What are your favourite Canberra walking trails?

ghutch said :

Gee whizz tuff one. Have alook at some of our walks
http://melbashed.com/?page_id=1924
Yes I like Mt Ainslie it gots heaps of options. If you can find the 2 quarries you know you made it walking around Mt Ainslie. For Mt Majura youve got to find the Majura Stone Wall. Black Mountain you have got to find its quarry. Red Hill youve got to find the Stone Circle

Found the Stone Circle!

[img]http://imgur.com/nhkDzYE[/img]

timesup said :

Through the Botanic Gardens and out the back gate onto Black Mountain is gorgeous, there is a trail that is easy to follow. You’d never know how close to the city you are!

I’m a big fan of Black Mountain too. It’s good on foot or on MTB and, yes, so close to the city.

When on foot I like to take the summit trail and then about 3/4s the way up there’s a loop trail that gives you a 360° view of Canberra.

It takes about 60-70 mins (starting from behind CSIRO, Firth Rd access) to do the climb to the top and the loop as well. Take about 25 mins off if you don’t want to do the loop.

Roksteddy said :

I consider Booroomba Rocks a must-do walk. Bang for your buck. So close to Canberra, not all that difficult and the views on a clear day are spectacular.

Apart from that, walk anywhere in Namadgi and you’ll find somewhere special. The Granite Tors walk (Lunar Laser Rocks) is a particular favourite of mine. I’ve rolled the sleeping bag out up there and woken to an amazing sunrise over Orroral Valley.

If you are heading up to Booroomba Rocks – Can I just issue a caution for the drive up? I was riding up to Apollo Road to Honeysuckle Campground last weekend when I heard a strange sound coming my way, it wasn’t a car, a motorbike or a bunch of other cyclists – I came around a blind corner when a bunch of 5 people were absolutely flying down on street luges, these guys were flat on their back and going pretty damn quick. I stuck to the edge of the road as much as I could in fear of them losing control and taking me out. So please take care when driving up this road, you never know what will be flying down the other way.

1967 said :

Get out there and enjoy those hills.Most other city folk in Australia would kill for something like this.
The tracks and roads on Waniassa hills are my local (and almost daily) outing.
I can be on the summit of Mt Waniassa and back home in an hour and forty, and get that sense of remoteness and spectacular views almost from the time I walk out the door.
Of course, just at the moment, it’s best not to be up on the hills between, say 5pm and 7am, and certainly not dressed in anything that could see you mistaken for a macropod……

But that’s another story.

My favourite also but I haven’t seen the eagles that were nesting on the Northern side for some tim.

I consider Booroomba Rocks a must-do walk. Bang for your buck. So close to Canberra, not all that difficult and the views on a clear day are spectacular.

Apart from that, walk anywhere in Namadgi and you’ll find somewhere special. The Granite Tors walk (Lunar Laser Rocks) is a particular favourite of mine. I’ve rolled the sleeping bag out up there and woken to an amazing sunrise over Orroral Valley.

Through the Botanic Gardens and out the back gate onto Black Mountain is gorgeous, there is a trail that is easy to follow. You’d never know how close to the city you are!

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Molonglo Gorge. Hard but scenic. Try to go when the steam train is running on the other side. I have yet to make it to Blue Tiles but maybe next time. Also get thick ice on the river on frosty mornings.

bikhet said :

I enjoy walking the streets, walking paths, and shared paths of the suburbs around where I live. Sort of like a flâneur. Gives a much better appreciation of the area than passing through in a car, or even on a bicycle. It’s particularly good in spring or autumn when you can appreciate what is going on in the gardens. Or after rain when you can smell the plants.

Not as adventurous as the trails around the hills and mountains, but it has it’s own attractions.

Great post, you made me smile and feel that I should slow down and appreciate stuff more.

I enjoy walking the streets, walking paths, and shared paths of the suburbs around where I live. Sort of like a flâneur. Gives a much better appreciation of the area than passing through in a car, or even on a bicycle. It’s particularly good in spring or autumn when you can appreciate what is going on in the gardens. Or after rain when you can smell the plants.

Not as adventurous as the trails around the hills and mountains, but it has it’s own attractions.

Camel’s Hump at Tidbinbilla. Not an easy walk, but spectacular scenery. There was a riotact story on it last year: http://the-riotact.com/camels-hump-almost-walk-review/122335.