN, running, TheDingo, trailrunning