Wednesday 29th September 2021
Well , it has rained throughout the night and we are not sure whether we should do the hike up Walsh’s Pyramid summit as the track notes from hikers indicate it can be tricky, slippery and difficult in the wet. Our plan was to head off early around 7ish but we have decided to wait a bit to see if the fog lifts, the clouds dissipate and the ground dries out a bit. We teetered betwenn yes and no a dozen times and in the end at about 9am we decided to go and have a look.

On arrival at the Wooroonooran National Park we had a chat with some ranges there doing some maintenance who indicated it should be fine and that the cloud may burn off throughout the morning. So I made a quick couple of sandwiches, we packed our bags and off we went. Starting at about 9.45am.

Onward and upward, the hike was a consistent uphill climb for 3.5km. Up 900m in elevation, with rock scrambles, hand and foot crawls and lots of rocky steps. Up up, up and up some more. I had a couple of birthday calls as well as many chats with other hikers on their way back down and an extended chat with a hiker and his 10 year old son at the 1/2 way mark. After a tough climb for almost 3 hours we made it to the top, unfortunately the view was impeded by the low clouds and mist rolling in and out. We were grateful for the lower temperature, only about 29° and the cloud cover as we were both wet through by the time we reached the top

We enjoyed a gourmet birthday lunch of peanut butter and vegemite wraps, a couple of cookies and some hydralite. After lunch we spent some time out on the rocky cliffs and then started the descent. This was trickier on the way down, a continuous down, down, down for the next 1 hour 40 minutes. We made it to the bottom at about 3.15pm. So it took us the specified time 5.5 hours including stops and time at the top. I can now eat all I want for dinner tonight. I think I earned it.

We decided to head back to Cairns to stay in a hotel tonight, then head to dinner at the Marina. We enjoyed a beautiful Italian meal at an authentic Italiaan Restaurant called Vitalia. I have had a very lovely birthday.

Walsh’s Pyramid. Situated at the northern end of Wooroonooran National Park, within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Walsh’s Pyramid is a granite core left standing in the form of a pointed hill when older, less resistant metamorphic rocks were eroded away. Eucalypt woodlands cover the lower slopes while towards the summit, as soil becomes shallower, trees are more stunted and shrubs dominate along with grasses and rock ferns.