Described by some as Armidale’s best-kept secret, the Armidale Walking Track is a 7 – 10 km loop trail through the city’s outskirts. The actual distance will depend on where you start. If you choose to take the longer path through the pine forest – you do just under ten kilometres. Start at the dog park, and it’s a little over seven kilometres. There are some other “choose-your-own-adventure” decision points along the way as well. If you want an even longer walk, you can start right in town and follow the footpath that goes out to the pine forest. This will add at least another four kilometres; just follow Marsh Street all the way and keep going north.
How to get there.
The best place to park is at the first pine forest gate on your right, just after the Waldorf School sign. You can then amble through the pine forest and come back to the second pine forest gate. You’ll need to cross the road to get to the dog park. The video below starts at this point. There are toilets at the dog park (I’m not sure when they are open) and toilets at the Tilbuster Ponds Picnic Area. The walk is dog friendly. Please pick up your dog’s poo! It is also navigable on a pushbike.
The track is an easy walk; it’s well-marked, relatively flat and cleared. However, the coloured way markers tend to get a bit confusing. You can pick up a map from the Information Centre on the corner of Dumeresq and Marsh Street. It is on Google maps, but it’s not well-plotted.
What you’ll see.
The Armidale Walking Track was established using a grant and the land was cordoned off to make a wildlife corridor. As such, is often between the boundary fences of private properties. The walk will take you past some semi-rural and rural properties. These “lifestyle blocks” are prime real estate, and it’s fun to have a bit of a long-distance sticky beak. The best bit, in my opinion, is the section that follows the Tilbuster Creek. Apart from the babbling brook vibe you’ll get here, there are lots of birds. Lots and lots! So this walk would suit twitchers well.
Making a day of it.
You could find a nice picnic spot on the grassy banks of the creek, and there are some picnic tables scattered around the pine forest trails. It would make a lovely day to share a snack or some lunch and a flask of tea. There are also some dedicated trail bike tracks if you’re into that. The Armidale Bushwalking Club does the track a couple of time a year. You might like to read about some other walks on my posts about the Mt Duval Track and the Gorge Country.