Jubble drove me from Bright to Mount Hotham, and after a breakie of savoury oats in a car park on the mountain, I started the day’s walk. It was a cruisy stroll to the summit of Mount Hotham and the little cubby up there from where they watch for bushfires. The first 9km of the walk was along Great Alpine Road, not particularly interesting walking, but easy and quick with amazing views. There was a little off-track section that skirted around Mt Blowhard and Mt Little Blowhard that I missed last time and which was quite lovely. There were loads of cyclists climbing up to Hotham, and I was mostly heading downhill as they were heading up, so I made sure to give them each a bit of encouragement!
At Mt St Bernard, the trail leaves Great Alpine Road and heads up Twins Track. This is where you see exactly what you’re about to climb! The track goes straight up the side of a mountain to The Twins. I love the view from up there. You look back over where you’ve just come from, to Mount Hotham, and the little speck of a cubby perched on top. From the top there’s a little yellow triangle pointing the way and it kind of looks like you’re just going to walk off the edge of the mountain, but as you walk it continues to unfold before you. It was steep back down the other side and then straight back up the side of yet another mountain. Today followed ridges, and for what looked on the elevation profile like a downward trending walk, they was a lot of climbing! The bushfires burnt a lot of this area since I was last here, which increased the regrowth and obviously significantly reduced the canopy. I think the walking was a bit harder today because of the regrowth. But I do love walking along ridge lines! It makes you feel like you’re on top of the world. And it’s pretty amazing when you have it all to yourself. I do not, however, love March flies, and today, they were relentless. I will be covered in bites again.
After descending from the ridge close to the bottom, i came across a black snake, making its way off the path. I love snakes who know to leave when they feel me approaching. At the bottom, the trail joined Twin Track, a 4WD road that made for an easy afternoon of walking, mostly downhill. It was a bit of a rude shock when I went on to Twin Jeeps Track and what appeared to be a never-ending uphill! It was the kind of hill that has false tops and actually doesn’t have an end. Except it does, and then it was steep downhill all the way to Jubble. We camped at the meeting point rather than driving down to a campsite. It’s a nice quiet road with plenty of space and flat ground for our rooftop tent. Jack arrived 15 mins before me and, after setting up his camp, joined us for Singapore noodles dinner. it was lovely to have a chat and then be in bed before 8pm. It was so fantastic having dry feet for the whole day! It’s the little things that make all the difference.
Kerry's Hikes 