Gill Goes... Trekking the Bibbulmun Track End to End... Gregory Brook Shelter

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Day 27

Blackwood to Gregory Brook

18.2km

Unsettled night- really cold, lots of snoring. Any disquiet disappears the minute I get up and take in the amazing, amazing vista- massive cloud banks in the lowlands and the sun peaking through. More speccy than anything I have seen in the past 27 days (even Helena Hut sunrise which is up there). Breathtaking.

Tear myself away to get the morning started- I got my backpack and food bag down from one of the many hooks on the shelter walls and noticed that it had been broken into!!

I couldn't believe it!

My food bag had been broken into and the little ziplock bag of peanut butter had been stolen! (Work friends- remember the stolen cheese incident? -Clearly related!).

Well, perhaps not completely stolen... Half of it was missing and there were three little holes all the way through the food bag! I'd made the rookie error of not making sure the bags weren't touching the side of the hut and one of those fast little furry creature/s (as seen earlier) had gnawed through it.

I blame one of the sisters though, sister 1 had left a cracker out for it/them about 20m from camp, up past the water tank thinking that it might keep the mice away... clearly not understanding that crackers go so much better with something on them - my peanut butter!

(***Note - this is said in jest, the sisters are very nice***)

Out comes the tenacious tape to repair the holes. I'm glad I hung the bag separate to my pack otherwise I think the pack would have holes as well. Devour my porridge and am walking by 08:10. The sisters leave after me. The first section of the day is "cardiac hill"- think us south bounders draw the long straw on this one- it's a steep and slippery descent via the numerous switchbacks. (A year later I do this hill again heading north on a weekend sectional- OMG! I'm sure it's a mountain). The misty views and the dark sky with flashes of bright sunlight take my mind off the trail - almost lethal - it really is slippery. Tell myself to keep my eyes on the ground... but oh, that view. At the bottom the track winds through some private property, the ruins of historic Southampton Homestead, a bunch of caged chooks and 1 unobservant dog. Hit the bridge over the Blackwood at 09:13. The next landmark is the Millstream Dam (quite full) - off limits to the public but good views through the bushes from the top of the hill. There has been a reforestation project underway, including 1 tree neatly planted bang in the middle of the track. After a few more decent climbs I take a lunch break on a conveniently placed log. Thoughts of Fox Mulder of the X Files re-emerge- there are a neat pile of discarded pistachio shells behind the log. Any excuse to have a daydream about David Duchovny will do!

More hills after lunch and I arrive at Gregory Brook hut at 13:40- pretty early to finish up a day. I contemplate double hutting but 22.5km to Donnelly is too far. So.... I embrace the afternoon. Di, the volunteer for this section, is here. It's nice to meet a vollie and offer thanks in person. The work that goes on behind the scenes is fantastic, the hut has been thoroughly swept out and the waterbush trimmed back. Steve, the DPAW maintenance person, has been and chopped a stack of wood AND cleaned out the loo (excellent timing). Say goodbye to Di who is heading back to her car fully loaded- a bag of trash (boo) and, can you believe this, a suit jacket, white shirt and black tie! Set myself up, have a wash at the stream and have a couple of hours in the sun before the sisters arrive. We spend the remainder of the day sitting chatting around an early campfire (Sister 2 likes lighting fires). They ask me if I'd like to share their cottage at Donnelly River, they had a booked a 3 bedroom one. Wow! Such a nice gesture. Snoring forgiven. Feeding mice forgiven. A resounding yes from me.

In the 'bed' by 20:30, pre-warming by the fire before getting into the sleeping bag is smart. It is absolutely freezing tonight. Doesn't stop the frogs - ah, the sounds of the forest.



Impressions of Gregory Brook Shelter -

Love this hut, it feels very much like you are completely enclosed in forest here

Body assessment- still great, roc tape still in situ

Animals- 2 emu, 1 roo, no mice

Total people seen for the day - 0 apart from my roomies

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Photos

Dual Use Bridge
No dawdling, although no traffic around