This morning, our Cottage guests Maggie, Alison and Andrew set off with Padma to join two girls from Batemans Bay's Bodyworks to climb Pigeon House Mountain.
The climb to the summit of Pigeon House Mountain, named by Captain Cook in 1770 Pigeon House Hill, is becoming an increasingly popular activity with over 8,000 people making the effort each year. From the top of the mountain there are magnificent panoramic views of the rugged cliffs and gorges carved by the Clyde River and its tributaries. Dominating the view to the north-west are two elongated plateaux of Byangee Walls and The Castle. On a good day, coastline stretching from Point Perpendicular in the north to Mount Dromedary in the south can be seen, making the walk a most rewarding experience.
There are two roads that lead off the Princes Highway to the Pigeon House Mountain walking track.
1. At Milton, turn into Croobyar Road
2. Approximately 3kms south of Burrill Lake into the Wheelbarrow Road.
3. Travel another 27kms or so to the car park and picnic area at the start of the track.
The Carpark
Padma climbing the stairs to the top
At the top; from left to right Maggie, Padma, Andrew; in the foreground the two girls from Bodyworks (Alison took the photo)
Alison missed out on the group photo so here's one of her by herself
The walk to the top of Pigeon House Mountain and return takes about 4 hours. This walk can be divided into four stages:
Stage 1: A steep climb of 800m from the car park to the first cliff line and the National Park boundary. The track follows a steep spur through a forest of Black Ash with an open understorey. The rock types of this first section are metamorphosed Ordovician sediments that are about 490 million years old (give or take a year). The first sandstone cliff line is early Permian, which is about 250 million years old.
Stage 2: A flat walk of 1km from the top of the first cliff line to where the sandy track starts to climb again. Many wildflowers can be seen in spring and summer. Common plants are the Wattle and the Hairpin Banksia and many heaths.
Stage 3: A steep climb of 500m takes us to the famous ladders. Initially, the sandstone soils support heath and sedge but as the track climbs, the soil gets deeper and clayier allowing taller, denser vegetation to grow. Towards the top of this stage a wet forest grows where the Pigeon House cliff line provides shelter from the sun. Lyrebirds may be seen or heard here.
The views from the top are magic!
Stage 4: The summit of Pigeon House Mountain is reached by climbing a series of steel ladders attached to the cliff face. This peak is the southern most remnant of a once extensive sandstone plateau stretching north towards the Shoalhaven River.
... and as they say in the commercial, "But wait, there's more!'
