1) Walk map - Shows route and waypoint locations

2) Photo from walk  (also see Photo Galleries)

3) 3D map view

4) Satellite imagery

5) Route profile

6) Walk description

7) Waypoint listing and grid references

[Click on map for full page version]

 View through open forest (jarrah and balgas)

 at edge of a granite outcrop, March 2004.

[Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

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of the walk area. -Use zoom bar

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        Route profile

40 kms SE of Armadale,  down Albany Hwy to Solus Road on right,  then approx. 2.6 kms along Solus Road (good condition gravel road) to Thorpe Road on left.

14 kms (92% off-track).

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

Caution: Solus Rd is partly mis-labelled as "Thorpe Rd" on Google Map.  (Use zoom ladder for detail. Select 'Hybrid' to add satellite imagery.)

Park just before gate on old Thorpe Road, near the corner with Solus Road.    

Important access issue (2008):   Walkers need to be aware that this walk area and many others on WalkGPS lie within drinking water catchment areas.  In 2007 DoW in effect recommended a prohibition of all traditional off-track bushwalking activities across the entire Perth region catchment areas covering 4500 sq km, far beyond the limits of  existing or proposed Reservoir Protection Zones (see map). By March 2008, in the face of growing community outrage, the DoW has reconsidered its published position, advising that it would now be allowing walkers ‘free-to-roam’ access to the forested water catchment areas outside of the RPZs. The community, including visitors to WalkGPS, need to remain vigilant to ensure that commonsense continues to prevail over regulatory zealotry.  See also Home page: 'Access' and Related access issues on WalkGPS, and link below to "Serpentine Dam Catchment Area...Drinking Water Source Protection Plan".

In east, head east to Albany Highway via Old Bibbulmun Track and other old forestry tracks.  In west, head to Thorpe Road and then north back to Start point near Solus Road.

/Highlights:

This walk is located in the Monadnocks National Park and provides a relatively  easy alternative to the longer and more challenging Windsor Rocks South Walk which overlaps with the southern part of this route.  The route explores the 5 km length of the northern monadnock/s in the Windsor Rocks area, visiting about 8 separated granite outcrops in the area.    The walk features excellent views from several of the outcrops to Mount Solus (about 6-7 kms SW), to Mount Cooke (about 4.5 kms NE) and to the main Windsor Rocks monadnock (which the Windsor Rocks South Walk route traverses) about 2 kms east of this walk route. In winter to spring the outcrops in this area are especially picturesque with broad coverings of mosses and lichens and small rock pools and rivulets of water on the granite.  The forest between the outcrops is mainly open jarrah with some other interesting mallee-type eucalypts amongst the heathlands bordering the outcrops, and at one location a couple of isolated Quandong (sandalwood) trees.  

Expect some short sections of scratchy heath and scrub around the outcrops. There are a few short outcrop slopes to climb but there is not much uphill walking in this walk. 

Update :  CALM carried out controlled burns in parts of this area in 2005.   

Jarrahdale old 1:50,000 Sheet (Dept. of CALM, 1990);

or Jarrahdale & Yaganing 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004, Sheet 2133-3 & 2133-2.

"Serpentine Dam Catchment Area and Serpentine Pipehead Dam Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan" (Report # 78, Water Resource Protection Series) by Department of Water (DoW), July 2007. - See pdf version (2.3MB). Pages 42-43 are of particular relevance. 

Note: DoW's recommended protection strategy in Report # 78 intended to prohibit recreational off-track bushwalking opportunities within this entire 690 sq km catchment area, far beyond the proposed ~120 sq km Reservoir Protection Zone, and including this walk area. 

