What a fantastic place Arapiles is. A few friends used to make a pilgrimage to Arapiles in the ’80’s and I have always wondered what the hype was about. A stunning rock climbers mecca with a campground underneath with hundreds of folk coming and going all the time.

I have ridden around it and up to the summit, wandered up and down Central and Pharos gullies and walked right along the crest and along to Mitre rock. So many happy people and so many climbs – over 3000 recognised routes of all grades. The skills, energy and warm attitudes of all these climbers has been warmly welcomed.

This little guy wandered right up to me while meandering amongst the climbs.

On my first night camped at The Pines an hour or two after dark I was aware of a possum cackling a little further up the hill then something spooked it and I could hear it running. Next minute the tent shook as it ran into me! I wasn’t aware of the fact that it had ripped one of my guylines out until the morning. Aussie possums are obviously far more aggressive than kiwi ones.