Day 49 – Grandma’s Camp to Norton Summit – 27.66km

Total Distance – 885.2km

A Heysen Trail Story

“Today is the mother of all days”

Greg

Greg wasn’t wrong. What a day! 27 odd kilometers, and some of the biggest hills on the trail. This is designed to test one’s spirit. One’s fortitude.

And test it does. All three of us are up early, keen to chew up a few kilometers at the start of the day. It’s a bitter sweet moment. There is a chance this will be the last morning we will all pack up together. It’s a weirdly poignant time for me. I don’t want to say goodbye. These two are such a large part of my Heysen Trail story. And great people to boot. I can’t say goodbye, and so I don’t. We’ll probably cross paths in the next couple of days anyway…

As I leave Grandma’s camp, I receive word from home regarding my nanna. None of it very good. It throws me into a spin and I have trouble keeping my emotions in check. Beep beep. Messages of support come through from both mum and dad. These immediately ground me, and I am able to regain focus.

Which is a good thing, because the morning starts out with some rather large ups and downs through the forestry zone. Evidence of recent burns can be seen on the soot scarred trees and new green growth.

I pass Cath and Greg, having a break. I tell them that I’m planning on having a break at the top of the next hill. “Ummmm. The top of the next hill is a long, long, long way…” I am told. Damn it! “Don’t tell me that Greg!” I yell, laughing, as I walk off.

Up the track I spy a sole orange. Just lying on the ground. I look at it for a while. Look around, trying to find the source tree. I can’t see one. I’ve been coveting an orange from one of the many trees I have seen laden full of fruit, but unreachable because of fences. I pick it up, peel it and eat it as I walk.

It’s like a gift from nature itself. So juicy, cold and sweet. It is absolutely delicious. It puts me in a jaunty mood. That is, until I see the hill. This is one of the meanest, steepest, longest hills I have ever seen. A few weeks ago, just the sight of it might have made me cry. Today, I push up it. And up. And up. Until victoriously I reach the top. I sit to take my promised break, and am able to clap Cath and Greg in as they arrive at the top. We are all ecstatic at our efforts. Our fitness levels. Our will power. It’s a great moment.

The final third of the walk is through Morialta Conservation Park. I am amazed and surprised when I ascend a small rise and in front of me lies the sprawl of Adelaide. It trips so many emotions. I can see the hotel that I was locked down in all those weeks ago. It’s mind blowing that I’m back here. That I’ve walked all this way. It’s an incredible feeling.

I walk through a deep gorge area. The soothing sound of bubbling water trickling along the stream. Not coming from South Australia, discovering one of these beautiful natural areas is an absolute delight.

I end the long days walk at the Scenic Pub in Norton Summit. Celebrate with a beer and some chips. There is no accommodation available here, so I taxi it to Bridgewater where I am able to have a very well deserved shower, and a real bed for the night. Bliss.