Canberra trip-day 5 (Polkobin to Jenolan)

Hi all

We've been "off the air" for a couple of days - Jenolan has NO wifi, NO tv, NO phone reception - so it's been an interesting time - but actually enjoyable. So a few days to "make up" which we'll do slowly - can't get wifi working at our Canberra apartment so will have to work in at Geoff's when possible (like tonight at 11.00pm!)

Plan was to get from Pokolbin to Jenolan by mid afternoon and do some walks but............

Got to Tyrrells winery by 10.00 and really enjoyed it - beautiful wine and very friendly  people. Had to go there as Bishop Tyrrell from Newcastle bought the land for his family and his sons and nephews started the winery. It was Bp Tyrrell who approved the purchase of the six blocks of land that St Paul's stands on -Bought  some bottles of their wine to celebrate.

left there to head to Jenolan but had a minor navigation error and travelled south on the Wollombi Road rather than the intended Putty Road - should not have mattered much but that took us on to the Peaks Ridge Road and after  being on that for quite a long way we came across a terrible accident. When the police arrived they soon came back  to tell us that the road would be blocked for probably the whole afternoon and so we should all "just go back" - advised us that to get to Jenolan we would have to re-trace for aout an hour to the Wisemans ferry turn-off, get to the ferry and then ask directions from there. did that and actually had a beautiful drive along the Hawkesbury River, then to Windsor and Richmond and from there to Jenolan - which we eventually reached at about 6!

Caves House is where we spent part of our honeymoon 40 years ago and would you believe, they gave us the same room! Very nostalgic. I think we're in better condition than Caves House actually - getting a bit in need of TLC but dinner that night was just beautiful and the dining room is still magnificent.

More on day  6 tomorrow and I will try and catch up - been busy but really enjoyable few days (apart from the aweful accident that is)

cheers  all

trivia: Bishop Tyrrell died of a strangulated hernia on which they were attempting to operate without anaesthetic! doesn't bear thinking about.