hey Heysen / Heysen Trail end to end hike 2022 Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:20:42 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 /wp-content/uploads/2022/05/cropped-hey-heysen-very-small-logo-white-32x32.png hey Heysen / 32 32 Blog Landing Page /2024/04/07/blog-landing-page/ Sun, 07 Apr 2024 01:40:14 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1627 I've been meaning to make a landing page for our Heysen Trail blog posts to try make it easier to navigate. Here's a chronological list from each of us, enjoy!

Heysen Trail Posts by Dave

Heysen Trail Posts by Sim

Posts about Tech

]]> Section 7: The Wild South Coast /2022/09/21/section-7-the-wild-south-coast/ Tue, 20 Sep 2022 22:17:13 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1538 The final stretch was beautiful, difficult and a fitting end to the journey. I always love seeing the ocean after a time away from it and this was no exception.

It's a coastline with rich blue waters hitting coarse sandy beaches and cliffs of black stone and granite.

This section offered challenging and well built trails, dense and rich native scrub full of life.

My last few days I had complex feelings - excitement to return to my family and comfort; some sadness knowing this peak experience was coming to an end.

I've felt something like this a couple of times when I've completed a major undertaking. It's a mix of deep loss mixed and elation. I suspect it's driven by the sudden end of strong purpose that comes with hard and prolonged challenges.

It really has been an amazing journey, exploring the natural beauty and the colonial and geological history of SA. I saw the enormous scale and effort of settlers developing agriculture here. I saw many thriving country towns and experienced great generosity from their people. I saw the terrible impact to the indigenous population and to the natural environment. Having grown up here makes it even more meaningful.

Would I recommend this to others? Unequivocally yes.

Day 44 - Myponga to Robinson Hill

This was the day I lost my cheese and saw a deer with fabulous hair. I'm not on drugs, I promise.

Jayne at Heysens Rest served a delicious breakfast and I was off. A steady walk took me to Myponga Conservation Park, which is beautiful. It was a decent effort to climb out, with views of bush, coloured stone and a waterfall in the distance.

As I left the park I saw very strange looking deer, and realised it had some kind of thread wrapped up in its antlers which made it look like it was wearing a wig. It was delightful and surreal to see it prance away, the first live deer I'd seen on trail.

I had my hopes up about getting lunch at the Inman Valley General Store, and was disappointed to find it closed. I stopped for lunch further up and realised I'd left my cheese behind in the fridge!

I arrived at the Robinson Hill campsite around midday and it's a fantastic spot. The tent clearings are nestled in dense scrub with many ferns and the platform has a huge overlook onto fields with kangaroos and a rolling hills backdrop.

I'd set up and was catching up my writing when I heard a 'Hello'. I wasn't expecting anyone and met Alex, a northbound section hiker. We chatted on many shared passions including hiking, running and travelling and later talked about life aspirations while watching the stars. Best of luck with everything and thanks for the great company!

Day 45 - Robinson Hill to Victor Harbor

Dave and I had been in contact and organised to reconnect at Newland Head, which meant I had a day up my sleeve. I decided to do 2 shorter days around Victor rather than take a full day off.

I took a slow start to enjoy the lovely campsite and sunny morning and headed off.

The trail was straightforward and I walked entirely on roads to Victor, although I later realised I missed a marker and could've been in fields for some of it.

The weather was great and I had lunch and walked the foreshore of Encounter Bay.

I dropped into the supermarket to resupply and pick up some whisky, it was so weird being in a mall again.

Hiking poles mustn't be a common sight in Victor, I had several jokes from friendly older locals that it doesn't snow there!

I spent the afternoon at the beach enjoying the warmth and headed to my friend Karen's. We had a great night involving a lot of whisky and laughter. There was no food so we shared a rehydrated meal and some lunch provisions which was hilarious at the time, you've gotta be prepared!

Day 46 - Victor Harbor to Newland Head

I had some time to spare so tried to fit in a couple of extra trails in Victor. The Paperbark Trail around Hindmarsh River was pretty, and after walking the foreshore again I decided to climb the bluff.

The views were great despite the rain and I learnt that Encounter Bay was named after an encounter between Sir Matthew Flinders and a French vessel which could've ended badly but didn't.

I started on the Heritage Trail which included a lot of indigenous history. I enjoyed walking along the coast.

The Waitpinga Cliffs and Newland Head Conservation Park are beautiful walking spots. The trails are well made, the scrub dense and the kangaroos are more used to humans than further north.

A distant thunderstorm provided occasional flashes of lightning accompanied by massive thunder that rolled through the landscape.

Day 47 - Newland Head to Deep Creek

This was a tough day, close to 30kms with a great deal of beach walking and many climbs.

Waitpinga beach was first up. I took my shoes off to cross a large outlet from recent rain and walked the beach barefoot. I enjoyed the sensations and suspect it was good for my feet.

A climb, Parsons Beach and a mix of road and paddock brought me to Tunkalilla Beach. The final descent looked dangerous in the strong wind and rain, so I made a wide path around the neck of the hill.

The beach is really pretty although a hard walk, almost 5km in soft sand. This provided a lot of time for reflection.

The climb out took me along a rugged cliffside and I took a lot of care on tired legs.

Entering Deep Creek Conservation Park was amazing. I haven't been for so many years and have wonderful memories, also it signified that I was nearing the end of the journey. The trails here are top notch.

Tapanappa Campsite had excellent facilities although I wished there was a shelter. I set my tent up in hunker down mode expecting hard rain and wind through the night.

Day 48 - Deep Creek to Cape Jervis

The final day! The map looked tricky, multiple hard gradient climbs and descents and to top it off it was rainy with strong winds.

We left early with an aim to hit the finish line at 4pm. The weather was intermittent, sometimes windy and cold, sometimes very wet and sometimes sunny.

Some sections were really tricky - steep, stony, slippery and wet. We got through fine with care.

The waterfalls were flowing in full force thanks to the heavy rain overnight. This meant a few tricky water crossings which I took barefoot while Dave just pushed through.

I saw a group of seals playing in the surf near blowhole beach, they were a treat to watch.

The final section was shoreline scrub, dense and green with white stone poking through. It reminded me of walking the lake around Yorke Peninsula.

With great anticipation we reached Cape Jervis and had completed the Heysen Trail. Sabine was waiting with wine and toasted sandwiches, what a legend. My parents had been to the pub where the publican had made us a finisher badge, and Marlene arrived with the girls shortly after.

]]> Section 6: Homecoming /2022/09/12/section-6-homecoming/ /2022/09/12/section-6-homecoming/#comments Sun, 11 Sep 2022 23:12:05 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1365 Overall it's been a good section for me. It's been great to get back to so many familiar places, to see my family again and to find a bunch of hidden gem walking spots that are close to home.

I feel like my body has hit another level of adaptation - I was able to knock out a 50km day reasonably which was previously unthinkable. I'm still in awe of Neil and Jenna doing this continuously with their PCT hike.

There has been some tension between Dave and I and we parted ways for a time. Living on trail offers a high baseline of pressure, and managing interpersonal conflict can be difficult at the best of times.

On one hand, it's sad to miss the shared experiences of highlights and hardships. I think this is one of the best parts of being human. On the other it's given me a chance to have some different experiences, like walking into Mt Compass by moonlight after a very long day.

I think the time apart will do both of us well and I'm looking forward to reconnecting and hitting the finish line together.

Day 36 - Tanunda to Mt Crawford

It was hard to leave Tanunda. I loved catching up with Marlene, Jessica and Evelyn and seeing our friends the Putlands. The bed was huge and warm and a day off was a reminder of how much recovery my body has to do.

That will all come later, it was back in trail with a massive day. Marlene and the girls walked to the edge of town with us which was lovely. We farewelled and began on some of our favourite terrain - hilly paddocks!

The climb provided a great view of Tanunda and the surrounds and soon we were in the Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park. It's a great walk in spring, beautiful.

Afterwards we walked a section of roads through pretty country that was a mix of vineyards and grazing. The trail took me to the highest point, naturally hosting a transmission tower. I loved the view, the blend of organised rows of pine forest and vineyards.

I am fond of Mt Crawford, having had great camping experiences there. It was a treat to take it in from this perspective and see the a massive area it covers.

The trail took me over 2 unnamed mountains and then Mt Crawford, then a descent to the valley to the Centennial Campsite. Overnight was damp with many sounds of life - frogs, birds and koalas grunting.

Day 37 - Mt Crawford to Scotts Shelter

We packed up as best we could in the damp and started on what we thought would be another huge day.

We climbed Little Mt Crawford, enjoying a well made single track through pretty scrub.

It didn't take long to hit Chalks Campground, a familiar place with great memories. We'd walked this part of the trail before and were looking forward to it!

