This walk was organised and led by Lily T:

Saturday 8 August – Walk for Uganda – L/E; M(9). Walk from Heritage Park in Forde to Parkway on the corner of the Tuggeranong Parkway and Sulwood Drive in Kambah to raise money for a children's orphanage in Uganda. Around 29km (32km determined after a full recce) and ~150m climb. Maps: Hall and Canberra. Unlimited walkers welcome! Leader: Lily T, but bushwalkers should contact John Evans – jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: TBA. Further details at http://jevans.pcug.org.au.

8 of us met at 4am in Forde, plus our wonderful support vehicle driver.

Nice to sit in the foyer, ring our trusty Jeff and Ante for transport, remove shoes and stretch. Ps John provided us with words of inspiration. Interview with Pastor John at the finish (WAV file, 1 minute - turn your speakers on) Only someone who has devoted his life to the Lord can be this crazy, so no one can take offence!

Well done to those who did the entire walk - Lily T, Andy P, Neralie L and John E. And also well done to Dave B (who also won his AFL match), Greg K (who also earned his daily bread), John C (who also met his family responsibilities), Aileen C (who left to coach her son's hockey team), Stan and Isobel L and Steven (all joining us at Scrivener Dam) who joined us for various parts of the walk and fitted in various other work, sporting and family commitments on the day. Oh, I nearly forgot, that crazy guy, our senior minister, Pastor John M, joined us for the last third of the walk. And the comings and goings, great tucker and other transport needs would not have happened except for Jeff B and Ante P.

Distance: 31.7km Climb: 200m.  Time: 4.05am - 1.05pm (9hrs), with 1.5hrs of stops. That's an average of 4.2km/hr.
Grading: L/E; M(9)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Walk for Uganda

Thank you for those who so generously sponsored the walkers. By faith, 300 mosquito nets - one for each bed in the orphanage - and additional items (to replace those stolen earlier in the year) were purchased. There remains a shortfall of funds; please donate if you haven't already.

Further Information

Lily was part of the Parkway team who went to Uganda in October 2008. She wants to do more and says in the Facebook event Walk for Uganda:

This is a ministry dear to my heart. I visited the orphanage in October 2008. Beds were unprotected from mosquitoes. There was only two nets on two beds. The nets had holes and many children had been suffering from malaria. Recently thieves came and stole food supplies and cooking utensils from the orphanage and food is in short supply.
I plan to walk 29km from Forde to Parkway in Kambah in the ACT, in Canberra the capital of Australia on Saturday, 8 August 2009. I will set out in the early morning, to arrive by nightfall. I have never walked so far, the most I've walked is 20kms, so please if anyone can help me train, then let me know.
I am also seeking volunteers to help me out with water, walking, food along the way and also getting the word out there for sponsors.
I hope to do this in one day, weather, time, and fitness permitting, so I'm asking for your prayers for this event also.
So many Ugandans walk 20kms plus just to buy food and provisions, so why can't we get off our butts and do the same for them on one weekend? Get involved, contact me to sponsor this event and donate some money NOW, as I won't be collecting after the event.

I'll trot along on the walk so if you have ever got anything from this blog, please consider contacting me to sponsor me. If you've ever walked with me on Tuesdays, I'll contact you to twist your arm to sponsor me. And why not join us - a warm up (well, in distance) for the annual CBC Worn Boot Bash on 19 Sep 09.

THIS INFORMATION IS FINAL - Last updated 27 July

Proposed Route - see UBD Directory in Yellow Pages, maps 29, 39, 48, 58, 67 and 77. The Canberra Cycling and Walking Map is also helpful.

1. START - Heritage Park, Francis Forde Boulevard, Forde (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 29 M2). Be there ready to walk by 4am
   
   Walk down Francis Forde Boulevard to the T-intersection with Horse Park Drive. (VERY CAREFULLY) cross Horse Park Drive and turn left onto the bike path for around 150m. Veer right and follow the bike path/walking track along the south side of Yerrabi Pond and through to the Gungahlin Town Park/Yerrabi Pond District Park. (VERY CAREFULLY) cross Mirrabei Drive and follow the concrete path along the north side of Gundaroo Drive. (VERY CAREFULLY) cross Nari St. Continue along the concrete path to the underpass under Gundaroo Drive near the intersection with Gungahlin Drive. Use it to go under Gundaroo Drive. (CAREFULLY) cross Gungahlin Drive at the traffic lights to the Palmerston corner of the intersection and turn left onto the bike path along Gungahlin Drive. Follow the bike path, (CAREFULLY) crossing Kosciuszko Avenue at the traffic lights - 5am, 3km - and, further along, (CAREFULLY) cross Kosciuszko Avenue at the traffic lights again. Continue to follow the bike path across the back of the houses of Palmerston and beside the Gungaderra Grasslands Nature Reserve to opposite Sandford St Mitchell - 6am, 6km.
    
