The night passes quickly and I awake before dawn with enough energy to catch up on my trail journals. I’m on the trail at 7:15 am and find it’s quite chilly outside. I’m in shade as I walk into the Pound so I walk all the faster to warm up. Activity = Warmth! My pack is heavy this morning; ugh! 😣 I reckon that with a week’s food carry plus two and a half litres water, I am at max pack weight for this thru-hike. I don’t normally carry that much water but the days are sunny and bright and I’ve been more thirsty than usual. It takes a bit over three kilometres to walk from the Wilpena Village into the Pound. The Pound is an amazing place, like bowl with sloping mountains for sides. If you have never seen an aerial photo of Wilpena Pound, do yourself a favour and google it! This early in the morning I have it myself. I briefly stop by Hill House, a historic stone cabin. There is no glorifying that it was a hard life here but settlers persevered until the pastoral leases expired in 1921 and the area transitioned to a National park. I walk on into the sun which has finally risen over the ranges. The walking is pleasant- mostly flat with scattered trees as it is remanent pastureland. The only thing grazing here now are numerous roos! They don’t seem too concerned with me but they keep their distance. I’ve soon stripped down to my tee shirt before I reach the Pound’s edge and start the climb up to Bridles Gap. The pathway up becomes rocky and completely covered by brick size stone cobbles. They are hard on my feet but my hiking poles help me pick through them. It’s also a bit difficult to navigate as there isn’t always a clear footpath and little opportunity for footprints so I can track. It doesn’t take long to reach Bridle Gap. Looking out south away from Wilpena Pound, there are lovely views of the surrounding ranges, the Red Ranges and Elder Ranges (I think) particularly towards Arkaba to the south. I stop at the gap for a bit to have my mid-morning snack and to simply enjoy the view. Heading down, the trail is steep and rough, full of rock ledges to navigate down. On my first thru-hike, I met a mother- daughter section hiking and the mum, who was afraid of heights, had an awful time traversing down. Me, I’m just glad to have my poles for extra stability points but it doesn’t bother me and I make quick work of the drop. At the base, I walk on and traverse a couple of steep and exposed hills. The sun is bright and it is dry, dusty and warm. I’m wondering if I’m going to regret not bringing sunscreen? The trail drops into a creek bed and leads to a nice section of creek walking. Not too steep or rocky, the creek bed is pleasant to walk along, particularly when the footing is soft Brachina Shale chips - my favourite walking surface as it’s cushy like walking on a sawdust path. I exit onto 4WD tracks near Black Gap and soon enter Arkaba Station property. Once again, the terrain is quite exposed and the sun beats down on me as I cross open hills and numerous creek beds. It’s only 23 degs but still feels hot when exposed to sun directly overhead. Arkaba does lots of feral animal culling and I often smell the rotten sweet smell of decaying goat. I come across a new water tank labeled Arkaba Stockyard tank. It’s not yet in the Far Out maps. Perhaps I should have planned to replenish here and not carried all that heavy water. The last eight kilometres becomes “character building” for me. The path is often rocky with difficult footing. In addition to hurting my feet, I note that the rocks today have completely destroyed the plastic mud basket on one of my hiking poles - it is just ripped away. No worries, I don’t really need mud baskets anyway.! The last hour becomes a bit of a slog as my back hurts from the heavy pack, my feet hurt from the rocks and the flies are, oh so close, to driving me to get out my headnet. I’m relieved when I finally arrive at Red Ranges camp around 3pm. I’ve walked just shy of 30 kms today so I actually made good time. First thing after shedding my pack, I do twenty minutes of pilates on the multi-use platform and my back feels much better. Red Ranges is a lovely campsite on the Arkaba Station property. Arkaba, now a conservancy and tourism business, restocked the station 20 years ago and are restoring it to its original natural state. They run costly glamping tourist overnight walks on the station yet Heysen walkers get to taste it all for free! No wine and 3-course gourmet meal however… Arkaba has also installed a nice fire pit with benches at the hikers campsite and also provides spilt and cut wood but I’m not in the mood for a fire. A bit too warm in the day although it quickly cools off at night! I have the camp to myself. I was thinking of cowboy camping on the wooden multi-use platform but it is a bit saggy and splintery - I don’t want a splinter to put a hole in my blow up pad! Plus I’m not sure if it will be too cold to be up on the wood slats off the ground. So I quickly set up my tent and run through my familiar camp chores. I eat dinner early at just past 5 pm. It’s golden hour now after the sun went down and it is cooling down very fast. A Wallaby and her baby just hopped through camp; I sat very still and I don’t think they saw me. They were so cute, the mother is the size of a large dog and the joey is the size of a small cat and making sure to stay close to mum! Wish I could have videoed it! It’s just after 6pm and I’m unashamedly going to bed! I’m going to finish my journal and edit pics and then try to finish a book I’m reading on my phone. I’m looking forward to a good night’s rest! Body do your magic and repair my muscles! 🙏 Carl / Pilgrim Weather: Another warm sunny day at 23 degC, cooling down to a chilly 6 degC overnight Calories burnt: 2950 kcal

