This is the fifth consecutive year that the Lower Maitland Stewardship Group has hosted the Cherrydale checkpoint for the annual Maitland Trail Association El Camino hike.
The weather was sunny and hot but great, with absolutely no bugs at our location. Dan Burns loaned us his Kubota side-by-side which Tom used to deliver people and supplies to the site. We logged 150 hikers through the day and, being only 2 km from the finish, every one of them was delighted to find a place to rest with slices of watermelon, desert sweets and cold water waiting for them. Almost as exciting was the chance to use a spotless outhouse close by. We went through 9 watermelons, piles of cookies baked by the ladies of the LMSG (thanks out to Beth, Rachel, Laurie and Paula) and countless water bottle fill-ups. All the hikers were nuts over the watermelon and snacks but a real show stopper was Paula’s Frozen Grapes on a Stick!
Thanks Tom, Cara, Paula and Wayne for helping the hikers and giving them something more to remember about their trip.
The 7 lady hikers posing for me in the group shot are hoping we post the picture on our website so “they can make a copy and have it forever!”.
Photos and article submitted by Barrie Elliott, landowner along the Maitland River