Cocktails at The Castle 2020
This trip will be limited to 16 people.
Welcome one and all to the best formal event of the year! (perhaps the only formal event of the year... thanks Covid!).
Cocktails at the Castle is an annual ANUMC tradition, involving the strange mix of formal wear and hiking! We don't want the pandemic to break up this long-standing tradition, so join us to celebrate the end of a crazy year!
We will leave Friday afternoon from Canberra and camp at Long Gully campground. On Saturday morning, we will start our short but steep (nearly 800m ascent over 5km) hike up to the Castle. The walk is exposed, with some scrambling. Once we summit, there will be spectacular views of Pigeon House, Byangee Walls and Mt Talaterang. After a quick change from hiking clothes into formal attire, the festivities will begin.
This is a great social event for all club members. While you don’t need to have any experience, please let me know your hiking experience when signing up, and vehicle details (or lack thereof). You will need to be reasonably fit and have a head for heights. Let me know if you have any doubts and we can have a chat.
List of essential gear:
- Formal dress
- Cocktail food and drink (think martinis, champagne with raspberries, mulled wine ... the more extravagant the better)
- Any tables, chairs, musical instruments, photography equipment, eskis etc. that you can lug up the mountain
- Camping/hiking gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, clothing, hat, pack, stove + fuel + matches, plates + cutlery, toiletries, torch, sunscreen, water - you will need to carry all your water with you)
- Warm clothes (over your formal dress when it gets dark)
- Good pair of walking shoes/boots
- FREE STANDING tent
**Please include in your registration details of your fitness, previous hiking experience, and why you want to come on this trip :D
Covid-safe policy
Do not attend if:
- you're feeling unwell or have flu-like symptoms
- have travelled internationally, come from a hotspot or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, and/or
- your health is considered high risk
We will meet at ANU Sport at 7am on Saturday, drive in 4 cars to long gully campground. We will follow the castle track up to the top, stopping for breaks and potentially a detour to Cooyoyong camp to top up water if needed. Once at the top we will set up camp and celebrate. Sunday morning will return the same way down back to cars and to Canberra.