Gloucester Tree: an old fire lookout but I thought I'd save the climb for another dayNew trees from the oldGood to see some farmland for a change, but this was fairly rare along the whole track read more
Pemberton to Walpole: 199km in 9 days
Gloucester Tree: an old fire lookout but I thought I'd save the climb for another dayNew trees from the oldGood to see some farmland for a change, but this was fairly rare along the whole trackWarren campsite - not a bad view to sit and watch your clothes dryWarren campsite - one of my favourites because of the surrounding trees and birdlifeMore trees from the Warren campsiteWarren campsite + trees againSunrise at Warren campsite - no need for an alarm with the noise of the birdlife at dawnAbout to set off on day 34 - only 15 to go!Historical River Road bridge built in the late 1930s for the log hauling railway, now maintained by the Bibbulmun FoundationHandy boardwalk.Someone with a sense of humour installed this bus stop sign. I waited .....Schafer campsite - certainly hard not to relax as all of the camp sites are in great locations.Schafer camp site - got to get those clothes dried by morning.One of the very few photos I got of the birdlife - a red winged fairy wren I am advised.Gardner River in full flow.
Track now starting to get quite wet and boggy in parts.The track can be wide and then narrow.Looks like it's time to get the boots wet.Once the boots and feet are wet, there is no point trying to skirt the edge of wet sections like this - just go straight throughGetting into more light sand on the track now which is good to walk onJust when you think you have seen the last wet section for the day - usually about 20cm deepLake Maringup - one of the largest fresh-water lakes in the south west. Too cold for me to even put my feet inStarting to get a lot of mosquitos, so having a tent to sleep in within the campsite becomes very handy to get a good nights sleepA handy boardwalkThis boardwalk was just a few metres shortThis was a challenge - how to climb over a fallen tree that is across a flooded track with the water 30cm deepGood to get confirmation I am on the right trackA recently built rammed earth shelter at Dog PoolThe Shannon River at Dog Pool campsite - easy to get to sleep with a waterfall just a short distance away and a great place to soak those feet at the end of a long walkView from Mt ChanceHeading across the swamps of the Pingerup PlainsThe water on these sections of the track was knee deep and if it were not for my walking poles I would have ended up in the swamp several times. You can't see the bottom and it is very sloppy
View from Woolbales looking west to Brooke InletI think this is where Woolbales camp site got its nameMy first view of the southern ocean near Mandalay BeachQuite a change of sceneryWalking through sandhills. This photo does not do the wildflowers justiceA seat just made for people with a backpack, so you can take the weight off your shoulders without having to take the pack off completely - more of these please!I must be getting close to civilisationAt this point I started singing "The long and winding road" - you can just see the path at the top of the photo
The track is not always very obviousThis was a real swing bridgeRed Tingle Tree at Mt Clare camp siteRed Tingle Tree at Mt Clare camp site - the centre of the tree can be burnt out like this one but it can continue to liveYou could pay $1,000s of dollars for some art work like this, and nature does it for free.Walpole River and not far now until I can have a coffee and a pieArtwork on the wall of the Walpole Hotel
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