BLACK HILL : ORCHARD, KESTREL TRACKS

 Loop Time : 1 hour, 30 minutes,  Distance : 3 kms
ORCHARD – KESTREL


This walk covers a rather short loop in the south-east corner of the Park.  It is very pleasant.  On the map below I have marked two starting points ...

Below is a view of the right (eastern) entry with a formal Park sign, creek crossing, and nowhere to park!

From here the Orchard Nature Trail veers off to the left and follows along above the road.

The left starting point (which is where I actually started) has plenty of parking, no signs, and possible wet feet crossing the creek (but not today).  Everything is beautifully green.

I don't know where the Orchard Trail gets its name: there are no signs of orchards here.  It is nice to have a walking trail rather than a fire track.  The track follows steadily up a pretty valley, cool and damp in the early morning.

The last of the banksias (May) ...

The track does a zig-zag before becoming the Orchard Track – a steep and rather degraded fire track of little merit. I was interested though to see this rock escarpment across the valley I had just ascended – not at all characteristic of the Black Hill Park, but a reminder of the Morialta Park south of Montacute Road.

After a climb we come to a sign-posted T- junction with one branch leading to Black Hill Summit, and the other signed Eagle Lodge Track - a little misleading as it turned out.  This view looks back down the Orchard Track. I take the trail to my right (left in the picture view).

There is evidence of past fires along here.  The eucalypts burn with great heat.  Many die, but others spring back into life again in an amazing way.

Soon after this I came to a faint track off to the right past a power pylon.  I followed it down, but it is steep and uninteresting.  Much better to follow straight ahead down a steep slope, veering right into Kestrel Track (unsigned).  In fact a sharply turning back track on the left leads to the expected Eagle (Lodge) Track.  Kestrel Track is a delight with views through the light tree cover to orchard properties along the upper Montacute Road.

The track itself is gentle and picturesque.  Who couldn't love exploring these Hills!

Autumn comes to Black Hill!  Very pretty, although not really comparable to Stirling or the Blue Mountains!

So back down to the eastern track entry, and I followed the Nature Trail to the car park.  
ORCHARD – KESTREL