Nature Club - Hike Guide, Hole in the Wall to Millers Falls, Kangaroo Valley.

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18 Apr

This hike was not for the faint hearted. Honestly, I spent most of the six hours fearful, acutely aware that one misstep could lead to disaster. I typically like to hike solo to reset, connect with myself, and to slip into a steady, moving meditation. But this hike wasn't that. My nervous system was in overdrive as I tried to navigate an array of challenges.

Dense fog and mist cloaked Kangaroo Valley in an eerie, magical haze from the start, obscuring landmarks and hindering my ability to get my bearings. On the descent, nothing looked familiar, leaving me questioning whether I was retracing my steps or veering wildly off course down the steep rock face. The trail began with a narrow ridge covered in loose leaves or overgrown foliage—both treacherous in their own way. A single slip on the leaves could have sent me tumbling, while wading through the overgrowth meant contending with leeches, which I had to pick off barehanded, gross. After the ridge, I faced vertical rocky boulders that barely resembled a trail. Stubbornness pushed me forward, though I’m not entirely sure why.

Once up the top of the mountain at 2,130 ft, there was no clear trail to follow, only the occasional faded ribbon tied to a tree, barely visible and easy to miss. I often veered off course, doubling back to find a path that wasn’t even certain, the more I did this, the less I trusted my decision making. All the while it was a bush bashing mission, which really fatigued me. With a stick as my companion, I was literally thrashing it through spiders webs and overgrowth, my hip flexors getting a serious work out.

There were the physical challenges, but it was also my mind, too, that betrayed me at times, spiralling into vivid worst-case scenarios that felt all too plausible on this unforgiving route. While that instinct might have served me well in humanity’s hunter-gatherer days (anticipating dangers to survive), what I was probably doing was ‘catastrophizing’, as psychologists now call it. It might have been a survival tool in ancient times, scanning for every possible threat, but here, it clouded my judgment more than it helped and zapped my energy.

There were positives of course, and I did enjoy some spectacular views once at the top which were surreal above the cloud line, and I also made it to the ‘destination’ which was the beautiful waterfall. I longed to submerge in the icy water to soothe my aching feet, muscles and blistered heels, and ultimately that was the lure that kept me going. But it’s true I could have surrendered and cut the walk short, embracing the first set of views after rock climbing section.

Recently, I read Gina Chick’s book We Are the Stars, where she talks about the benefits of sitting with discomfort and explains that a healthy amount of fear is good for us. I tried to lean into that wisdom, but by the end, my body ached from the grueling terrain, and I couldn’t ignore the real danger. My legs, trembling like jelly, tripped often, and I knew a single fall could have sent me tumbling into a valley hundreds of meters below. Where is the line between pushing ourselves and pulling back? I often thought about the death of the beloved Dr. Michael Mosley who died hiking on a Greek Island, so close to a neighbouring town.

I love solo hiking because it always teaches me something about myself. This time, the lesson was humbling: I’d overestimated my capacity that day. What I needed was a moderate hike to recharge, not a grueling challenge. And next time if I’m drawn to a tough trail, I’ll bring a companion. It also highlighted the frequent negative self-talk that exists in my brain when there are no modern life distractions, it’s like looking in a squeaky clean mirror, one in which you can’t hide behind any grimey white residues. You hear it all and have to deal with the thoughts one way or another. I find understanding how my brain works is always beneficial.

When I finally made it back to the car and then home, relief washed over me. I was pretty much uninjured, and more than that, I was back. Ultimately the intensity of those emotions—fear, doubt, and then gratitude—left me stronger, with a sharper trust in my intuition, which even with doubts had in fact guided me through the trail. I did it. I did something incredibly hard, and that’s a small victory I’ll carry forward, a reminder to trust myself to actively override the default of doubting myself, even when the path is unclear.

Hike Details

Hike Name - Hole in the Wall to Millers Creek Falls
Trail Orientation - Out and Back
Where - Morton National Park, Kangaroo Valley, NSW, Australia
Length - 8km (approx.)
Difficulty - Extremely hard. AllTrails doesn’t have a category for ‘Really Hard’ just ‘Hard’ but I think it needs this inclusion. After researching the hike, it still surprised me how difficult and dangerous it was.
When - Mid April, started at 8:45am which was a good time.
Temp / Climate - It was cool on arrival and I was wearing a long sleeve thermal and jumper. I didn’t need the jumper after the first hour, as I was burning some serious calories making the ascent..
Gear - Definitely needed long pants, tough, durable hiking pants would be ideal, not the activewear leggings I had on which were getting small rips from the poison ivy. I would advise Gaiters, which I don’t own, but after this walk I shall be purchasing! Glad to be wearing a woolen thermal long sleeve top, as it dried quickly from all the sweat. I will also add to my first aid kit an emergency blanket, and purchase a live tracking app, so someone could find me if I was unresponsive.
Crowds - Did not see one person. Which made it feel more dangerous.

Wins;

Making there and back!
Packing everything I needed and the right amount (including the bandaids, I eat all my food and finished my water).
Drinking 1-2 liters of water at home before going. Meaning I was already hydrated and didn’t need to carry as much water on the trail weighing me down (a Sarah Wilson trick I’ve adopted and think it works wonders). I had another bottle waiting in the car for me when I was done.