Total Distance – 676.1km
A Heysen Trail Story
Chilly, chilly, chilly last night. We got a warming, occassionally smoky fire going in the beautiful old fire place. However, it made little difference to the overall night chills. A warm night would be very pleasant indeed.
As would a day without sleet like rain and lashings of wind. How I long for a stroll on a gleaming spring day. Sun warming the body and spirits. Today wasn’t that day.
Which is a bit of a shame really, because the walk was really wonderful. Straight through the guts of a farm, wonderfully treed along the creekline. Stony mountains on the left hand side. A canola farm in the distance radiates summer. The reality is stinging rain and cold fog.
Up through a granitic pass, the rain dies off causing chattering finches and crooning magpie larks to celebrate. The bushland is old and well preserved. A shelter from the wind.
The second part of the day follows a little used dirt road adjacent to farmland and eucalypts. Lovely, easy walking. Until right at the end, a steep hill rises to camp. I climb it quickly, hopeful that finally, finally, finally I might be able to make that birthday phone call. And sure enough, success!
I spend my afternoon in the tent chatting with the head of my support crew and making plans. Kind of getting too the pointy end of the stick now. And the proximity to Adelaide means bookings become more necessary.
It’s a nice way to spend the afternoon on a chilly day. Cath and Greg have another friend, John, camping with them tonight. So it’s time for all of us to brave the elements and see about our dinners!
Hopefully that blue sky in a couple of your photos will hang around a bit longer! The colour of flowering canola is just stunning and must’ve been really cheery on a grey, sleet day.
As was that successful phone call! 👏👏😊