Hiking/Backpacking

Heysen Trail, South Australia

Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia

time : May 12, 2024 7:14 AM

duration : 7h 37m 23s

distance : 27.9 km

total_ascent : 440 m

highest_point : 696 m

avg_speed : 4.1 km/h

user_id : gstreet

user_firstname : Carl

user_lastname : Greenstreet

The night passes quickly and I awake before dawn with enough energy to catch up on my trail journals. I’m on the trail at 7:15 am and find it’s quite chilly outside. I’m in shade as I walk into the Pound so I walk all the faster to warm up. Activity = Warmth! My pack is heavy this morning; ugh! 😣 I reckon that with a week’s food carry plus two and a half litres water, I am at max pack weight for this thru-hike. I don’t normally carry that much water but the days are sunny and bright and I’ve been more thirsty than usual. It takes a bit over three kilometres to walk from the Wilpena Village into the Pound. The Pound is an amazing place, like bowl with sloping mountains for sides. If you have never seen an aerial photo of Wilpena Pound, do yourself a favour and google it! This early in the morning I have it myself. I briefly stop by Hill House, a historic stone cabin. There is no glorifying that it was a hard life here but settlers persevered until the pastoral leases expired in 1921 and the area transitioned to a National park. I walk on into the sun which has finally risen over the ranges. The walking is pleasant- mostly flat with scattered trees as it is remanent pastureland. The only thing grazing here now are numerous roos! They don’t seem too concerned with me but they keep their distance. I’ve soon stripped down to my tee shirt before I reach the Pound’s edge and start the climb up to Bridles Gap. The pathway up becomes rocky and completely covered by brick size stone cobbles. They are hard on my feet but my hiking poles help me pick through them. It’s also a bit difficult to navigate as there isn’t always a clear footpath and little opportunity for footprints so I can track. It doesn’t take long to reach Bridle Gap. Looking out south away from Wilpena Pound, there are lovely views of the surrounding ranges, the Red Ranges and Elder Ranges (I think) particularly towards Arkaba to the south. I stop at the gap for a bit to have my mid-morning snack and to simply enjoy the view. Heading down, the trail is steep and rough, full of rock ledges to navigate down. On my first thru-hike, I met a mother- daughter section hiking and the mum, who was afraid of heights, had an awful time traversing down. Me, I’m just glad to have my poles for extra stability points but it doesn’t bother me and I make quick work of the drop. At the base, I walk on and traverse a couple of steep and exposed hills. The sun is bright and it is dry, dusty and warm. I’m wondering if I’m going to regret not bringing sunscreen? The trail drops into a creek bed and leads to a nice section of creek walking. Not too steep or rocky, the creek bed is pleasant to walk along, particularly when the footing is soft Brachina Shale chips - my favourite walking surface as it’s cushy like walking on a sawdust path. I exit onto 4WD tracks near Black Gap and soon enter Arkaba Station property. Once again, the terrain is quite exposed and the sun beats down on me as I cross open hills and numerous creek beds. It’s only 23 degs but still feels hot when exposed to sun directly overhead. Arkaba does lots of feral animal culling and I often smell the rotten sweet smell of decaying goat. I come across a new water tank labeled Arkaba Stockyard tank. It’s not yet in the Far Out maps. Perhaps I should have planned to replenish here and not carried all that heavy water. The last eight kilometres becomes “character building” for me. The path is often rocky with difficult footing. In addition to hurting my feet, I note that the rocks today have completely destroyed the plastic mud basket on one of my hiking poles - it is just ripped away. No worries, I don’t really need mud baskets anyway.! The last hour becomes a bit of a slog as my back hurts from the heavy pack, my feet hurt from the rocks and the flies are, oh so close, to driving me to get out my headnet. I’m relieved when I finally arrive at Red Ranges camp around 3pm. I’ve walked just shy of 30 kms today so I actually made good time. First thing after shedding my pack, I do twenty minutes of pilates on the multi-use platform and my back feels much better. Red Ranges is a lovely campsite on the Arkaba Station property. Arkaba, now a conservancy and tourism business, restocked the station 20 years ago and are restoring it to its original natural state. They run costly glamping tourist overnight walks on the station yet Heysen walkers get to taste it all for free! No wine and 3-course gourmet meal however… Arkaba has also installed a nice fire pit with benches at the hikers campsite and also provides spilt and cut wood but I’m not in the mood for a fire. A bit too warm in the day although it quickly cools off at night! I have the camp to myself. I was thinking of cowboy camping on the wooden multi-use platform but it is a bit saggy and splintery - I don’t want a splinter to put a hole in my blow up pad! Plus I’m not sure if it will be too cold to be up on the wood slats off the ground. So I quickly set up my tent and run through my familiar camp chores. I eat dinner early at just past 5 pm. It’s golden hour now after the sun went down and it is cooling down very fast. A Wallaby and her baby just hopped through camp; I sat very still and I don’t think they saw me. They were so cute, the mother is the size of a large dog and the joey is the size of a small cat and making sure to stay close to mum! Wish I could have videoed it! It’s just after 6pm and I’m unashamedly going to bed! I’m going to finish my journal and edit pics and then try to finish a book I’m reading on my phone. I’m looking forward to a good night’s rest! Body do your magic and repair my muscles! 🙏 Carl / Pilgrim Weather: Another warm sunny day at 23 degC, cooling down to a chilly 6 degC overnight Calories burnt: 2950 kcal