It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
How much do I not love thee? Let me count the ways...
To climb, or not to climb? That is the question.
Mt Lofty Summit is one of Adelaide's best and worst features. Sitting only a 20 minute drive from Adelaide, a disproportionate number of locals decide to bypass the easy drive and instead make the "I swear I'm gonna die" trek from Waterfall Gully up to the summit and back again.
I'm not even going to comment on the showoffs who run the damn thing, or the ladies who lunch who stroll with coffees up to the top without breaking a sweat or the people who start at the top and go downhill first (that's just torture). Instead this review is for the commoners, yes you, the ones who get motivated every 6 months to get fit and so take a punt at climbing Mt Lofty.
Here are my tips for surviving the best workout of your life:
- Bring a bottle of water and expect to fill up in the toilets the summit (there is no drink fountains along this trail you newb).
- Go an hour before dusk or during a weekday. Avoid mornings and anytime on the weekends as that's lycra peak hour.
- Pace yourself and prepare for hell at the top. Once you've gone past fern gully and the flat area you will be uphill on a 20-30% incline all the way to the top.
- Use an excuse of "taking in the scenery" to let the power walkers/runners pass. It is actually a beautiful little bush sanctuary up there.
- If you are of reasonable fitness it will take you 1.5 to 2 hours to complete
Even better is to wuss out completely, visit the first and second fall from Waterfall Gully and enjoy an afternoon tea at Utopia laughing at the beetroots returning from their hard slog. read more