More good news, a discrepancy in the map info had reduced our days distance by 10kms, giving us some afternoon to rest.

The Warren Tower track delivered, bursting with the life of spring. I think this part might be the prettiest of the whole trail in terms of flora.

We left the park into Watts Gully. We stopped to admire a pretty cow and the farmer came out for a chat. It was wide ranging including road developments and crazy Russians. We learnt the cow was named Poppy.

Climbing out we saw our first echidna! They're always a treat and this one was particularly shy. We also met an orange trail wizard, godspeed you incredible human.

Scotts Shelter is an excellent site. The sunset was stunning and I enjoyed watching red breasted birds play and a kangaroo graze right out front.

Day 38 - Scotts Shelter to Cudlee Creek

It was a cold but beautiful morning. I'd slept well in the Zen Den and we ate breakfast watching the sun gradually cross a large and orderly pine plantation.

We set off. The trail provided many fantastic views, the rich green of pine trees in spring was great. After a while we were back on road, then some pretty hard paddock climbs. We had a nice view of Forreston and Gumeracha from the top.

We were met by Anna and Shannon for lunch at the Cudlee Cafe. I've cycled past many times and it's always busy. I was excited to try it out and it delivered! A wonderful steak sandwich, cake and couple beers and I was stuffed.

Dave wanted a shower at the caravan so we parted ways and I walked to Grandad's Camp. I was warned on the way up about some bulls and came across them, but they were no trouble and less concerning than a very angry loose dog earlier.

The campsite was great. The shelter is an old cubby house that sleeps 1, with a creek full of frogs nearby and the occasional grunt of koalas in the night. There was a beautiful moon peering in at me a couple of times through the night.

Day 39 - Cudlee Creek to Norton Summit

I hadn't been looking forward to this day. I'd encountered the massive hill climb here during an earlier test hike and suspected it's the hardest on the trail. There was also a large amount of climbing and descending prior so it wouldn't be on fresh legs.

The hiking out from Grandad's was excellent. There had been some fire damage but the views were great and plentiful.

A fairly sharp climb down to Valley Road and I was back in familiar territory. The creek was flowing the most I've seen and many flowers signalled spring.

The big climb was tough but ok. I took it very slow, sometimes zig zagging and my feet didn't play up too much.

That left a slow roll along the hilltops, eventually heading into Morialta Conservation Park. There was a light drizzle when I stopped for lunch on the Rocky Hill track overlooking Adelaide.

I thought the scale of the city would be a shock after such a long time away, but it was ok. It was a great feeling to see the familiar shapes and buildings, and the rock formations of Morialta were still evocative after all the things I've seen. It's a truly beautiful place.

I climbed out past the third falls in full flow and made it to Norton Summit with just enough time for a restroom wash before the Scenic opened.

We were met by our friends and I knocked back probably a few too many beers. The meal was glorious and even better was that we cracked our $10k fundraising goal for Diabetes SA that afternoon!

Day 40 - Norton Summit to Bridgewater

We went back home overnight. It was great to see everyone and sleep in my bed but I found it disorienting. We discussed taking a day pack owing to another stay back at home from Bridgewater. I gave it a shot hoping for more recovery in my feet but in the end regretted it, I should have stayed a purist.

The morning was damp and foggy. I like the feeling of walking in this but it doesn't do much for the view. The road walking to get to Horsnell was tight and busy with start of the day traffic.

Horsnells Gully is such a wonderful spot, one of my favourite hikes around Adelaide. I kept a lookout but didn't see any koalas. The climb out was tough as always.

A fancy goat caught my eye and I stopped for a photo. It came over very interested and I offered it some grass but it was more interested in smelling my fingers. When I offered those it bit me and rocked its head back like it was laughing. I suspect I fell for a regular hustle!

The Wine Shanty track came and went, with occasional sunbursts lighting up the scrub. I stopped for lunch and the views at Mt Lofty Summit. On the way out I saw a rare treat, a young kookaburra!

After a while the trail connected to the familiar Pioneer Women's Trail and I found myself in Bridgewater at days end. I caught the bus back to Adelaide for another home stay and enjoyed looking around the city with new perspective. I think the slower pace has changed how I observe the world and I enjoyed many details I've not seen before.

Day 41 - Bridgewater to Kuitpo Forest

A short tram and bus ride and I was back on trail. The weather had been great for a while so it was time for a good rain.

The morning was a mix of road and scrub walking with a coffee and cake in Mylor. This is a really pretty part of the Adelaide Hills with some great homes.

I was finally able to connect my internal map to a police facility I walked past - I'd attended some amazing training there in high school and always wondered where it was.

There was some very sodden paddock walking, some parts had boardwalk which was great. The in between parts ensured my feet were soaked.

Jupiter Creek was a surprise. It looks like there was a failed gold rush there with mines and a chimney left behind. I even saw a person out with a metal detector hunting for gold, although they said they'd never found anything. Good luck!

Coming in to Kuitpo there was a flooded ford. There was nothing to do but take off my shoes, roll up my socks and get it done.

I arrived at camp soaked and feeling a bit sorry for myself. I spoke with Marlene who suggested I try her Audible. It was great listening to Dave Grohl talk about his life while wrapped up in my sleeping bag getting warm.

Some people were camping at the hut nearby and I asked if I could share their fire. Virginia and Lynny were high school friends who do an annual camp on this weekend. Some of their crew couldn't make it this time, they were wonderful company and we enjoyed wine, barbeque and 70s music by the fire. Thanks for the great night!

Day 42 - Kuitpo Forest to Mt Compass

I took a slow start knowing it was a short day to Chookarloo, and perhaps a little hungover. When I checked the map and saw it was only 10km out, I decided I'd try and push on to Mt Compass and shave a day off.

Time will tell if this was a terrible idea, it ended up being a very wet and blistering (literally) 50km day, double my average so far.

FarOut for mapping has been amazing overall, but it was not up to date for Kuitpo Forest. There were many detours due to logging activity which added greatly to overall distance.

Some of the walking in Kuitpo was spectacular, and the scrub on approach and around Mt Magnificent was actually magnificent.

Late in the day, on very tired legs, I hit another flooded ford, this one flowing much more intensely than the last. Again there was nothing to do but get it done, I was deep in a valley and already running out of daylight for a massive detour.

I made it through without incident other than very cold feet. Having hiking poles was critical here, the bottom dropped out sharply in unexpected places and I could've easily taken a disastrous tumble.

The sun set and I was in for my first time walking by moonlight. It was a great to experience the dusk, different sounds and smells, and I saw many kangaroos closeup, hopping alongside me.

I made it through to the caravan park after 8, new owners Josh and Beck very welcoming. I got my washing on, ate and finally ended the day truly exhausted.

Day 43 - Mt Compass to Myponga

I made a late start after a long video call with Marlene which was great. I left the caravan park on sore feet but felt better than expected. The huge day before had done terrible things to Toto.

It was straightforward walking to begin, bitumen then dirt road with a gradual climb. This led to rolling hilltops with fantastic views and many grazing cows.

The trail passed a shooting club on the aptly named Lawless Road, which explained the gunshots I'd been hearing all day.

Then came a longish section of my least favourite terrain, marshy ripped up paddock. It's angular, muddy and too easy to end up with soaked feet which I really wanted to avoid after the previous day.

I got through ok, more hilly paddocks and hit Yulti Conservation Park. It was beautiful, super dense scrub with many wildflowers, although offered some very hard climbing.

I made it out to the amazing Heysens Rest, Jayne is a top notch host with a beautiful hobby farm.

Marlene drove up with the girls to deliver my final resupply box (thanks babe!) and we finished with a nice meal at the Yankalilla pub.

Next entry - Section 7: The Wild South Coast

]]> /2022/09/12/section-6-homecoming/feed/ 1 Section 5: Green Line Fever /2022/09/03/section-5-green-line-fever/ /2022/09/03/section-5-green-line-fever/#comments Sat, 03 Sep 2022 04:13:23 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1334 It’s been a weird section.

Long tracts of paddock and back road contrasted with narrow easements of preserved nature corridors and the occasional conservation park before finally arriving in the Barossa.

While it hasn’t been a ’hard’ section, it has felt long. A section to get done rather than to take in, though it hasn’t been without its moments.

The trail has taken us from Burra to Tanunda over seven days. The first half of the section was definitely the hardest, with us camping or staying in huts and averaging 25km days.

Fatigue has started to creep in as well, which is unsurprising given that we’ve been hiking for only a month with only one rest day in that time and some pretty big days back to back.

We’ve been deep in farming/grazing country for a while now and while the landscape is pleasant, it’s often generally unremarkable. The trail does it’s best to find ways to keep you in nature, however, this often means walking inside a government-owned easement sandwiched between two paddocks.

