Yunatsvo Victoria kicked off their April school holidays with a bang. Meeting at O’Briens Crossing in Lerderderg State Park on Friday 7 April, we set off on our 3 day Easter Hike. Given the weather forecast, we all knew what was ahead of us: a weekend not to forget with tents flooding, muddy trails and lots and lots of rain. We all started off with a brisk 2km hike to where we would be camping for the next 3 days, starting with a steep hill to get us back into the hiking spirit. There were complaints left and right – not only from the yunatsvo but also bulava.
With a downpour in the middle of dinner, we ran to our tarp which managed to shelter all 17 hikers, hiding from the rain. It only got wetter as the night progressed with pools of water starting to form, but with one trusty trowel we managed to divert the flow of rainwater away from the tents as best we could.
Our second day turned out to be a lot more joyful – the weather was good, the morale was high, and there were two 21st birthdays amongst bulava to celebrate. We left the tents at the campground and began the hike going up a 2km muddy hill that felt like it went forever, however the rest of the walk was smooth sailing. With a gentle 16km walk and two river crossings it was enjoyable to take in the fresh air and the nature around us before returning to the campground in the evening. The day hike was a welcome change to what we are normally used to, creating a more relaxed approach to time management that allowed us to take in the scenery a little bit more.
Despite the rainy and cold days and nights, this would a be a weekend for the memory books. It was enjoyed by everyone: yunatsvo were delighted not having big heavy packs, bulava appreciated the camaraderie.
st. pl. Michael Herczaniwski
