I had anticipated in my planning that the hike would take 42 days and that I would want to take one or 2 rest days. As it turned out I was on target to finish in a shorter time and I never felt like a day off. Even on shorter days I was at a loss how to fill in the afternoon because I didn’t want to use up my phone battery by reading for too long or listening for too long and side hikes had no appeal at all. In the early days it was possible to 'double hut' relatively easily but in the middle stages of the track the shelters were further apart and I had to be careful planning double huts or I would be walking huge distances. But gradually I ramped up my daily totals.
Coming out of Collie I crossed many more dry creeks and came to Glen Mervyn Dam which for me was the worst part of the trail. The forest had been extensively burnt and car campers had left a lot of trash near and on the trail. I came out of the forest for a while to see pastoral landscapes and pass the Mumbalup Tavern (closed on Tuesdays, and actually looked like it wasn’t often open) and walked up a long steep hill which I enjoyed. Then I went happily back into the forest. I should have been over jarrah by now but I wasn’t. This was my longest day yet, 39 kilometres.
The next day I was tired and stopped early at a shelter where the toilet was positioned to give a great view if you kept the door open. Which I could do as there was no one around. There were heaps of 28's. Quite late another hiked showed up, Chippy, who was a very experienced thru hiker and we talked a lot. She was hiking faster than me and long days.
I was excited to come to Balingup, another town, with a Nimbin feel. I restocked food then ate a lunchtime panini at a cafe. I should have eaten more but the sight of lots of daytrippers scoffing cakes took away my appetite. After Balingup I did not think I could make it to the next shelter that night and was intending to camp out but the track came out of the forest to cross private farmland and there was nowhere I would have felt safe camping. I saw lots of cows, many of them right on the trail, Alpine style.
It got dark and I was still hiking. Of course my torch was right at the bottom of my pack so I had to stop and unpack everything. The last bit before the shelter was over a grassy hill high on the rim of the Blackwood River valley. Before it got dark there was a band of red around the horizon. I reached Blackwood shelter at 6pm. Pitch black, and I only noticed the shelter because I could discern the outline of the toilet. I could have walked right past it. That would have been a shame because this shelter has hands down the best outlook of any of the trail's shelters, and nice grassy camping spots to boot.
There were 2 young Germans already in their sleeping bags in the shelter so I gave them a surprise. 20 minutes later Chippy arrived, her accommodation at Balingup had fallen through.
In the morning the whole valley was in fog. The view was magic. But soon we had to descend and the descent was so steep and muddy that I fell once. This was a short day as I was very tired. The Germans, Chippy and I all stayed at the next shelter and we made a fire in the fireplace. The water in the tank was a really dark brown but tasted fine. I wasn’t always treating my drinking water but I thought I should this time.
At Donnelly River Village cafe I had lunch with Chippy and made sure to eat enough, a slice of carrot cake followed by a Turkish BLT roll. We continued on and walked 16 kilometres without stopping. There was a lot of burnt forest. At the shelter that night were 2 older women who were proud of their ability to dehydrate their own food. They had some elaborate meals but not what I want after hiking all day. They commented a bit disparagingly on my mashed potato.
I walked with Chippy until the half way marker for the trail. It’s sad that the marker post has lost its directional arms and is just a tall post with a waugal on top. We said our goodbyes and I had my mid morning break.
I hiked to the next shelter where I was meaning to stay but it was so early that I decided to continue on and camp out because again the next shelter was too far away for that night. This part of the trail is called the DRV Rollercoaster and certainly featured long, steep hills. I liked it but as evening approached I could see no good place to camp. I wasted valuable time going off trail to find a secluded spot but to no avail.
So I went on hiking well after dark, jogging some of the downhills, and eventually gave Chippy a huge shock by arriving at the shelter at 6.30pm. I was so exhausted I slept in the shelter rather than make the effort to put up my tent. Today I had hiked more than a marathon.
Next day I took it easy and reached Beedelup Falls by midday. I was alone at the shelter but slept in my tent as I could put it up right by the creek and listen to the flowing water as I lay in bed. This was one of the nicest campsites.
Next day I got to Pemberton. I stopped at the first cafe I saw. Actually the cafe had closed down but the shop next door did coffee so I had a nice chat with the owner, coffee and several cookies. I checked into a motel on the other side of town so I would have less walking tomorrow but this meant I did a lot of distance going back and forth between town and the motel. I had a pie and vanilla slice at the bakery for lunch and fish and chips at the pub for dinner. In the night a bird made a random screeching noise which kept me awake; I realised that this same screeching in the bush wouldn’t have bothered me at all.
Daily distances hiked: 38.8km, 22.2km, 40.3km, 18km, 36.8km, 42.5km, 20km, 24.4km
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