Hiking out of Burra with my mates Shannon, Annelise and Paul was great fun and the World’s End campsite was a beautiful place to end the day with its massive gums and flocks of native birds. Paul also surprised us with a roast chicken and beers for dinner. Thanks mate.

Reaching Kapunda was a great boost and we stayed in the reputedly haunted Sir John Franklin Hotel. The upper floor where the accomodation is located is said to host the ghost of a woman who walks the hallway and the ghost of a child in Room 20. 

While we didn’t see any ghosts, the bar staff had great fun telling us a story about ghostly footsteps that are sometimes heard walking behind the very barstools we were sitting on!

 The huts in this section were also fantastic, both Huppatz Hut and my personal favourite Marschall’s Hut. Huts are such a respite from the elements and it was great to get a fire going in the big fireplace at Marscall’s Hut. The old stonework in these places is really something special too.

Reaching the Barossa was an interesting mental shift after being in relatively isolated places for so long. Walking into Greenock, with its tastefully appointed and tidy public spaces was a bit jarring at first but having access to excellent services and facilities remedied things very quickly.

Camping on the Greenock Oval was also a blast. Something I can say I’ve never done before and more restful than expected.

Highlight of the section was definitely reaching Tanunda and seeing family. It was amazing to see Alison and to catch up with my daughter Abi, her partner Nathan and my granddaughter Olivia. Ali also surprised us with an epic gourmet lunch packed with all the things we had been craving. For me - cornichons. I’m pretty sure she brought half of the Central Markets to us. Best wife ever!

At the time of writing I’m enjoying a rest day which has included a slow morning and will involve a remedial massage to ease some of the pains.

Section 6 will see us reach the Adelaide metropolitan area and hiking theough a very familiar part of the trail. In a way I expect it will feel a bit like coming home.

We’ve got two weeks of hiking left and I’ve been looking forward to the coming sections for some time. 

Next stage will be familiar stomping grounds through the beaut Adelaide Hills and the push to the finish.

]]> /2022/09/03/section-5-green-line-fever/feed/ 1 Section 5: The In-Between Places /2022/09/03/section-5-the-in-between-places/ /2022/09/03/section-5-the-in-between-places/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2022 22:50:49 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1240 It's been a strange and difficult section, I feel like we swapped interesting places for interesting people. The scenery has still been beautiful, but lacking the striking qualities of earlier sections.

My feet are now regularly very sore, and the repetitive flat roads are doing nothing good for this. I've spent probably too much time looking forward to Tanunda, where I'll see Marlene and the kids for the time in over a month and also get a full rest day!

Dave and I have both had to dig deep mentally and physically and I think that those demands have pushed us to connect on a deeper level.

We've met people who have shared many wonderful stories, including ghosts, gradual migration out of Adelaide to the country, walks all over Australia and switching to a completely itinerant lifestyle. I've really enjoyed seeing people living happy and fulfilled lives in so many different and unconventional ways.

It has me reflecting on how I can keep a healthy balance when I get back to life after this, which is increasingly imminent.

Day 28 - Burra to Worlds End

My parents joined for breakfast at Tivers Row. It was great to catch up one last time, we packed up and got a lift to the supermarket to finish resupply. We farewelled and did our shopping.

It's weird that you forget how heavy the pack is at the start of resupply. We have no towns until Kapunda so this is a big one and it hurts!

Some of Dave's regular hiking crew joined us for the walk to Worlds End - Shannon, Paul and Annalise. They all had some connection to Burra which they shared as we left.

It was a short climb out, a steady descent and then a long day of straight roads. The hill line was pretty and weather great but otherwise not much to report.

The day passed quickly with conversation and they left us at the shelter to filter water and head back to Adelaide. I had some great advice from northbound hiker Chris the night before, he said the caravan site past the hiking shelter is much nicer.

The pack was extra heavy with overnight water and we got it done. Shannon had left some treats at the final stile and we arrived. Worlds End is a beautiful spot, there are many huge gums and prolific bird life. Equally prolific were caravans and 4x4s!

We found a good place to pitch, setup and relaxed. I was having a wash when a car pulled up asking 'Dave and Sim?'. It was Paul, he'd grabbed us some dinner and beers and dropped off on the way back to Adelaide - you bloody legend!

We ate, enjoyed an amazing sunset and I finally started a book on the Kindle. Alive is a famous story of a plane crash in the Andes and it is harrowing!

Day 29 - Worlds End to Huppatz Hut

We had a short day to Huppatz Hut so I took my time. It was cold overnight and there seems to be more condensation near a creek bed. I waited for the sun to dry everything out and set off.

It was another glorious day and a good walk out of Worlds End. I saw the defunct swing bridge then walked a section on the road shoulder.

This continued into a wildlife sanctuary which was a real treat. The trail in and out of a creek bed, with great fauna and many birds. It was a solid cure to the monotony of the previous day.

I came across Dave sunning in a field and stopped for morning tea. After the sanctuary we descended and crossed a valley of agricultural fields. On the other side was a tough climb over the range with some great views. From the top I could see Huppatz Hut, a large restored building.

The climb down was steep and stony and I saw another windmill which had been toppled by the wind - these always amuse me. You had one job to do!

It was lovely to arrive early, giving plenty of time to rest and read. We ate outside and enjoyed another beautiful sunset.

Day 30 - Huppatz Hut to Smith Hill

The day started sunny and a little cold. We left early with a long day ahead, walking through pleasant rolling meadows with many gum trees.

We climbed to the base of the mountain range for a steady up and down dirt track. I got a good zap from an electric fence crossing over - it's the first I'd encountered and wasn't looking for it crossing the stile. A warning sign for south bound walkers would be nice!

I was surprised to see cows grazing among the native scrub on the mountain side of the fence.

We crossed the range through a lower pass which was pretty. Then followed a long section of very hard packed dirt road. My feet were very sore by the end of it.

This led to Webb Gap where we intersected the Lavender Trail. The campsite looked nice. We passed over, walked more fields and climbed up to Smith Hill campsite.

The site is just below the ridge line which is great because already the wind was howling from the other side. It was a early one with dinner in the tent kind of night, and a storm howled through the night.

Day 31 - Smith Hill to Marschalls Hut

This was a hard day. I'm really feeling the accumulation of fatigue and damage in my feet.

The walk started with a straightforward descent, followed by long sections of road. I've come to dread the Dry Weather Only roads, they've always been damp and the thick clay sticks to your shoes. A layer sticks to that, and you get gradually taller and heavier feet, until a big clump falls off.

I crossed the 400km remaining marker which is amazing, then a deceptively long road into Marrabel. It's a small town with no services, but a great cast statue of a famous bucking horse named Curio who excelled at throwing riders. Apparently they still hold a large national rodeo here.

The afternoon took us along more fields, this time canola almost ready to harvest. I loved the sea of yellow across the field, and they're taller than I thought only seeing them from the roadside.

Marschalls Hut was a short detour off the trail and well worth it. It's a beautiful old stone cottage with a pond and a fantastic view.

Day 32 - Marshalls Hut to Kapunda

This was a day I was worried about, over 35kms, but in the end it was pretty good. It was fresh leaving the hut early but the sun rose and warmed us.

We enjoyed the view from the ridgeline and settled in to steady walking either on roads or on small easement between farmlands. These typically have a lot of native scrub and are nice walking, although a little slower with detours around trees.

Late in the day I got to enjoy some great views of Kapunda - I suspect the trail detoured up a hill for this - and the surreal walk through Kapunda. I realised I'm very tired and hitting a larger town for the first time was a little overwhelming, it had me wondering if I've forgotten how to human.

It didn't take long to figure things out and I was showered, had clean clothes and a schnitty. The Sir John Franklin was built in 1849 and we learnt some great stories from the publican including an artist painting a huge series of caricatures of locals to pay off his tab and stories of ghosts!

Day 33 - Kapunda to Greenock

It was all good news this morning - spring had arrived and we had a short day after the big push the day before. We took our time to get ready and made our way to the excellent Little Mo bakery.

Over multiple courses of breakfast we met another hiker Claire. She had taken a year off and done many of Australia's great trails, about 3300kms on foot and another 1000 by bike.

It was great to hear her experiences and we wished her well going back into working life. I've no doubt she'll be out exploring again soon.

Walking today was the usual fare, straightforward and pretty although a little cold. We stopped for lunch on a hill overlooking a meadow and saw grape vines for the first time.

Coming into Greenock we met the self appointed town greeter, a young girl jumping on a trampoline who asked 'are you doing that walk?'. It was sweet.

Greenock is lovely, we pitched on the cricket oval and made our way to the pub for beers and an excellent meal. A young and very experienced hiker Zac (aka Captain Hook) saw our tents and tracked us down, along with a Swiss hitchhiker he'd just met. At 25 he'd walked an impressive number of the world's great trails and had great stories and knowledge to share.

