Beginners overnighter in Budawangs/Southern Highlands.

[Promethean]

Hi all,

Looking for recommendations for an easy overnighter to take out a beginner. Would prefer the Budawangs, but could also be southern highlands. I was considering Wog Wog to Burrumbeet, but it may be a little far for someone who hasnt carried a pack before. Suggestions can be remote, as Im confident with navigating.

Cheers
Joel

[sandym]

You are confident navigating but is your "victim" confident bush-bashing through the 'wangs with an overnight pack? Maybe not if you are concerned Wog Wog to Burrumbeet is too far.

Other Budawang options are the ever popular Cooyoo Creek but for something less crowded you could go in via Nerriga either the Red Ground Track or Alum Fire Trail. There are nice camps along the Endrick River. You could hike up Fosters or Round Mountain - lots of camping caves too. Or Quilties Clearing and side trip up Quilties Mountain. Or from Sassafras to Camp Rock area. Another suggestion is Ettrema Tops, go along Jones Creek trail and camp out on the escarpment edge near one of the many creeks.

[Huntsman247]

You are confident navigating but is your "victim" confident bush-bashing through the 'wangs with an overnight pack? Maybe not if you are concerned Wog Wog to Burrumbeet is too far.

Hahahaha too accurate.

Wog Wog to Burrumbeet was pretty good end of Jan. Not that overgrown till after the camp caves. I ran through in shorts and trail runners and didn't notice anything too scratchy till after. It's just a longer walk. But the trail is easy to follow. May just take you the whole day and the newbie might be pretty sore.

I would recommend Little Forest Plateau. Maybe going past mt Bushwalker and camping in one of the caves or around the cliffline. Short, no elevation.

Otherwise ettrema tops is a good suggestion.

[FionaShedden]

I've taken beginners on both the Wog-Wog to Burumbeet track and the Long Gully to Cooyoyo Creek tracks. Although the Cooyoyo (Castle) track is shorter my beginners found it more difficult due to the uphill nature. Wog Wog is just such an amazing walk - my kids complained about the distance but we just took it slow starting at 8.30am and getting in to the caves about 4pm given plenty of rest stops over the ~13km's.

The Red grounds track in from Nerriga to Endrick is definately an option too, and would be slightly shorter than wog-wog to Burumbeet but given all fire trail it isn't as nice a walk.

Little Forest is really nice and then continue on to Gadara Point to camp ( although not sure your "supposed" to do that any more).

I recently took out a very unfit first timer and just walked out to Rusden Head on the Plateau and camped on the cliff tops there. A very easy little walk, but water availability was an issue.

Another great beginner o/night is in Kangaroo Valley to walk in to Griffins Farm. Bungonia to Shoalhaven River via White Track is nice but again a steep walk out the second day.

[Promethean]

Thanks all for your replies. I think the preference would be Sassafras to Camp Rock (and on to Red Johnnys Cave and The Vines), with either Nerriga to the Endrick River via Red Grounds or Little Forest out to Mt Bushwalker as backups.