There were 29 participants on the Mount St Bernard weekend, staying in the ski lodge at Mount St Bernard.

Adrian was to have led a walk to the nearby Mount Smythe for the early arrivals on Friday, but this didn’t go ahead as it was raining.

Saturday’s walks all started at the Mount Loch carpark and all three walks headed to Derrick Hut for morning tea.

The easy walk was the 8.5k return walk to the hut, with many wildflowers out under the overcast sky, and lunch was enjoyed along the track overlooking the Mount Hotham village.

The medium walk (10k) continued on to Mount Loch (1,865m) taking photos alongside the stone cairn, and checking out the terrific view, and enjoyed their lunch along the return to the start.

After morning tea, the hard walk participants continued along an old mining track to Spargos Hut, which is located in a grassy clearing, and then descended along Golden Point Spur, through the forest to the bridge over Swindler’s Creek.

This was followed by a steep zig zag climb up to the Cobungra Ditch walking track, where we took a rest and enjoyed our lunch.

Following lunch, we headed along the Cobungra Ditch Track to the Davenport Access Track, and followed it downhill to the Silver Brumby Hut. A well earned rest was enjoyed here, before the three kilometre long ascent to the southern end of the Huts Walk.

A couple of black snakes were encountered along the route, which was of about 15k.

A dinner of lasagne and salad, followed by chocolate brownie and lemon tart, was enjoyed back at the lodge.

Sunday’s weather put an end to the walks program for that day, so the Dinner Plain walks await our next visit to this area.

However, many of the participants enjoyed a coffee, and snack break, in gorgeous Harrietville on the return trip home.

[Jeanette]