2. EXTRACT POINT A - Sandford St Mitchell, around 100m east of the Sandford St/Gungahlin Drive T-intersection, at the entrances to Gungahlin Cemetery and Norwood Park Crematorium (YBD in the Yellow Pages Map 39 J7)
    
3. (CAREFULLY) cross Gungahlin Drive at the traffic lights to the south corner of the T-intersection. Follow the bike path along the side of the Crace Grasslands Nature Reserve, sweeping around the Gungahlin Drive/Barton Highway interchange, to the underpass under the Barton Highway. Use it to go under the Barton Highway. Veer right to the north side of Ellenborough St. (VERY CAREFULLY) cross Ellenborough St to the south side and pick up the bike path going west. Follow it around 200m to the fence line leading to the northern end of the Lyneham Ridge Eucalypt Plantation - 7am, 9km, 30min breakfast, 7.30am.
    
4. EXTRACT POINT B - Entrance to Kaleen Horse Paddock from Ellenborough St (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 39 D12)
    
5. Veer left up the fence line and cross the fence at the handy horizontal metal piping. Follow management trails south through the Lyneham Ridge Eucalypt Plantation, keeping within earshot of the GDE. (Here, up in the trees, could be the opportunity for a wee break.) At the dam, veer right-ish and follow the management trail to the corner of the plantation above the Ginninderra Drive/GDE interchange. Squeeze through the triangular posts especially there for walkers. (CAREFULLY) cross Ginninderra Drive at the traffic lights. Either hop the fence into the Bruce/O'Connor Ridge Nature Reserve and walk across the grassland corner to the walking track around 100m on, or go south on the right side of the fence between it and below the GDE for around 100m to the walkers entrance point and nearby sign post.
    
6. Follow trails and management tracks south through the O'Connor Ridge Nature Reserve, keeping within ear-shot of the GDE. At the south-western edge of the O'Connor Ridge Nature Reserve, walk through the rocks beside the gate, across the bisecting bike path and into the Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve. Take the management track veering left which parallels the bike path for 300m. At the next track junction we are within sight of the Dryandra St car park.
    
7. EXTRACT POINT C - Car park opposite 160 Dryandra St O'Connor (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 48 Q7)
    
8. Turn right and follow management trails - 8.30am, 12km - across the back of the caravan park and continue along this straight stretch all the way to Belconnen Way. (Alternatively, just before the 132kV power line crosses the track, strike right up through the bush to pick up the ridge line management trail, past one reservoir in the middle of the Nature Reserve and onto the second. From the south corner of the second reservoir, follow a bike track down to the edge of Belconnen Way.) (VERY CAREFULLY) cross Belconnen Way, slanting to the right.
    
9. EXTRACT POINT  D - car park off Belconnen Way going west, about 400m before the Belconnen Way/GDE intersection (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 48 J9)
    
10. From the car park, cross the stile and go right along the Pipeline Trail. Turn right into Orchid Trail and follow it along under the powerlines to the point overlooking the GDE. Turn south and east along a short footpad to pick up the concrete walking track to the intersection with a management track which goes down to the underpass under Caswell Drive. Use it to go under Caswell Drive. Go right for a few tens of metres, then turn left on a management trail which heads SW - 9.30am, 15km - to reach the boundary of the Nature Reserve - there are at least two signs announcing private property over the fence. Continue until reaching the easement provided by the lessee of Glenloch which goes left down to magnificent specimen eucalypts, signage and some rustic benches. Follow the footpad marked with an occasional pole out into the open paddocks and to the Aranda Snow Gums. Head for and cross two styles giving access to the bike path. Turn left and go down to the underpass under William Hovell Drive. Use it to go under William Hovell Drive, then left through the gate into the Cork Oak Plantation. Walk south along the trail through the plantation to the far end. Turn around and come back, appreciating the uniqueness of the area. Retrace the way under William Hovell Drive and right onto the bike path - 10.30am, 18km.
     
