Lee Valley Peak Pursuit: Black Hill Blitz

From Lees Valley Road continue along the Townshend Track, a flat 4WD track over grazed flats. It has 2 river crossings (one at 5km and the other at 7.5km) and nonnegotiable wet feet. If the river is too high 5km in, there is a flood track on the true left-hand side of the river that avoids the 2 river crossings, however, the track can be difficult to find at times and is poorly marked.

At the confluence of Dobson Stream and Townshend River, the Black Hill Track heads up a broad spur towards the hut along more technical terrain. Top up your water before the trek as it is a 4km ascent that can be hot going and a bit unpleasant, but dotted throughout are several worthy viewing spots.

At 1000m, the moist environment of the mountain beech forest becomes prevalent, along with the beauty of the stunted trees festooned with old man’s beard moss. Just past the 1000m mark is the turnoff to Fosters Ridge Track, do not turn down that way as you still have a final trudge through bush to a modest clearing where the six-bunk hut stands. Above the hut, the poled route quickly leads to the open tussock tops surrounding the modest bump of Black Hill. By itself, it’s an entirely uninspiring summit, but the crest offers an unexpected breadth and depth of the landscape to the west and north.

After bagging both the peak and the hut, it's time for the descent. Retrace your steps back to the car, with the reward of an icecream in Oxford village on the drive home