I haven't done a wet weather walk in years, so today I took advantage of the rain and cool temperature and did the walk from Paten Rd in The Gap to Simpson's Fall picnic ground - with some variations.
When Spence and I did this walk a couple of days ago, I noticed a flat on the other (southern) side of the creek-line from the junction at the start (western end) of the Quarry Trail , Kulgun Circuit, and Paten Rd Track. At the time Spence and I speculated on whether it might be an old vehicle track, such as a fire trail. Today, not far along the Paten Rd Track, I crossed the creek-line through heavy undergrowth to find out. Sure enough there was an old vehicle track. It's actually two tracks cut side by side - one higher, one lower - running parallel to the southern bank of the creek-line. The lower track looks like the older of the two as the trees overgrowing that track are higher (at around 10m) than those on the higher track (at around 3m). I followed the tracks west initially and found an easy by well hidden narrow access track from the sign at the junction mentioned above. Following the tracks east they peter out as they drop to cross a minor north-south watercourse with an old rusted iron pipe (see picture below), and then reappear after climbing back out of the watercourse. About 30m past the watercourse there were a couple of flat rocks, one atop the other (see photo below), on the left hand (northern) side of the track. Looking south and uphill from the rocks I could see what I thought was the walking track we usually use which runs from the pond at grid 966624 (where the eastern ends of the Paten Track and Quarry Trail meet) up the hill to meet the Bardon Trail. After following the overgrown tracks about another 170m east to where the turn left and peter out as they meet the creek-line, I went back to the stacked rocks. From the rocks I headed south up the hill to meet the walking track just below the big stump and bench seat at appx grid 962626, not long before the track meets Bardon Trail.
From there I took the usual route through to Simpson's Falls picnic area. Along the way it rained heavily providing the lovely wet weather walk I was hoping for. Simpson's falls were flowing much better than when I was there a couple of days ago - maybe 20 litres per minute compared to 1 litre per minute last time. Some 200m along the track from the upper cascade of Simpson's Falls I noticed an old wooden bridge, which I have never noticed before (see photo below). The bridge had no railings but was still very solid, and was on the path the track used to take.
Here are some photos (all taken with my phone so not great quality):
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