Hay Fever Delight

Overnight temperatures have not been below +6C and I don’t need to climb to the snow to know that it will be soft, slow and sticky. The weekend weather was generally overcast but there was some real activity on Snowgums chair. The downhill mountain bike season has begun and there have been large numbers of tourists coming to savour the cooler air, glimpses of snow and the flies (yes, they are back with a vengeance).

I began my off-season training with a slow walk up the Merritts nature trail on Saturday morning. I had only just got past Woodridge when I pulled out the fly veil, despite already being coated in a layer of repellent.

The air was humid and the temperature above 10C. I got a good workout – realising I was not as fit as I thought I was. The wild flowers are blooming all over the valley floor and I’m sure that those who suffer from hay fever would certainly know all about it.

Rock Pool

Nature Trail through the wildflowers

The thaw continues

Yellow, white and purple - like the colours of a flag

Cool streams abound

Sniff and sneeze

What the native flora lacks in size it makes up for in numbers

Crackenback still with a little snow

High Noon – lush green

Bobsledding through the blossoms

There have been a few light showers that are maintaining an above average humidity level.