Between hikes he's living out of a van and makes custom ultralight gear which look amazing. You can check his work out at http://footfalcongear.com/.

Day 34 - Greenock to Tanunda

This was a short and exciting day. We breakfasted at the brilliant El Estanco - the homemade chorizo was incredible and the coffee and Campari breakfast shot worth trying, then made our way to Tanunda.

Dave was so eager to see Ali that he went into hard march mode, I held back to relax. It was a nice days walk with many vineyards and cellar doors.

Ali brought us an incredible from the central markets, and later I washed clothes and enjoyed a bath waiting for Marlene to arrive with the girls. It was wonderful seeing them again after such a long time!

Next entry - Section 6: Homecoming

]]> /2022/09/03/section-5-the-in-between-places/feed/ 1 Section 4: We Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends /2022/08/26/section-4-we-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends/ /2022/08/26/section-4-we-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:50:27 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1075 I thought this section might be an easier one since we left the Flinders Ranges and boy was I wrong. My sense of time is distorted but it feels like it's been the most difficult so far. High velocity wind, rain, hail, mountains and big distance turn out to be a hard combination.

Lucky we had help in a number of different ways. Neil and Jenna surprised us with dinner, wine and a fire after a day of filthy weather, a farmer let us camp in their front yard when we had to ditch our planned campsite due to no shelter and belting wind, and even though most of Hallett was officially closed when we rolled in, we ended up with a great meal, some memorable accommodation and the use of a fountain to find the leak in my sleeping mat!

I should have had a bad feeling about this

We probably should have expected the weather having crossed the Goyder line and also walked into wind farm territory.

Mentally I've noticed a little slippage into walking hard and paying less attention. I think it's a combination of increasing familiarity with the experience and having coped with some the tougher days. I'm trying to push myself back into the relaxed presence I enjoyed at the beginning and I'm making sure to check out the stars again.

My feet have started to hurt at the end of each day as we pick up the distance. I'm surprised I haven't had more blisters with entire days of wet socks, so many mountains and countless stones.

My little toe is developing a second toe of dead skin which I've named Toto. We're definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Day 20

I can't believe it's already day 20, and that we're out of the Flinders!

I slept well at the Royal Crystal Brook Hotel, and the publican Bridge was a legend sorting our washing, thanks!

On the way to breakfast with Dave, Dave Sr and Jan I bumped into Stephanie, a northbound end to end walker. It was great to compare notes and realise that we'd cross the mid point in the next section.

We left Crystal Brook in good spirits. The weather was great despite overnight rain again, and it was a short and easy looking day ahead.

We walked a short section of road, a longer section of dirt road and then along pasture fences. A long creek really made the day, it was a stunning spot and we took a long lunch to enjoy it under the shade of a pepper tree. Dave sang a song about Noop Noop and the Cheese Sticks to the tune of Waltzing Matilda to pass the time. Trail madness is definitely not a thing.

We got in to Hiskeys Hut quite early. It's fantastic hut that's been well restored. There was a book which told surprisingly entertaining tales of the efforts to revegetate around the hut with antagonistic sheep nearby.

It also had a great article about all the different First Nations language groups original lands that we were passing through. It's very sad to think that most of these groups are gone as a result of colonisation.

Later in the day another northbound hiker arrived, Joe. We had some great conversation to pass the rest of the day.

Hey Joe!

Day 21

I woke with a terrible thought. The day before we crossed the Goyder line, which Dave passionately explained is a survey line across South Australia indicating which parts have reliable rainfall to support sustainable agriculture.

Reliable rainfall and hiking are not best friends. It has rained most of the night and there was no sign of letting up.

We walked along various roads in the rain. We walked through some paddocks in the rain. We climbed a hill in the rain. We walked along a long rollercoaster ridge line in the rain. I think you get it.

The scenery would have been great if not for the dense cloud cover. There were occasional hints of a huge vista of the farmland below. The strong winds added an icy chill to the wet.

I enjoyed walking through the marshy grass, and picking paths around overfilled damns. Late in the day we climbed a mountain with a long man made stone wall. I suspect the intention was wind protection, but today's gale blew from the opposite side.

The final section sent me into the middle of a pine plantation. I'm not sure if I missed a sign, but it was fun navigating the dense and soaking wet forest.

Approaching Curnow's Hut I was thrilled to see smoke coming from the chimney. Our friends Neil and Jenna had come to surprise us with fire, food and wine.

Neil was cooking an oxtail potjiekos (pronounced poi-kee), a South African dish that resembled a stew but apparently isn't as it is never stirred. It was absolutely delicious and great to see you both, thanks for the surprise!

We also met Kate and Callum, northbound end to end hikers who are raising money for the Childhood Cancer Association here. They were lovely and we wish them all the best for their time in the Flinders.

Few photos today owing to the foul weather.

Day 22

I took a slower start today to have coffee and see Neil and Jenna off. It was a big day with a straightforward profile and the weather looked great.

The valley from Curnow's Hut was thick with fog and it was very pretty. Dave had left early and left me a lovely trail message.

Later the trail led along a creek in a stunning valley. There were many sheep, kangaroos the surrounds so pretty that I took my time to happily take it all in.

Early afternoon had me following an viaduct, and water would be the theme for the remainder of the day. I followed pipes through the SA Water site Bundaleer Reservoir. I've really enjoyed the trail cutting through electricity and water infrastructure in some sections, it's a testament to human effort and key enablers for modern life.

The last part in to Spalding was a struggle due to being such a long day and the accumulated fatigue.

We stayed at the Spalding Hotel. It's undergoing some renovation but we still got a great room, wood fired pizza and our clothes washed. The place has great potential and I'm sure Fletch and his wife will be successful with it.

Day 23

The day looked promising. We had a reasonable sleep in waiting for the general store to open. The place was well stocked and made a decent coffee. A local noticed we looked like hikers and said there was snow forecast above 700m. Our climb took us to about 650m so she'll be right, yeah?

The morning was lovely, sunny and easy dirt road walking. We had a decent hill climb, then started on the ridge line where a decent wind was already blowing. I found a good hollow for lunch and spotted Dave in time to call him in.

The wind steadily picked up, increasing to a point that I had to walk on an angle against it. It started a novelty but fast became hard work.

I was concerned at how quickly the weather could change at this pace, and wasn't thrilled to see large grey clouds looming. Sure enough they got us, alternating sideways rain and hail. The hail nipped at my face but my buff did a decent job as a shield.

It was pretty real at this point. We were following a fence line at a little distance to avoid being pushed into the barbed wire. There were occasional flashes of lightning, a little too close for comfort. We wanted off the hilltop urgently, but the stony terrain and gradient wasn't quick.

We arrived at the planned campsite and immediately knew it wouldn't serve. Whistling Trig had a small shelter and a tank and little else. There was nowhere to pitch safe from this weather.

We filtered water to 4L as preparation for a campsite without water and continued to disembark the ridgeline as fast as possible.

It was incredible how quickly it eased once we dropped altitude. We'd walked 30kms, were soaked and were looking opportunistically for any kind of sheltered place to camp when we saw a farmer on the road. He offered to call and see if we could camp in the front yard of his bosses place, a nice flat spot with saltbush for wind cover. Thanks Brad, you did us a huge one.

We were lucky to get a break in the rain while setting up tents, but my troubles weren't over. Exhausted and cold, I managed to spill my just watered dehydrated meal through my tent and spent 30 mins and a weeks worth of toilet paper cleaning it up. I expect to be finding cous cous surprises for a while.

I rolled into the sleeping bag feeling pretty sorry for myself. At 11 I woke with the cold of the ground seeping through my bag. My sleeping mat had a leak! The remainder of my night was a cycle of 3 hour sleep, wake cold and reinflate.

If you're not familiar, sleeping mats are far more important than just comfort. They insulate you from the cold of the ground. Your bodyweight squashes sleeping bag down making it ineffective, so even my glorious minus 15 bag gets cold quickly on the ground in close to zero conditions.

Day 24

I woke feeling pretty rough. It was bitterly cold out and and icy wind blew, I decided I'd wait for some warmth of the sun to get moving given we had a short day.

Packup was straightforward and the light of day showed I'd done a surprisingly decent job of cleaning the cous cous and Mediterranean sauce from my tent and things.

It was a hard days walk. My back hurt, my feet hurt and I was tired from the previous tough day. It was sunny but never warm due to the icy wind.

I met a northbound hiker named Nell who looked cold. We spoke briefly but I didn't want to hold her up and get even colder. I hope she did ok over the ridgeline we crossed the day before.

We decided to try stay in Hallett rather than at the abandoned railway station to recover and repair. We ate at a charming cafe and collectables store and learner that most things are closed on Tuesdays in Hallett. The owner Tristan phoned a friend and said there would be accommodation available when he returned from Clare later that day.

