Waterfall Track – Belmont Regional Park

After my first week on The Plan™ I was feeling quietly confident and still optimistic about this entire endeavour.   I had already incorporated into The Plan™ to do a Mini-Hike on this first Saturday, and I wanted to keep it short.  So a bit of research into the local surrounds kicked up a couple of good looking walks at the near-by Dry Creek entrance to Belmont Regional Park.  Only about 7 minutes drive from home.

I figured that The Waterfall Track sounded like an ideal first up walk for me.  It was easy grade, about 35 min one way, ended in a waterfall.

It proved to be way more challenging than I was expecting.  The grade was easy, which was disconcerting because I still found it tough at times.  What was difficult was that it was basically walking up a stream bed – and it wasn’t dry.  The path crossed the stream regularly, really the best definition was “criss-crossed” and that wasn’t a problem.  What was a challenge for me was that the steps up and down were quite high.  Now I can step up just fine, stepping down is another issue.

Looking down the track from the Waterfall. It is really just a stream.

I have damaged my knees on a number of occasions through my life.  Starting when I was 16 when I completely twisted one knee 90º and then spent a week in hospital followed by 3 months in a full leg cast.  Since then I have dislocated my knee cap twice and am now very careful of twisting my knees.  My nightmare is that I will wrench my knee while out on one of these walks.  Even one as close to civilization as The Waterfall Track.

So any time I am presented with a uneven surface or even small drop I have to negotiate, it takes me time, and also hurts.

Interesting fact:  When walking a stress 3-6 times your body weight is exerted on your knees with each step, when walking down hill the forces on the knee are 3 to 4 times greater than level walking.  So for a man my weight, I have up to 4488 kg of compressive force on my knees when walking down hill!  No wonder they hurt!

Added to this stress was that I was walking over a lot of wet slippery stones.  Slipping makes Jordan sad.  I actually had one big slip on this walk on a boulder.  Luckily it was a slow slip, so could control it, to the dulcet tones of “oh f..k, f..k, f..k, f..k, f………….k!”

I did have my handy dandy hiking pole with me which was a big help.  Don’t leave home without it (honestly I don’t, I keep it in the boot of my car).

After about 40 minutes walking I was beginning to despair, not knowing how much further I had to go, and worrying that I would do to much to soon, and that I would get myself into a position I would struggle to get out of (even though the park’s website said that this walk was suitable for children, bugger it).  And was contemplating turning back and trying about another day, I spied the the waterfall ahead around a bend.

The Waterfall at the end of the Waterfall Track in Belmont Regional Park (Dry Creek entrance)

At this point I abandoned the track which wanted me to climb up and then down a particularly dodgy section of track (in my estimation) and just walked along the stream bed.  The waterfall itself was actually quite beautiful.  And all the more so for the effort I had to put in to get there.  All up it took me 45 minutes to get there.

On the walk out I was very circumspect with my foot placement and path I took.  I mostly abandoned the path and it’s ups and downs, and walked along the stream.  This seemed to work better for me, but was slow going.  By the time got out my legs were trembling.  My right forearm was very sore as a result of jarring it when I slipped, and the weight it was bearing onto the hiking pole.  But I made it, with little injury and a sense of accomplishment.

It was a little disheartening that what was essentially a simple walk caused me such hassles, but I have to bear in mind that it was only after one week of conditioning, and I didn’t expect to do well.

If I keep up doing those sorts of walks, my knee and leg strength will improve.  My balance and coordination will improve, and my risk of injury at Milford will decrease.

And I wasn’t too sore the next day.