Distance: 27km
Elevation: +700m -650m
Time: 10:00
Total Distance: 52km
Music: Evi Vine – I Am The Waves
Keep following the lonely rivers song
Go the distance
A yearning to belong
Found in silence
With the movement of the tide
Evi Vine – I Am The Waves
The wind died down and after reading for a bit to the sound of kookaburras and the creek, I was out like a light.
The morning is still and cold. Not Canberra cold, but definitely not February weather either. maybe six or seven degrees. I’ve got another 25km to do today to be where I want: somewhere in the Leven canyon. Checking Chapman, he reckons it’s eleven hours of walking. I guess we’ll see.
I have trouble getting my muesli down. I’m starting to recognise this as a pattern. It will be like that for a few days and then fine. In the meantime I just have to force myself.
And I’m off again. The trouble with camping in sheltered valleys near water is that you usually end up starting the next day with some sort of bullshit climb up a mountain before you’re even warm.
The trail over Mount Lorymer and down the other side is rough and not terribly distinct, and fallen trees punctuate it every time you build up a bit of rhythm. But it is lovely temperate rainforest, and filled with birdsong.
Adit Creek campsite is lovely. You could get a dozen hammocks in here. Maybe okay for tents too, I guess?
Down a steep and slippery dirt trail and out of the shaded forest into bright warm sunlight and Wings Cafe (and also wildlife sanctuary, I guess).
It’s a rare delight to stop in the middle of a hike for a good meal. If you’re ever in the area it seems like a great spot, and I wish I’d had time to see the animal attractions. I did however fulfil a long-running ambition: a cornetto in the middle of a day of solid hiking.
From Wings there’s about 12km of country road walking. It’s quite pleasant as it goes, and there isn’t much in the way of traffic. Cows eye me warily. One guy stops and offers me a lift, says the canyon is a great walk and I’ve picked perfect weather for it. I ask him what these weird skittish chicken-like birds are I’ve been seeing, and he says they’re native hens. I wonder how they taste. I get the sense that most of the people around here are really friendly. Probably hiding a dark secret, like a harvest god or something.
It’s along this long treeless stretch under cloudless skies that I come to the distressing realisation that my solar panel isn’t charging my power bank. The display is flashing, indicating power in, but the percentage doesn’t budge during the whole time. This is a problem. I’ve got enough power bank to get to Cradle Mountain, and I can recharge there and have enough for the Overland, but south of there for 27 days there are no more power points. I’ll have to get something delivered to Derwent Bridge if I can’t sort the problem out. You may have to wait longer for these blog posts, since uploading them uses power and I may have to tighten my electric girdle.
Suddenly signs direct you off the road and into the scrub, and a steep climb takes you high above the valley. The rocky precipice opposite forms the other half of the North Gate out of which the river winds on its way to Ulverstone.
The track winds along above the river, crossing small waterfalls and narrow ledges that drop steeply away into the scrub below. For the first time I encounter mud. Just a little, but it brings to mind the reputation Tassie has amongst bushwalkers for mud. I’m sure I’ll see more.
In sections the path is flat and easy as it runs alongside the river. Then it will turn sharply and climb to negotiate some cliff or other. I can’t fathom the work it would have taken to cut this track, and must continue to require to maintain.
I decide that I’m making for Blackwood’s Camp, though my feet are tired. I traverse the Narrow Ledge, though it’s no narrower or more precarious than a dozen or more other parts before or after it (though the drop my be a little further). Video warning for those afraid of heights:
Blackwoods is a great campsite, though I don’t know that you’d get more than a couple of tents on flat ground. I soak my feet in the river and enjoy a low-flavour protein bar (no sarcasm).
27km today, and I’m feeling it. Put with yesterday I’ve done maybe 10% of the total distance (barring side trips). Another day down. I skip dinner, not feeling particularly hungry. The hunger will come.
Many of you have expressed concern about my doing this walk solo, and so you’ll be relieved to hear that I picked up a new friend today who will accompany me the rest of the way; Tilly the Tassie Tigger. I feel like having somebody else to talk to will really help to keep me sane.