In the meantime I set about repairs. I asked if there was a pool, tub or trough in town but there was none. I asked if I could work on my mat in the store, and with an all clear inflated it and started inspection. It's a painful job and I wasn't getting anywhere when Tristan offered me to use his fountain.

It would've made an unusual sight to see me carefully dunking sections of mat, and Dave said that a concerned citizen came in to make mention of this. It paid off, I found the hole and patched it, as well as a tear in my rain shell from a barbed wire fence pushed over the trail by the wind.

His friend Chris arrived who owns the general store. He opened for us, allowing us to restock and order dinner. He gave us the keys to our room and it turns out we would be sleeping on an old train! And he sold beer!!

In the end I was able to complete my repairs, dry and clean my gear, restock, have a wash, eat a great meal and knock back some beers with Dave while processing the wild day before. It turned out a fine day.

Day 25

This was a day we were both dreading. We were still shy from the battering by the weather 2 days earlier and locals had mentioned that Mt Bryan has broken many a hiker. The story of northbound hiker Stephanie being physically unable to ascend the mountain due to the combination of wind, hail and gradient sat fresh in my mind.

I'd taken to referring to it as Mt Doom.

In the end it wasn't too bad. Other than being icy cold, the weather was kind. The approach from the north was quite reasonable, mostly gradual ridgelines. The descent was rough though, I can see why it can be a trouble for northbound hikers, especially if wet.

The views were great and soon we were back on road. We stopped for lunch at the Mt Bryan School hut, which also serves as the mid point for the trail!

We walked through Caroona Creek Conservation Park for the afternoon. Tourilie Gorge was a major highlight, a creek bed with water shaped slate in soft greys and beautiful bluestone formations.

It was a huge day and we made it to Caroona Creek Shelter to meet Glenn. He was a veteran walker on his second Heysen Trail and great company.

Day 26

The morning was some of the best waking since the Flinders. So many great views and wildlife. I highly recommend Caroona Creek Conservarion Park if you love nature walks, and it's not so far from Adelaide.

I took a significant detour by accident, adding about 3kms to a 32km day, but at least I got some great views for my trouble.

The afternoon had us walking up and down monotone bald hills along a dead straight fence line. It felt like purgatory, every hill crossed presented an identical view and they seemed endless. The only variety was unpleasant - a sheep carcass with the smell of blood heavy in the air, and some hills much stonier than others.

It reminded me of going off the map in a computer game, where the scenery is completely empty and there is nothing but procedurally generated terrain.

Late in the day I did watch 2 eagles sitting on the wind hunting, a real treat.

By contrast the Wandallah Shelter was an oasis. A great site with shelter, platform and toilet, I cooked and ate under the shelter and did some stargazing on the platform with my sleeping bag for warmth.

Day 27

We took a slower start knowing we had a short day into Burra. The trail quickly had us on rolling hills similar to the previous days purgatory which Dave found particularly egregious.

It didn't last too long and we we rolling down a dirt road close to Burra.

We me John, a northbound hiker and stayed for a good chat. We warned him of the hill trials to come and wished him well. He shared some different hardships he'd encountered along the way too, noting we'll have severe climbing in the Myponga Conservation Park heading south.

We made it to Burra for a stay at the absolutely delightful Tivers Row Cottages!

Next entry - Section 5: The In-Between Places

]]> /2022/08/26/section-4-we-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends/feed/ 3 Section 4: Not Giants but Windmills /2022/08/26/section-4-not-giants-but-windmills/ /2022/08/26/section-4-not-giants-but-windmills/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:45:53 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=1183 I’ve spent a lot of time over this section thinking about Don Quixote. This is partly because we walked under the massive blades of wind turbines outside of Hallett, providing a convenient literary parallel; and partly because I’m tickled by the quixotic nature of what we’re doing.

Following the trail means rejecting logic. We will hike two extra days - or 60km - to reach a destination that is half that by road. Common sense would reject such errant calculus.

We also got caught in a massive storm.

A casual observer might have witnessed two fools screaming their tiny defiance into the wind while hail slapped them in the face and they became increasingly sodden.

It’s hard to think of a more quixotic contest than man versus storm.

To go back a few steps. 

Our point of departure for this section was Crystal Brook - We stayed at the Royal Hotel and were well looked after by Bridgette and her family.

It was a short day to Hiskey’s Hut, a cottage that has been restored by the Friends of the Heysen for use by walkers.

We learned that the hut had been the site of an ongoing conflict between volunteers working to green the surrounds and local sheep who see the delicious young saplings delivered to them as fair and convenient game.

U-baa Eats?

The volunteers’ tactics have evolved over time and the new trees are provided with suits of armour hammered out of tin cans. It appears to be working.

We shared the hut with Joe, a northbound hiker from Tasmania who is ticking off one of his bucket list items in walking the Heysen from end to end.

Rain set in the next morning as we hiked through Georgetown toward Curnow’s Hut. This was a day of soggy paddocks and windy, cloudy ridge lines. Wet feet all day made it something of a slog, however, we had a surprise waiting.

I reached the hut to find fires going in both fireplaces, fresh bread and bottles of wine on the table and a Dutch oven full of delicious stew cooking away.

Not long after, our friends Neil and Jenna wandered down a nearby hill to each receive a damp, furiously exuberant hug.

They both hiked the Pacific Crest Trail over six months in 2018, where ‘trail magic’ - random acts of kindness and support for through-hikers - is a regular occurrence and something that helped them complete their own epic endeavour.

They had decided to drive up to meet us and spread a little trail magic of their own on a day where it was very much needed.

We were also joined by Callan and Kate who were hiking northbound and who were quickly invited to join us for dinner.

It was an excellent afternoon and evening thanks to the company, Neil’s delicious stew and a few welcome glasses of red.

Thank you Neil and Jenna. You are amazing.

From Curnow’s Hut the next destination was Spalding. In contrast to the previous days miserable whether, it was a stunning morning with the rising sun illuminating residual fog that had settled in the valley.

The morning’s walking was similarly spectacular taking us through a long valley full of sheep and pockets of remnant native vegetation.

The afternoon’s walking was along an open concrete viaduct which was fairly uninspiring but made for fast going given the good path.

Upon reaching the Spalding Hotel where we would be staying, it became apparent that they were closed for renovations. Nonetheless, Fletcher and Ange welcomed us in amidst the chaos, pointed us in the direction of the washing machine and dryer and cooked us some excellent pizzas for dinner.

I’m keen to head back here post-renovations to visit as it’s clear that Fletcher and Ange are turning the pub into something special. Great stay, would recommend.

The following day dawned bright and sunny and we were headed to Whistling Trig, situated atop Mundunnie Hill.

All the clues were there from the outset.

The owner of the general store letting us know storms were forecast for the early afternoon.

A local who dropped in to the general store who let us know that storms were forecast for the early afternoon.

The fact we were in a part of the start where wind farms were abundant.

Still, we finished our breakfast and headed out into a glorious morning.

We met a delegation of rogue sheep who had clearly decided that flock life was not for them.

We followed massive pipelines through verdant green pastures with sheep grazing in between and around them.

Eventually we began the climb up Mundunnie Hill, heading toward Whistling Trig. It was pleasant though windy and the old slate stone walls guided us along.

Before to long the wind became fierce and we could see the storm clouds rolling in. We were going to be caught in the storm on top of the hill with kilometres of hard climbs and descents.

To say it was a humbling experience would be an understatement. The power of the wind and the numbing rain and hail pushed me into overdrive. Not anxious per se, but with the sober realisation that we needed to get off the hill quickly while ensuring we stayed sure-footed and safe.

We battled our way up to the Whistling Trig ‘campsite’ - a water tank and a bench, having made the earlier decision to fill up all our water bottles and bags and find somewhere to camp off the hill and out of the wind.

As an aside, marking Whistling Trig as a campsite seems erroneous at best. It is far to exposed and regularly subject to high winds making it unpredictable and dangerous in bad weather.

I would add my voice to that of other hikers in strongly encouraging the Friends of the Heysen to construct a new campsite around this location.

Having filled our bottles and enjoyed the meagre windbreak provided by the tank, we fought our way down the hill while being blown sideways.

The cold, steady rain at the bottom was a welcome relief from the pelting conditions above and we made our way along a well-graded road leading through a sheep grazier’s property.

We were on the look out for a possible campsite as we were now stuck between Whistling Trig and Hallett.

Luckily, we saw a car driving through the property from paddock to paddock and as it headed back towards us I waved it down. The driver, Brad worked on the property and I asked him whether we would be able to camp on a tree line that bounded the homestead. 

