Grampians - Day 3 : Mt Stapylton and Mt Zero - 8 Kms in total

 U3A Hike No. 169

Hike Report by Joan

Day Three saw us travel to the Northern end of the Grampians to discover the surprises that awaited us in our hikes to Mt Stapylton and Mt Zero.  This area marks the start of the Grampians Peak Trail.  We had a good start to the day with blue skies above, the warmth of the sun on our backs  and a bit of a    breeze to cool our faces.  After alerting us the to any of the safety issues to be aware of on the hike such as snakes, slippery rocks and dangerous cliff edges, Gordon let out a “Tally Ho” and off we went to discover what treasures there were to be found. 

The first part of our hike was along an area known as Flat Rock though we felt Steep Flat Rock would have been more appropriate.  Again, as in our previous two days, it was perfect timing to see the array of wildflowers growing here to the joy of many of the hikers. We were relieved to shift to a more level sandy track that seemed to serve as a bit of an oasis before we soldiered on to another steep flat rock section of the track.  Here Gordon gave us a bit of the history of rock climbing in this area as well of some his own climbing experiences.  An interesting natural sculpture which looks like a chicken/bird caught our eyes and even more so when we saw Gordon displaying his rock-climbing skills getting onto the saddle and riding the chicken.  As we turned around to glance back, we were met with an amazing view which justified this area being known as the Amphitheatre.

Having reached the top of this flat rock section, we again welcomed a treed and boulder oasis area where we enjoyed a cuppa, the landscape and the wildflowers.  We resumed our journey and wandered up and down stone steps until we came to a bit of a shaded gully from where one would normally begin their ascent of Mt Stapylton.  A testing climb over a sloping rock face lead to an interesting cave and then onto our final destination. Though we did not go to the Summit of Mt Stapylton, the grand views we did experience all around did not disappoint us.

We returned via the same track and appreciated the vastness of the area  and interesting rock formations and rock faces in this area of the Grampians.

We finally reached the Mt. Zero picnic area where we enjoyed a well-earned lunch break and a chance to recharge our batteries before we embarked on our second hike of the day up to Mt. Zero.

Our hike to Mt Zero began on a sandy flat track from the Mt. Zero carpark and continued until we started our ascent to the top.  From here the track became rocky with the group having to navigate stone steps, uneven surfaces and even meander around and between stone walls. We took time to enjoy the surrounding landscape as well as appreciate more of the wildflowers along the track.  Before we knew it we were on top of Mt Zero and were bowled over by the 360 degree view of the area including where we had been that morning.  It was such a beaut place to just sit and share this moment in time with others who felt the same. 

Our return was on the same track though this time a bit more eventful with the sighting of a snake.  Luckily, we had listened to the snake warning message from a previous day and had our gaiters on and plan of action in place with the result of a happy ending for us and the snake.

The Northern Grampians put on a fantastic show for us with its varied rich coloured rock faces, rock formations, boulders, wildflowers, challenging climbs and spectacular views.  The highlight was that we weren’t alone…..we shared these moments with others and because of that I believe this part of the Grampians will be calling us back again soon!

Photos by Andrew, Geoff and Joan

























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