Head approx. ESE from the Start point across gentle terrain through open forest with a fair amount of remnants of  timber from logging (in what was once State forest but is now National Park). After about 250m cross an old overgrown forestry track and continue up a very gentle slope to reach the lower edge of a west-sloping outcrop at waypt '3'. Climb the outcrop, gaining  views back to the west to Mount Solus about 7 kms SW.  Continue approx. eastward up the outcrop, passing through patches of heath before re-entering forest. Soon descend for a short distance to reach (at '4') another outcrop which rises gently to the SE. Head up the slope of the outcrop to '5' and then find a way through patchy heath along and downslope (approx. southward) to '6'.  Continue along slope through heath and shrubland to soon to reach a SW-sloping outcrop with more good views to Mount Solus. Cross the granite slope and re-enter forest (at '7'). Walk SE through the open forest for about 400m to reach a small flat outcrop surrounded by heath. Veer southward along the patchy outcrop and through heathland (via '9' and '10')  and re-enter forest at the southern end of the outcrop to reach a hill top (at about '11'). Veer SW to cross the hill top and then continue SW down the hillside through forest to cross an old forestry road at '12'. Veer southward to soon reach (at 'VASTRK') the northern edge of a long (approx. 500m), fairly flat outcrop. Walk SE along the outcrop (passing small rock pools and water courses) to '14'. Then veer approx. south, initially through heath, and gently uphill, to very soon re-enter forest and reach '15'. Veer SE through forest (which previously including sections of fairly thick parrot bush, now opened up after the 2005 controlled burn) up  a slight  slope  to cross the crest  of the ridge at about '16'.  (Alternatively, you can bypass '15' and go direct from '14' to '16', partly across an area of previously dense heathland which is temporarily more open following the 2005 controlled burn.) From '16'  soon descend gently through forest and heath to reach an eastward-sloping outcrop (at 'GOODVU'). This outcrop is about 1.5-2 kms short of the halfway point on the walk, but a good spot for a break, unless you are needing some shade. There are excellent views to Mount Cooke, 4.5 kms NE, and across the valley to the main Windsor Rocks monadnock, 2 kms east of this walk route. Then head SW, upslope from the outcrop, to cross the ridge and soon descend to reach a small outcrop (at 'ROC').  Veer SE along the outcrop for about 250m to  re-enter forest (at '17'). Continue SE close to the crest of a stony laterite ridge, through open forest, to '18'. Then veer approx. SSW to head down the hill side for over 500m to reach (at 'WNDO') the valley floor and the overgrown 'Old Bibbulmun Track' (which is here an old forestry track), close to an area of scattered wandoo trees. Follow the overgrown track SW to where it branches left after about 250m to cross a stream over an old timber bridge (at 'BDGE') which is largely concealed behind shrubs partly blocking the north end.  Cross the bridge, taking special care not to step onto partly rotten timbers (or alternatively you may prefer to cross the stream itself just east of the bridge). Then continue to follow the old track to meet after less than 200m a junction (at 'JCN') with Patens Road (a dirt road).  Follow Patens Road westward (via '19-A') for about 700m to reach an old timber loading platform on the left hand side of the road (near '19-B'). Turn right (approx. north) to leave the road and find a suitable point to re-cross the nearby stream (previously crossed at the bridge). Then head a short distance upslope through forest to reach a small outcrop (at 'RK2'). Cross the outcrop and pick a NE-ward route upslope around boulders and through fairly thick low shrubs to soon re-enter forest. Continue to '19-C' and then veer due north  to reach a larger outcrop (at '20') surrounded by heath and shrubland. Walk north along the outcrop, then near the upper slope (at '21') veer NW through a short section of heath, cross another smaller outcrop, and walk along the slope through a short section of forest to reach the start of a large west-sloping outcrop at '22'.  Walk down and along the outcrop via '23' to reach '23-A'. Pass northward through mainly heath and scrub to cross a small stream course  and reach '23-B' on the west-sloping outcrop. Take in the good views over the forest to the west and of Mount Solus, 6 kms WSW.  Climb quite steeply eastward up the outcrop to '23' and then veer northward to pass through patches of low scrub and heath, and continuation of the outcrop, to soon re-enter forest. Continue northward across a gentle ridge and then descend to cross an old overgrown forestry track at '24-A'.  Soon after cross a small creek gully (at '25'), then continue approx. northward through open forest for almost 1 km, crossing another narrow but deeply incised gully after 600m, before reaching an old overgrown forestry track at '25-A'. Veer left to follow the track  NW to soon reach a T-junction with an old N-S track (at '26').  (Alternatively, if you've had enough off-track walking by the time you reach '24-A', you can veer left from that point to follow the old overgrown track via '55' and '56' to reach '26'. -But this alternative is less interesting and the track is fairly overgrown with low scratchy heath.) From '26' follow the N-S track for about 100m (to '27') when it then branches to the left. Follow the left branch which crosses a N-S stream gully and then meets Thorpe  Road (at '28').  Follow Thorpe Road northward (via '29') for 1km to get back to the Start point.