After a call to the owners, Brad let us know that we could camp in a saltbush grove at the front of the property which provided us a soft, sheltered pitch for the night.

Given we were cold, soaked and tired this felt like an absolute gift. We even got a lucky break in the weather and managed to pitch up without rain.

Once I got warm and ate my dehydrated meal (which was glorious, proving that context is everything) I happily greeted oblivion.

A big positive from our previous day’s sodden misadventure was that we were a lot closer to Hallett than planned. I was keen to make tracks so packed up my wet everything and struck out.

The notable highlight of the day was passing underneath the huge wind turbines just outside of Hallett, watching their blades repetitively cast shadows on the trail.

I also bumped into Nel, a northbound hiker from Queensland, who had done her best to rug up against the South Australian cold and whose pack was half her size.

Reaching Hallett it became clear that most of it was closed on a Tuesday. Hallett Coffee & Collectables was the sole standout. Run by the inimitable Tristan, I drifted in and immediately ordered a sandwich and coffee.

After explaining that Sim and I were hiking the Heysen Trail and that we had spent the previous day in a storm, Tristan helped sort us accomodation for the night.

Sim wandered in not long after and also ordered a sandwich. Then we ordered another sandwich, a muffin and a pot of tea. 

Tristan also let Sim look for a hole in his air mattress on the floor of his pristine establishment. When said hole couldn’t be found, he then let Sim submerge the mattress in his ornamental fountain next door.

My favourite moment was when a Hallett local came into the store to let Tristan know that a ‘man was in his front yard putting a mattress in his fountain’. Tristan didn’t even blink.

Incidentally, Sim fixed his mattress.

Tristan eventually ushered us out of his shop at closing time and before too long, Chris, the owner of both the general store and our accomodation for the night, returned from Clare to greet us.

He not only opened the store so we could buy supplies, took our dinner order but also sold us a six pack of Coopers Stout.

But the best part?

We were going to be staying in a train!

The accomodation was a converted train carriage with a room for each of us, nicely appointed with train memorabilia, a hot shower and comfy bed.

After we’d pulled out or wet gear to dry on the porch and done a round of sink laundry, we drank our beers alongside our hand delivered burgers and bedded down for a warm, dry night.

So from Hallett to Caroona Creek campsite which involved a hike up and down Mt Bryan with minimal wind and rain but not much visibility.

We also reached the official halfway point at the Old Mt Bryan East school where we stopped for lunch.

The afternoon was a hike through the beautiful  Caroona Creek Conservation Park and the stunning, rugged Tourilie Gorge.

It felt strange to be back in near pristine wilderness again and felt almost like we had returned to the Flinders Ranges.

It was also lovely to see the native wildflowers blooming, a reminder of Spring’s fast approach.

Reaching our campsite after a hard 32km day we met Glenn, a retired electrical engineer who was on his second through-hike of the Heysen Trail and who had also hiked the Larapinta and Bibbulman Trails.

It was great to chat with Glenn, listen to his experiences and to hear his advice about what was ahead for us. A truly lovely bloke.

The penultimate day of the section comprised a beautiful morning making our way out of the park and an afternoon which I found so thoroughly objectionable I expect my curses are still echoing on the many, many mind numbingly dull hills the trail demanded I climb.

I’m not going to labour the point but I will say that if you like climbing and descending seemingly endless hills and you’re able to chloroform your imagination and put your brain into neutral for the duration, you may well enjoy this section.

Highlights included sighting a pair of eagles on one of the hilltops, the lovely Wandallah Creek campsite and the hawk/falcon that stopped to perch on a fence post while we were eating our dinner.

Our final day into Burra was a short one, though not without a full morning of more tedious hills! So many!

We met John on the track into Burra, a northbound hiker who regaled us with tales of wild weather down south; and who is hiking sections before hitch hiking back to his car which he leaves at the start of the previous section. Another lovely bloke from interstate (not sure where) who had nothing but nice things to say about South Australians and their warm hospitality.

So we’ve finally reached Burra and are staying in an old workers cottage on the edge of town. It feels like a palace after several days in a tent.

I was directed to have an immediate shower due to my egregious odour and the laundry is getting done so clean clothes and better smells to look forward to.

My mate Shannon is heading up tonight for dinner and to hike with us tomorrow, along with friends Karl and Annelise. Sim’s parents are also heading up tonight and it will be great to see them too.

Section 4 was a hard one. Deliberately longer days and much more climbing than expected. The weather also played a big part, showing how quickly it can turn and how important it is to adapt to changed circumstances.

Hard, boring days also bring their own challenge but I always hold to the idea that as long as I keep moving forward, I’ll be somewhere new tomorrow. 

I’m starting to get a niggle in my hip and hope that some rest and a string of shorter days will settle things down.

It’s strange to think that we’re now over halfway and coming up on 700km. Time seems to move in odd ways, with the days being both short and long at the same time.

Overall it’s been a notably less beautiful section - more one that I’ve felt compelled to get done. Nonetheless it’s seen some great moments both in the people we’ve met and the landscape we’ve travelled through.

We’re now in that end of section lull of getting jobs done, finishing blogs, checking emails and calling loved ones. I always enjoy it.

Section 5 now beckons and we will continue to tromp our transitory, liminal path through to Tanunda where friends and family await.

‘Quixotic’ is defined as ‘foolishly impractical’ which seems a fitting description of this venture.

But it is also defined as ‘marked by lofty romantic ideas’ which I think fits just as well.

]]> /2022/08/26/section-4-not-giants-but-windmills/feed/ 3 Section 3: Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast /2022/08/18/section-3-six-impossible-things-before-breakfast/ /2022/08/18/section-3-six-impossible-things-before-breakfast/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:27:35 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=930 The trek from Quorn to Crystal Brook has been difficult, beautiful and graced by kindness, support and the benefits of excellent postal service. 

The seven days it has taken have felt closer to a fortnight with the first three days involving big climbs up and down Mount Brown and Mount Remarkable while also seeing us cover nearly 90 kilometres in distance.

We’ve also seen a significant change in the landscape as we move further away from the the desert and into a much less arid part of South Australia.

My thoughts upon crossing over into pastoral country - looking almost like the English countryside - was that it felt like stepping out of a Heysen landscape and into a Constable.

Leaving Quorn we hiked through Pichi  Richi Park, notable for its sweeping views and it’s incredibly rocky ground which required one to only intermittently enjoy the views so as to save one’s ankles. Regardless of the hazard, it is a beautiful place and provided a good challenge.

We had been blessed with good weather all day, however, the 1000m ascent over Mt Brown brought with it it’s own weather system and after 400m of climbing, we were hiking through the clouds which sat upon the Mount.

This provided a misty, eerie atmosphere which was great fun and a welcome distraction from the challenging climb.

As the summit grew closer, rain and wind set in making it bitterly cold and reducing visibility to 30m. Too cold to hang about on the summit for long, I did my best to follow some poorly placed blazes down a slope of wet rocks toward Catninga Shed where we were staying. 

I knew I wasn’t far but managed to lose the trail. The map on my phone was no help either as my fingers and phone screen where too damp to function! It was late in the day and I was losing light and needed to get to shelter.

Thankfully, a gust of wind blew some of the cloud clear for me to see a faint outline of the shed below. I stomped in soaked through to Sim getting a fire going in the shed’s pot-bellied stove. A good moment.

The weather that night was foul and we we fortunate to be under cover. The shed also had two bunks, one with a thick foam mattress to offset my leaky one. Once I’d dried off and eaten dinner I was in my bag and fast asleep.

It’s amazing how such rudimentary things like a warm, dry place to sleep take on such importance out here.

The following day dawned foggy and cold with the final throes of the storm still lingering about.

We had a big day ahead of us, having to hike 33.5km to Stony Creek. I pulled on my still-damp clothes - now also smelling of woodsmoke and shed and headed out into a pea soup morning.

Wet sheep kept me company as I walked up and down hills emerging to high rolling hilltops and Wilmington far away on the plains below. The wind was blowing fiercely and we had a quick lunch at Hawk’s Nest tank, ultimately descending to take a combination of roads, tracks along farm fences and finally the track to Stony Creek campsite. The campsite was tucked up against the foot of a tall hill with the ground covered in moss, making for a soft pitch and an excellent night’s sleep.

It was damp overnight but we had to climb and descend Mt Remarkable that day so I stowed my wet tent away and started the day with a steep climb over a ridge, down on to an access track with roller coaster undulations. The morning was constant climbing and descending and I was feeling it before we’d reached the outskirts Mt Remarkable. 

At this point I’d like to make an aside. The Heysen Trail has something of a masochistic nature. Wherever possible it will take the longest, hardest route between Point A and B probably to make sure you’re really embracing nature or suffering or whatever.

