Fernleigh Track - GNW 2020

It has been a while since I've typed things up.  For a few reasons.  Family matters, bushfires, months of overpowering smoke, torrential rain and floods which made travelling impossible and destroyed any infrastructure not already decimated by the fires, and of course COVID-19.  All in all, not conducive to adventuring.  I did the Gong Ride last year and when the Bondi to Manly Walk opened I did North Sydney to Bondi, but they went to plan which is kind of boring to write about.

However, the itch was building.  I had holidays.  But what to do.  Still, so many travel restrictions.  Each plan I made had an element that made it collapse.  Accommodation not available, transport problems, parks closed, endless little finicky things.

Time to let the universe go to work.  I was hoping not to use the car, I like trains, I wanted to go overnight, but not carry too much gear.  I let my mind drift and the slow beginnings of a plan began to form.  I wonder if...

The Lovely Cait and I ran the Fernleigh Track (a 15km disused rail line) in Newcastle in October 2016.  I was recovering from my September attempt at GNW100 miler.  I had made 130km, and they were all still in my legs in October.  I remember loving the Fernleigh Track, but my legs were dead and it wasn't conducive to enjoying the views.  In 2018, for my birthday, we walked the GNW from Warner's Bay to Newcastle, a walk where nothing went as planned.  Maybe I could combine these two and enjoy them a little more second time around?  Maybe even stay in a nice hotel instead of a tent for a change!

Thursday morning I jumped on a train to the Fernleigh Trackhead at Adamstown.  Adamstown is a short (SP4) platform, and I discovered that possibly I was in car 5 when the doors wouldn't open and the train set off for Broadmeadow.  Oh well, what's a few more km.  This year I have been trying to practice kindness, mindfulness, and acceptance.  I kindly set out for Adamstown grinding my teeth and practicing my mindfulness and acceptance.

After a lovely warm up stroll back to Adamstown, I set off along the Fernleigh Track.  Much nicer without thousands of noisy runners. The sound of birds and quiet breezes.  Lots of walkers, parents with prams, runners, and cyclists.  Cyclists varied between the quiet tingle of a bell and a slow passing by, and those screaming "on your right" as their lycra clad buttocks whizzed by centimetres from disaster.

The Fernleigh Trackhead at Adamstown

One of the magical parts of the Ferneigh is going through the tunnel.  In 2016 we were through in seconds, this time I stopped and enjoyed it.

Along the way I passed the crossover point at Kahibah where the GNW meets the Fernleigh Track.  Tomorrow, according to plan A, I would be back here as I headed to Newcastle.

Along the way there are lots of bits of old infrastructure.  Some are highlighted, some are just lying around.  All added to the feeling of nostalgia.  Lots of birds singing.  In a word, peaceful.

After 15km of delightful and peaceful walking, the end arrived at Belmont.

Now for the walk to Warner's Bay I had whipped up a wonderful mud map from Google maps.  What could go wrong?

After several hours of pushing through weeds beside guard rails where no footpath existed, wandering lost through suburbia, hugging safety rails as cars whizzed by, wandering along dead end streets, I arrived at Warner's Bay. A quick supply stop at Coles then onto Speer's Point and my accomodation Pippi's at the Point which was several km past where I thought it was. But 30km and 6 hours later I was there.  A quick call to the Lovely Cait to say I was safe, but not that sound.  I had already run 25km this week, and today's 30 made 55km on my feet. Ouch. Possibly I would bail out early tomorrow with a 6km walk to the nearest station.  The feet were decidedly ordinary.  Nothing to do but drink endless tea, hot shower, eat myself stupid, then sleep.  And watch my Bunnies lose.  At least my room had a great view.

The next day I woke feeling much better than yesterday.  Drank 4 cups of sweet tea and a cup of concrete as I watched a pair of enormous nesting sea birds in the trees opposite. Legs a bit stiff, but not sore, and the blisters had calmed.  Plan A is GO! 20km to Newcastle (unless I get lost ?!?!).  Let's do this!

Alright. So 22km to Newcastle.  Let's do this!

It was a beautiful sunny start to the day, and I was glad I hadn't taken the easy option.  I had done the first stretch of the GNW Woolwich to Lane Cove on Monday, and was looking forward to redoing the last bit.  I love the way both bits lie hidden as they snake their way through hidden suburbia. 

At some point yesterday I realised that I had left today's map behind.  Not a worry, as I had done this bit before and remembered every step of the way... 

Last time through involved a lot of guess work, and blazing 35 degree heat.  This time it was 15 degrees and I had a pretty good idea.  A few misremembered bits that were easily sorted.  For once all was going well.  I reached the heights of Newcastle and the big GNW sign without a hitch.  Clear sailing from here.

I crossed the highway and promptly got lost.  This was the same place as last time where construction work had removed the sign, and I confidently misremembered the wrong way to go.  If only I had a map.  However, I eventually spied the little man on his GNW pole a way off in the distance and was back on track.

It wasn't long before I hit the Fernleigh Track at Kahibah and headed off to Glenrock Lagoon, the ocean, and some beach walking.  9km to go.

I heard the ocean long before I saw it.  The surf was pumping and thumping, and there were hundreds of boards in the water as set after set rolled in.  If I could surf, today was the dream day for a sickie. 

Last time I ended up at a sewerage works.  This time I looked down and saw the path clear as could be. How did I miss it last time? I was on the sand in no time, trudging my way to Merewether Beach.  The surf was washing up high and eventually I got soaked and gave up on dry feet.  But I was lucky.  Not long ago during the storms it looked like this (see link below) and I would not have got through.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a09-oZdYIUM

Finally came the big climb up to the Memorial Walk.  Last time I was tired and cranky and in completionist mode.  I wanted to walk the GNW as outlined and defined by the track notes and nothing would convince me otherwise.  We could see the Memorial Walk and The Lovely Cait suggested we go that way, but I was being a tool and wanted to slog up the dirty big boring hill via footpath as per my outdated notes.

Today I went that way, and may I say, it was fabulous.  Can not recommend it highly enough.  No doubt future iterations will make this the official way as it is waaaayy betterer.  Endless ocean to the east, views to the south over the beaches, to the west views over Greater Newcastle, and to the north views over the harbour and on to Stockton.  A pod of dolphins swam below.  A cool breeze blowing.  If only Cait was there (probably to push me over the rail).

Of the course the Memorial Walk ended right on top of a GNW marker.  What a great place to finish! We should have gone this way last time! Maybe later. I have another birthday coming up.

Then it was the last leg.  A few missing GNW signs due to construction work, but I remembered the way.  Even the GNW post and turn off on Hunter Street which I totally missed last time (but The Lovely Cait found).  Then it was down to Queen Street Wharf, the official end to the GNW, which is now clearly marked, saving me a lot of angry stomping, unlike like last time when there was no sign.  I sat and enjoyed how much more enjoyable this trip was compared to last time.  An enormous tanker was being towed in which added to the moment.

Last time The Lovely Cait and I slogged for another hour to the train past scaffolding and detours.  This time the way was straight and clear and...

...THERE IS NOW LIGHT RAIL!!

Woo Hoo. Light Rail

I was in a walking mode, but that tram was tempting.  The end was possibly only minutes away. Next time perhaps.

I arrived at the station with time to do my impersonation of a homeless person as I took off my sodden shoes and socks, aired my feet and inspected my blisters, took off my shirt to put a clean one on. The train was some express thing that had me home in no time.  Although the announcement "those alighting at Asquith leave via the last 2 carriages" had me furiously scuttling to the back of the train in just my socks to end the trip in a bit of a jumble, tumbling out onto the platform where The Lovely Cait awaited.