Blackwood Heritage Walk - 14 Kms

 U3A Hike No. 151



Hike Report by Kerren

Our group of 23 met near the Blackwood Hotel to commence our walk combining part of the Whipstick Loop Walk, via Cann St, with the Lederderg Heritage River Walk. These two walks which met at the Garden of St Erth parking area, encompass parts of the 89km Lederderg Track from Daylesford to Bacchus Marsh. The Lerderderg Track is the south-eastern leg of the Great Dividing Trail Network, which also includes the 210km long Goldfields Track from Mt Buninyong to Bendigo.

A pleasant overcast day, with easy walking mostly on damp, leafy tracks or raised clay water races. Care needed to be taken with some exposed tree roots (and fallen logs!), but sufficient breaks allowed us to take in the magnificent mature tree fern gullies and tall forest timber. The walk took us down to the banks of the Lederderg River, at the point of an old dam wall. 
 
Evidence of old gold diggings near the paths, masses of pink and white heath, and the shaded, damp tree stumps were home to an impressive array of fungi.
 
Completing the River Walk circuit at the Garden of St Erth, we followed the road back to the parked cars, giving us a route of around 14km.  Blackwood is usually a quaint, peaceful community except when the said 23 people walk past the local's canines…Nevertheless, a beautiful part of Victoria and a great day out.

Photos by Mark B
 

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