True to form, the trail took me deep down into a valley to make sure that climbing Mt Remarkable would be a ‘proper challenge’. Kudos trail, kudos.

The climb was actually pretty good, on track that would be familiar to anyone who has walked through the Mt Lofty Ranges. I had a change of heart about the trail at that moment, thinking that I had been too harsh in judging it.

Until I began my descent where the trail then mocked me for my naivety by having me traverse several kilometres of bastard rocks the size of railway ballast. There were some lovely views of Melrose far below in between the acrobatics and cursing.

Rolling into Melrose meant a hot shower and dinner at the pub. Such a great town and a real hub for mountain biking and hiking. Can’t wait to get back there.

We also had surprise visitors with my mate Lachlan and his kids Arlo, Fraser and Lindsey meeting us for dinner. It was great to see these guys and spend some time catching up on events and learning about their road trip to Wilpena.

The genius of the road trip is that Lachy’s wife was away for the week so he decided to clean the house, hitch up the caravan and take the boys touring so that the house was pristine for when Mum got back. 

The other reason I love Melrose is because my new air mattress arrived before we left meaning I no longer had to pump the old one up three times a night. I believe there’s now video of my joy at this momentous occasion circulating on the internet somewhere.

Thank you to Australia Post. You’re the real MVP.

So from Melrose we had a relatively short hike to Murray Town where we were met by the incredible Sabine Kloss and her partner Nick.

Sabine is the Brand and Philanthropy Manager for Diabetes SA and we have worked closely with her to set up the fundraising vehicle. She’s an amazing person and we’ve become incredibly fond of her.

Sabine and Nick not only brought us beers but prepared us a full charcuterie board and then proceeded to cook chicken, veggies and a full lamb roast in a campfire oven. It was spectacular.

As the night drew on a storm blew in and Sabine handed out blankets and Oodies to keep us warm while we sat under a tin roof around the portable campfire she and Nick had brought to cook dinner on.

Not content with this effort, Sabine then got up early to cook us a full breakfast before we set off for the day.

The  exceptional hospitality, incredible food and excellent conversation have made this one of my favourite trail memories so far. Truly above and beyond.

Thank you Sabine and Nick, you are wonderful humans.

From Murray Town our destination was the Go Kart Trak shelter with the trail taking us through fields, along back roads, through rolling plantation forest populated by herds of sheep and up onto Go Kart Trak which gave us views of Port Pirie way down on the plains below.

The next day was also spent hiking along the ridge via the Go Kart and Western Boundary Trak. This was a another day of ridge top roller coasters with lots of climbing and descending. I had anticipated an easy day given the relatively short distance but the Heysen Trail always has a swift kidney punch ready for the unprepared.

We passed by huge broadcast and mobile towers, and it was great to hike a part of the state that I’ve had my eye on every time I’ve driven to the Iron Triangle.

We arrived at Beetalo campsite around 3pm, setting up camp, doing our camp jobs and Finch even getting a fire going which we are our dinner by.

The wind was picking up as it got dark and we both retired to our tents to get warm and stay out of the elements. Not a great sleep due to the strong winds overnight but at least a cosy one.

The final day of Section 3 was a bucolic affair with green hills dotted with sheep and fields full of crops. It was very much a landscape terraformed in the English fashion and the well packed dirt roads made for good time.

Arriving in Crystal Brook marks the end of Section 3 and the end of the Flinders Ranges. Its exciting to be making progress but also bittersweet to be leaving behind such an iconic and beautiful part of South Australia.

My amazing in-laws, Dave and Jan met us in Crystal Brook having come up to recover items from the car crash a few weeks ago and to drop some things off for me. They were delightful as always and Sim and I thoroughly enjoyed dinner with them, hearing stories of their adventures in the Far North of SA and Dave’s visits to the Deutsches Museum with its fully working steam engine suspended from the roof.

Despite the challenges of this section, I couldn’t be happier with our progress. We set out to do a difficult thing on an ambitious timeframe and we absolutely got it done. We are getting faster at covering daily distances and more proficient at making camp and utilising our equipment.

An added bonus is that we are also consistently in mobile range so after the relative isolation of the first two sections, it’s been great to talk to our loved ones more regularly.

We’re also loving the catch ups with people on trail!

We have definitely found our groove and are making the most of it. Even though it’s a longer section, I’m excited for the trek from Crystal Brook to Burra and reaching the 500km mark and beyond.

]]> /2022/08/18/section-3-six-impossible-things-before-breakfast/feed/ 3 Section 3: Every Day Is Leg Day /2022/08/18/section-3-every-day-is-leg-day/ /2022/08/18/section-3-every-day-is-leg-day/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:27:09 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=928 This section was a tough one. The days featured far more climbing and descending than previous and we additionally increased the daily distance averages. I could see the fatigue accumulating in both of us, but every day we were back for more.

The change of scenery happened surprisingly quickly - dry and dusty reds became verdant green meadows. The fauna shifted too, no more emus, kangaroo numbers gradually reduced and sheep numbers increased.

We walked through multiple fantastic conservation parks with dense native scrub and saw much more thriving flora than previous sections.

The undulating mountains slowly became smaller and the alien environment became more similar to the native scrub I'm used to from around Adelaide.

On the last day we hit some great milestones - 400km walked, 19 days on trail and we have walked the length of the Flinders Ranges!

Let's play a game of Where's Dave? to understand the scale. This was on the way to Mt Remarkable summit and he really is in there!

Day 13

I started the day with a glorious breakfast of papaya, caramelised fig yoghurt and smoked kippers. We left Quorn early knowing we had a big day.

Dark clouds loomed and our bearing was roughly towards the middle of a large rainbow. We were lucky not to be rained on, it felt like the clouds parted for us.

We had a fast and flat walk following the railway line. One section warned of a resident bull camel which we were glad not to make the acquaintance of!

Pichi Richi park had us climb a stony single track up to a ridge line. It was hard work but gave lovely views, I especially liked the pink granite.

The final section of the day was Mt Brown. It's a lovely conservation park that reminded me of Morialta outside of Adelaide. I walked the valley to a cacophony of kookaburras and made the slow climb up to the peak. Near the top the weather set in with dense fog, chill winds and the heaviest rain so far. I didn't bother to climb to lookout as visibility was about 50m.

The descent was hard. Wet slippery stones and poor visibility made it tricky to spot the trail. FarOut was great to keep us on track. We walked through meadows made eery by the fog to arrive at Catninga Shed exhausted.

It looks like a basic hunting lodge and gave us welcome respite from the wild weather overnight. We made a fire to dry ourselves out, had dinner and crashed very early.

Day 14

The morning was freezing! The wind howled overnight and it rained constantly, we were grateful to have shelter. Moisture hung in the air, we were basically walking through clouds.

On top of that a frigid wind blew. It took quite a while to warm up, and I had layered almost all the clothes I packed. My rain and wind shell performed admirably.

Once I'd gotten over the cold and wet it was a really nice morning walking of rolling lush green meadows in a dreamlike fog. There was a lot of incidental climbing and descent.

We met a northbound end to end walker named Matt. He was on day 37 and in good spirits despite what sounded like a rough time with injuries. It was too cold and windy for a long chat so we continued with good wishes.

Hey Matt!

We stopped for lunch at Hawks Nest, an exposed shelter on top of a bare hilltop that reminded me of a gigantic version of Brown Hill. It was a lovely afternoon walk with the sun warming us up and many kangaroos.

Our trail followed the road to Wilmington, then we walked access tracks under massive transmission lines. We got to the Stony Creek track which was muddy and ripped up by 4x4s, and finally made camp. The spot was lush and green and unsurprisingly next to a stony creek bed.

Day 15

I woke knowing it would be a remarkable day. Today should be the last of the big climbs for this section. It had rained all night and the campsite looked even greener from above.

The day started with a vigorous climb up a single track. It was steep but a nice trail with much vegetation.

It wasn't long until we entered the Mt Remarkable conservation park. This was full of life, many kangaroos with joeys and frequent kookaburra laughter.

We walked on access tracks which were easy and nice underfoot, although there were some steep climbs.

At one point we were meant to follow a creek bed, however it was full of water and fast flowing and there wasn't room to walk. We adapted by cutting along the ridge lines and swapping sides where we could. It was slow going and sketchy at times due to the steepness and wet.

We had lunch at the lovely Gray's Hut. It had a bench to sit and overlooked a huge green pasture. Then followed a steep descent to the valley and the climb of Mt Remarkable. As I climbed I saw my first fox of the trip, running low out of the bushes, tan with a white tipped tail.

There was a nice flowing waterfall in the valley, and the trail was blocked by many fallen trees, meaning more detours. Once past those the climb was pleasant.

The descent to Melrose was a tough one. There were huge sections of scree - stones similar in size to those used in railway lines. They were hard on the feet and ankles and demanded a lot of attention.

