Start your engines, folks!!
Hot off the press!! The Camp Quality esCarpade 2021 route!! Words courtesy of the esCarpade team!
Day 1: Albury – Narrandera – Cootamundra
After heading out of Albury to the north we zig in a north-westerly direction through Rand, Urana and Boree Creek before lunching at Narrandera.
After lunch we zag to the east shaving Junee before turning north to finish Day 1 in Coota.
Day 2: Cootamundra – Blayney – Forbes
We continue in a north easterly direction through Boorowa, Ryde Park and Rugby as we make our way past Cowra into Blayney for lunch.
After lunch its a due west skirting south of Mt Canobolas, north Canowindra, pulling up stumps in Forbes.
Day 3: Forbes – Wellington – Mudgee
Like most mornings this trip, we spend them heading north. About 60km south of Narromine we cut right through Tomingley and continue east down a couple of dinky tracks and arrive for lunch at the second-oldest town west of the Blue Moutains, Wellington. The afternoon is short and challenging but it is a spectacular run into Mudgee. If there is a scheduled release of water from Cudgegong Dam, there will be a hairy causeway crossing just 2km into the afternoon section!!
Day 4: Mudgee (Lay Day)
Day 5: Mudgee - Gilgandra – Coonabarabran
We head north through the Ten Dollar town of Gulgong to Mendooran where we follow the Castlereagh river into Gil for lunch. After lunch at Gilgandra, we head for the big rock, the Warrumbungle Ranges. If there is time you can drive up to the Observatory on Mt Woorut before heading into Coonbarabran for the night.
Day 6: Coonabarabran – Tamworth – Armidale
You guessed it- we drive north into the Pilliga Scrub and rattle around in there for an hour or two before driving through Boggabri, around Lake Keepit, dropping into Australia's Country Music Capital - Tamworth for lunch. After lunch we climb from 469m to 1049m, with a left-hand hairpin bend set to test the field and finishing up in Armidale for the day.
Armidale can be cold and given its over 1km above sea level, you can see why!!
Day 7: Armidale – Mystery location – Coffs Harbour
It is almost like we saved the best until last. We head towards Kempsey on the Kempsey Rd. However, when we get closer to Kempsey it turns into the Armidale Rd. The drive is amazing and so is the lunch venue which will remain a secret.
After lunch we drive down the main streets of Bowraville and Bellingen before driving our last stretch of dirt on Gleniffer rd to arrive at Coffs from the South.
