#9 - Castle Hill (4/6/11)

A few weekends ago, Karen and I woke up early, in an attempt to beat the heat, and climbed Castle Hill. Castle Hill is a large red rock (an "isolated pink monolith" according to Wikipedia) located in the heart of Townsville. It rises 940 feet above sea level, and it does so quickly. It is a steep, hot, hike. We were able to start the goat track up to the top before 9am, but we still got drenched with sweat. It's a relatively short hike, maybe 20 minutes, but it affords some of the best views of the city and Magnetic Island. And for those people not interested in grueling climbs, there is a road up to the top. If you ever find yourself in Townsville, I can't recommend Castle Hill enough. It provides 360 degree views of the city, and the rock itself is beautiful.