Melrose was a welcome sight, we'd been 3 days from a town but it felt like a full week with all the exertion!

We had dinner with Lachlan, a friend of Dave. His wife was away, so he cleaned the house and took their 3 boys on a road trip - genius!

Day 16

I could feel the debt of the last few days. For the first time I had blisters forming, a consequence of the fatigued and harsh descent in wet socks from the day before. Lucky we planned a short day in anticipation.

We ate a hearty breakfast at Cafe 54 and set off. Melrose is a lovely town and I hope to come back. We passed an old brewery that looked beautiful and worth a visit, then headed out along a road.

Soon we left the road to walk through pastures, which would be much of the day. It was raining and the wet grass meant wet feet and socks, although the soft ground was welcome.

There were a couple of bluestone cottage ruins among the lush green fields which I thought looked perfect for a puzzle image.

Late in the day I saw a huge and muscular kangaroo close to the trail moving in a strange way on it's front legs. I realised a back leg was injured and dangling. It was distressed not being able to get away from me but not aggressive. I was saddened by what this terrible injury probably meant for the poor feller.

I arrived at Murray Town mid afternoon and Dave had already negotiated with the caretaker Tom to stay in a shed. There was a big storm forecast overnight and our luck held once again to have a roof over our heads.

Sabine from Diabetes SA and her partner Nick had organised to meet us. They'd been to Whyalla diving with the cuttlefish and offered to cook for us as support. What a meal it was! Sabine produced a spectacular charcuterie board and made a campfire pot roast of chicken, greek lamb loaded with veg.

Nick is practically an action hero - an army nurse, scuba diver, sailor, parasailer among other things. It was a great night of food, conversation, wine and warmth and we were so grateful.

Day 17

We had a long day ahead and needed to start early. Sabine and Nick insisted on sending us off with a cooked breakfast. While we packed Sabine made bacon, eggs and garlic mushrooms.

The storm had passed overnight, we left with full bellies into a sunny morning. The first half of the day had us walking dirt roads through pastoral land.

There were many picturesque moments, I was particularly taken by a cottage ruin in a a green field, white almond petals dropping in the soft breeze like snow.

We made great time in the morning and took a long and lazy lunch with shoes off in the sun.

The afternoon was hard. Everything hurt, my feet and back particularly.

The trail took us through several different beautiful conservation parks. Many wildflowers in yellow, red and purple and thick scrub full of flowering wattle. At times there was a strong smell of nectar in the air and the buzz of bees.

Camp was a solemn affair. I set up my tent in tough and rocky ground, did my jobs, spoke to the kids and was in bed by 7. The sunset was spectacular, we could see the ocean and Port Pirie.

Day 18

I had an amazing sleep, I was out solid for at least 10 hours. It was a shorter day so we took our time, it was nice to enjoy the sunrise and not rush.

We set off on the Go Kart Track. It takes its name from generous locals who have set up off-road go karts, free for Heysen Trail walkers.

Dave and I suited up, stowed our packs and took off in a blaze. The undulating track flew by, and despite our best manouevering no one could take a clear lead. We finished at Beetaloo shelter in a dead heat. We arrived by chance on a festival day, with food trucks, craft beers and a local band.

No wait, that was me fantasising. We walked all day again.

The trail was rolling and wide access roads. There were some hard climbs but we were trending downwards as the Flinders Ranges come to an end.

We had spectacular views of Pt Pirie, and the trail took us past a restricted area with an enormous radio tower.

We arrived at camp a bit earlier in today, giving me a chance to build a campfire and have a pot wash next to the warmth which was a treat.

After dinner I think on it being the last night in the Flinders. In some ways it feels I've been out here for months, and another piece of me can't believe this part is already almost over.

Day 19

Today was a very early start. We had about 30kms to Crystal Brook and needed as much time as possible to do town jobs - washing, shopping and resupply. It was quite warm so I packed up and ate breakfast watching the sunrise.

I was treated to a live bout of kangaroo UFC, a pair duked it out over several rounds. It seems like a friendly match, there wasn't a lot of big kicks and they and the spectators ate grass together afterwards.

The morning offered nice walking and the kms rolled past - well packed dirt road is a lovely surface to walk on. We passed many lovely fields and some tougher dry weather only roads where the clay builds up into very heavy shoes.

I ate lunch at a nice shelter with a bench, arriving just in time to see the Indian Pacific train roll past with quite a few passenger cars.

The final section was Bowman Park, a lovely and lush park with a great looking hut for overnight hikers.

At Crystal Brook I dropped in to Little Edon for a fresh juice and was offered an infrared sauna! This was too good to refuse, I had a lovely time alternating my feet in ice and the 60 degree timber sauna.

We had a lovely dinner with Dave's parents in law Dave and Jan. We heard about some of their adventures in the Flinders earlier in life. Big respect, they did it harder than us in many ways.

Next entry - Section 4: We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends

]]> /2022/08/18/section-3-every-day-is-leg-day/feed/ 3 Section 2: “You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes”. /2022/08/11/section-2-you-have-brains-in-your-head-you-have-feet-in-your-shoes/ Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:50:22 +0000 https://heyheysen.com/?p=896 Section 2 from Hawker to Quorn has been equal parts challenging and stunning. We have spent the last five days in some truly wild places, traversing narrow and rocky creek beds, spectacular gorges, stony plains and wind swept ridge tops.

Our days have taken on a rhythm of eating, hiking and sleeping. We are covering distances of over 30km and building the conditioning necessary for Section 3 and beyond.

Without a doubt this is the hardest hiking I have ever done. The trail through the Flinders Ranges is rugged and uncompromising.

It demands constant attention lest one missteps in a rocky creek bed or stone field or slips on a ridge line where the rocks jut diagonally upward.


Moving through the Flinders Ranges, my respect for the traditional owners and white explorers has deepened considerably. The wildness and emptiness of this country is daunting and it cannot be traversed without water. It is one thing to hike a well-established trail with mapping technology on one’s mobile phone, it is another entirely to understand the land in a way which enables survival.

We are guided by trail signs or ‘blazes’ which taken together form an imaginary ribbon threading through the landscape. The effort required to blaze the Heysen Trail would have been massive and the work done to maintain it is an enormous credit to the Friends of the Heysen. They are not always easy to find but they make for a fun game of hide and seek.

This section has seen us camping for the most part and making camp after a full days hike is it’s own kind of fun. I’m not so much falling asleep as passing into unconsciousness as soon as I’m tucked away in my sleeping bag.

Highlights in this section include: spectacular ridge lines and meeting Dan, a fellow hiker and new friend on Day 7; huge cliff faces with kangaroos grazing underneath and meeting a big group of section hikers on Day 8 (including my trail doppelgänger); the gruelling climb to the top of Mt Adern along with views of the ranges that stretched to the horizon on Day 9; the deep gorges and beautiful cliff faces running beneath Mount White on Day 10 - along with a stay at Dutchman’s Hut with its electricity, kettle and flushing toilets; and the mercifully short walk into Quorn on Day 11.

There are animals everywhere - we regularly see kangaroos and emus. We’ve also spotted what I think was a shingle back lizard, many birds and a tiny black snake which was sunning itself on the trail.

My favourite were the hawks who have made their nests in the cliff faces and who screeched at and circled high above us as we stomped our way underneath.

We’re now having a scheduled rest day in Quorn giving us time to recuperate, clean, check over our gear and resupply before striking out for Crystal Brook.

I cannot recommend Elizabeth House Backpackers and Hostel in Quorn highly enough. Kylie is a warm and gracious host and the accomodation is exceptional.

My feet are much better, some new blisters and some well-formed callouses and, while my remnant covid niggles away from time to time, I can feel myself getting fitter and stronger.

I’ve managed to acquire a tiny hole in my air mattress which will need to be fixed before heading onward but my gear is otherwise holding up well. I feel the same way about this hole as I do about mice in huts.

I have also come to deeply dislike dehydrated meals which is a little problematic given how many more I am required to eat. I do concede that what they lack in culinary inspiration they make up for in fuel efficiency.

The constant exercise is doing wonders for my blood sugar levels and I’ve adjusted my insulin regime to accomodate my new levels of exercise.

Sim is doing well despite some niggles and takes each day with his customary stoicism and positivity. We very much enjoyed our parmy and beers at the pub tonight.

My new shoes were waiting for me when I arrived and should make daily life much easier. A hot tip - don’t wear goretex shoes in the desert. It’s a rookie move.

Section 3 has us climbing Mt Remarkable and pulling some long days but i know we are up to the challenge. Things are gradually becoming less remote and we will be either staying i or passing through towns with greater frequency.

I’ve seen a truly beautiful part of the world out here and while every day demands something from you, it also rewards you in abundance for your efforts.

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