Women's ACT Free Meet Up Hike Shepherds Lookout Loop

This free Women Want Adventure meet up is here to help you spend more time outdoors with like-minded women. It s often hard to find time to connect with friends or find someone to go with for a walk.

That's where we come in!

This Meet Up is a new one for our ACT Community, and a little more challenging.

This moderate hike begins with a short stroll to Shepherds Lookout, with views over the Murrumbidgee and Molonglo Rivers a great photo stop! From here there is a steep descent via a dirt track and some stairs as the track makes its way down to a gorgeous narrow timber river crossing more photos here! After crossing the river, the track leads to Uriarra East Recreation Area, where the group will stop for a break by the Murrumbidgee River.

There are bathrooms here at the halfway point, however the water available is not drinking water, so please ensure you bring enough fluid with you (2L) as you won t be able to fill up here. The trail continues alongside the river before looping back around to the river crossing point. The final ascent is steep as the path makes its way back to the lookout area.

You can expect lots greenery, wildflowers and mountain/river views. This is a challenging walk and you ll leave with a huge sense of achievement after conquering hills and scrabbling over rocks for a few hours!

This walk is almost entirely exposed, so be sure to bring a hat, windbreaker and extra water.

DETAILS:

• Start time: 9.00am
• Finish time: Between 12.30-1pm
• Grade: Moderate with steep sections (bring walking poles)
• Meeting location: Stockdill Drive, Holt, ACT. Several kilometres from the beginning on Stockdill Drive you will see a small gravel car park by the side of the road, and usually there will be several cars already there
• Numbers: 15 women only, please make sure your register due to Covid
• Distance: 9.5km
• Style of trip: Free meet up
• Trail type: Mostly dirt, well-formed walking trail
• Age: Over 18 years only

WHAT TO BRING:

• Day pack (large enough to carry 2L water, rain jacket, personal belongings)
• Rain jacket
• Hat & sunscreen
• 2L water
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Sunglasses
• Camera or phone for photos
• Sunglasses
• Personal medication
• Snack/bite to eat at the top of the hill

HOW TO GET TO THE MEETING LOCATION:

Street address: Stockdill Drive, Holt, ACT

Parking: There is a small gravel parking area available and cars can also be parked on Stockdill Drive. Parking is limited so carpooling is a good idea, where possible.

Meeting point: We will meet by the large rocks at the start of the track, just in front of the small car park area. You will see a colourful sign that says Welcome to Ngunnawal Country and has some information about Shepherds Lookout below, aswell.

Dropped pin (Google Maps): Near Shepherds Lookout Walk, Australian Capital Territory 2615

This meet up is hosted by our friendly volunteer in ACT. As much as we love greeting you with hugs - please keep 1.5m apart for your and the groups safety due to Covid-19.

We look forward to welcoming you on this hike soon. Please email us at womenwantadventure@outlook.com if you have any questions.

Kind Regards,

Team WWA

FAQ'S

So, what exactly is Women Want Adventure? Do I have to be a young, super fit, experienced adventurer to attend?

Nope, you certainly do not. You can be a beginner to advanced (or anywhere in-between). Women Want Adventure is all about women coming together to try something new, make friendships, experience challenges, surprises and enjoyment of adventure. Our youngest member is mid 20 s, our oldest is 71, and 75% of women turn up individually. To find out more about what we do, click here.

Do you have local women s trips in every state?

We re always adventuring across Australia (we love to explore), but our HQ is based in Sydney and most trips are in NSW (for the moment). By HQ we mean Monique s home office. She likes indoor plants and gear lists. Believe it or not, we re a small outdoor company. Most of our guides work other jobs. Our team live between NSW, ACT and VIC, where we operate local day and weekend trips. We re big on making sure trips are safe, welcoming, small group numbered and inclusive so we re just going slow.

I m nervous to attend, is this normal?

Nerves are normal. Even the most experienced adventurers still get nervous. Part of going on an adventure is seeking the unknown . Our guides will support you along the way and the best part? Other women in the group are just like you. Not many women know each other and after the first few minutes of introductions you will feel like you ve hiked or kayaked with us plenty of times before.

Are there bathrooms at the meeting location? Yes. No bathrooms along the trail though.

Are there steps or steep hills on this hike? Moderate hills and rocky sections.

Do I need to register to attend? Yes, this is very important to know who is coming on the day, reduce group size and record details due to Covid.

Will there be other hikes coming up? We're doing our best! We aim to have a free meet up every 4-6 weeks in the ACT. For all our other women's adventures visit our website here.