Mount Somers

For Harvey and Lindsay's next adventure, they traveld to Mount Somers and tramped to the Woolshed Creek Hut. This tramp was full of stunning views (the weather was great!), impressive rock formations (a popular climbing desination), and historic mines (coal). This hut sleeps 26 (we had 7 others there with us). From the hut, we did a small walk to the water caves were we went for a very chilly swim!! We crossed a swinging bridge and saw some waterfalls. There were areas of the beech forest that were covered in a black sooty mold, it looked like there was a fire, yet the trees still had green leaves. It appears due to infestation of scale insects. These insects suck sap and secrete honeydew from their anal tubes (fine hair-like growths on the tree trunk). Sooty mould fungi grow on waste honeydew that has run down tree trunks, forming a dark sponge-like covering. Day 1 stats: 5.3km (3.3mi), 422.1m (1,385 ft), 1:56 total time (1:52 moving) Day 2 stats: 6.9km (4.3mi), 410m (1,345ft), 3:17 total time (2:58 moving)