Blogs from Northcliffe, Western Australia, Australia, Oceania

Day 39 Maringup Shelter to Dog Pool 25.7km Predictably glorious sunrise. Super flat hiking, flat, flat, flat and really wide cleared track- as in Bibbulmun Super Highway wide. It was very nice when the granite outcrops started popping up randomly throughout the terrain (cue coffee break). The surrounding vegetation was fantastic- grassy plains and a lot of mixed vegetation. Next highlight were the really tall grass trees, the third highlight was tadpoles. Yes, tadpoles in the puddles. Pockets of intensive birdlife then long stretches of silence and flatness. Took a lunch break at the 20km mark at an access gate. It became quite balmy at this point so the last 5 flat kms were in short sleeves under an alternating blue and cloudy sky. Got to admit I was ready to see the campsite. Pulled in ... read more

Day 37 Northcliffe to Gardner 15.2 km Couple of items of business to attend to this morning- had an extra week of leave confirmed from my manager, called my friend, Meg, who wants to join me in Walpole to do the Walpole to Albany section- she's still keen, and posted the book that I had finished to Jude, one of the sisters I met on the Balingup to Pemberton leg. So, a later start than anticipated but another relatively short stint today so no big deal. Soooo much weight with the new food package!! I feel about 3kg heavier with all the food I ate yesterday too! Really excited (and re-energised) about this next 7 nights of hiking into Walpole (my last 7 by myself). It is quite an easy morning of sandy flats, very few ... read more