11. Continue east along the bike path, crossing under Old Caswell Drive and Caswell Drive. Swing south, following bike path directions to Woden. Cross under the various Parkway roads at Glenloch Interchange three times. (CAREFULLY) cross Lady Denman Drive at the traffic lights. Follow the bike path to the toilets south-west of Acacia Inlet - 10.45am, 19km. 30m further on is a picnic area for 1hr lunch, 11.45am.
     
12. EXTRACT POINT E - Acacia Inlet Road (open Sat, Sun, PH) off Lady Denman Drive, about 100m west of the bike path crossing traffic lights (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 58 F4)
     
13. Follow the bike path across Yarramundi Peninsula - at Barrenjoey Drive there is an optional extra loop of 1.6km down to the edge of Lake Burley Griffin, with nice views across to Government House at Yarralumla - then through the additional cork oak area - 12.30pm, 21km - and down to Scrivener Dam. Cross the dam wall on the north-east (lake) side, then through the underpass to Scrivener Dam car park.
     
14. EXTRACT POINT F - Scrivener Dam car park (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 58 A11)
     
15. Follow the bike path, veering to the right and across the bridge over Yarralumla Creek. Where a horse trail comes up from the Mologlo River ford, turn left into the horse trail easement and follow it. It becomes a "Public Bridle Path" which runs across the back of the riding school to the Yarralumla Horse Paddocks - 1.30pm, 24km. Walk out the public road to the Cotter Road.
     
16.  EXTRACT POINT G - Cotter Road turn into Greenleigh Central Canberra Motel, swimming pool and Riding School (UBD in the Yellow Pages 67 Q2)
     
17. (VERY CAREFULLY) cross the Cotter Road and go directly through a posted walk-through in the fence line. Join the concrete strip bike path which curves up the hill behind the backs of houses in Curtin. Opposite the well-kept concrete block house with a flat roof, veer right up past the south end of the oak plantation to the fence line. At the easement with the sign 'Cyclists Beware Horses' turn right and follow the easement down, through the Illoura Horse Paddocks holding yard, to the car park. Turn left along the access road and follow it (or left along the easement to the Pound then right through the gates and paddock) to the elbowed corner of Heysen St and Devonport St in Lyons.
     

18. EXTRACT POINT H - Elbow at Heysen St/Devonport St Lyons (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 67 Q9)
     

19. From the gate into the Illoura Horse Paddocks, (VERY CAREFULLY) cross Heysen St to the electricity substation and walk uphill for 30m to the horse step-through. Follow the service track along the west boundary fence of the substation, then along the east flank of Oakey Hill - 2.30pm, 27km, 15mins arvo tea, 2.45pm - with the backs of the houses in Lyons on your left. Near the south-east flank of Oakey Hill, continue to follow the service track as it veers right, then down to Hindmarsh Drive. Use the underpass under Hindmarsh Drive. Continue up the concrete bike path, then veer right onto the dirt service track, then cut the corner along the dirt footpad. Gain the elbow in Waldock St Chifley.
     

20. EXTRACT POINT I - Elbow in Waldock St Chifley (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 77 Q3)
     
21. (VERY CAREFULLY) walk the black-top for a couple of hundred metres, then right via the bike path and underpass under the Tuggeranong Parkway. Follow the bike path as it turns left along the west side of the Tuggeranong Parkway and the east side of the back of houses in Fisher - 3.30pm, 30km. Watch for bicycles. Follow the bike path to the corner of the Tuggeranong Parkway and Sulwood St. Turn right and enter the grounds of Parkway - 4.00pm, 32km.
     
22. FINISH - Parkway, cnr Tuggeranong Parkway and Sulwood Drive, Kambah (UBD in the Yellow Pages Map 77 J11)

If you only want to walk part of the route, or find yourself wearying and want to be extracted, you should have a mobile phone with you and a non-walking friend available to come and drop you off/pick you up at one of the designated points below. These are safe areas (other areas such as major roads are not necessarily safe for vehicle or walker). The Walk for Uganda has a support vehicle, but the focus of this resource is on the group as a whole. If you want to join/leave/are forced to leave, you need to have your own plan in place. In addition, timing points are a little rubbery. Have the organiser's (published prior to the walk) or my (published prior to the walk) mobile phone number and ring to find out where we are.

Click on a thumbnail below to see the full sized picture