Kalamunda to Dwellingup

I have decided that our trail names should be the Birdman and W8-4-me. Rob has his binoculars out all day long, and spends time at the end of each day with his birdbook. Creates much interest. And my name is self-explanatory.

Eight days and 200+ kms down. The track has been brilliant, very easy walking surface most of the time apart from a few slippery granite slopes to negotiate. Well marked with wauguls and cairns - so how come we still managed to get ourselves hopelessly lost coming off Mt Cooke? It was getting late and a storm was forecast, so we ended up finding our way through a pine plantation to the Albany Highway and hitched a lift with the kind Belinda to the Three Ways Roadhouse. Next day we started off again on track!

The weather has been patchy, the 2nd day was so hot we thought we could never make it up the hills - which weren't that big, but killers in 26 degrees. Wild storms came through on several afternoons and evenings, so we were always glad to have a shelter to protect us.

 

 

We have met amazing people doing the trail - George is 77 and this is his fifth end to end. an inspiration to us all. And by amazibng coincidence, we started the track with Susan and David, friends from Wellington who are doing it for the 2nd time. It's a very sociable walk so far, lots of swapping of email addresses.

2 wallabies, 1 kangaroo, 1 huge spider...

and thankfully no tics or snakes so far. Lots of mozzies. A day off here in the tiny town of Dwellingup, a big meal and hot showers very reviving. Tomorrow it's packs back on and 5 days walk to Collie eating Back Country Cuisine every night. We will never be able to eat that stuff again after this.