Hills and scenery

It's going to be hot today,  and turns out to be humid as well. We're starting in farming country, moving to Alpine Park forests areas and crossing into the much drier Deddick Valley along a long downhill.  Of course that means up first but it's worth it.
Our first diversion is a short walk to Little River Falls, a very pretty run of falls with a bit of water in it. It is easy to imagine it would be magnificent after a heavy rain, Rain would be welcome here as the area is in drought .

Little River Falls

Leaving them the road is uphill  in fact it is beginning to feel that today the only way is up but there is of course some down. 

The McKillops Bridge is our lunch stop  after another short detour to walk to a magnificent lookout across the valley we are heading into.  Looking across you can see the change in vegetation on the drier rain shadow side. 

The bridge was built in 1935, to replace the original built in 1932. That bridge was built to withstand flood, based on records of past floods.  11 days before our was to open a flood 3metres higher than any recorded flood hit the bridge and demolished it. 

Of course as rivers lie at the bottom of valleys they form we ride up above it, rewarded by a long and wonderful downhill along a narrow road.  We're headed along the Delegate River to end our ride at the Ambyne Suspension Bridge which no longer carries traffic but was restored about 12 years ago as a prime example of this style bridge.

Back into the bus and off to Delegate where I can stay that the Delegate Hotel had s very pleasant verandah on which to enjoy a pre dinner drink