The Overland Track day 3 - New Pelion Hut to Kia Ora



The evening at New Pelion Hut was also the first opportunity to get introduced to other fellow bushwalkers... I had the time to observe how others prepared for this trip and how they were managing on their 4th day (while it was mine 3rd). Interestingly..


I was not doing bad at all. But I was different. I did not have cooking stove with me. I did not have fancy gear or comfortable sleeping mat..nor I was bushwalking in a company. It was soon to be my third day and I was walking it on my own, with great enjoyment!

Well I had some company. Like the one below. On one of my stops, while sitting on a fallen tree covered with my waterproof jacket, I felt a slight discomfort at first. As it started to grow I began to check what's the reason, just to discover quickly that there were two reasons... one of them captured below.

 

Meeting with a local Jumping Jack ant... not a pleasure it was I must say. It left two swollen bites that were growing quickly on my bottom.

"The Jack Jumper Ant is a close relative to bees & wasps. It is the most dangerous native ant known in Australia and its venom is one of the most powerful in the insect world. Jack Jumpers are widely found in the eastern states of Australia and are on the move."http://www.jjant.info/

I don't know how it happened as I carefully checked before sitting down, besides there was this additional layer of my jacket as well. The itchy point was that I had to take off my trousers and apply an antibiotic which I gladly did. I admire myself for taking this precaution until this day. If not for the antibiotic I think it could have ended with very nasty skin irritation in best case scenario. But with the antibiotic applied it was healing in no time, actually next day there was no marks or anything.

The Overland Track Day 2 - Windermere to New Pelion Hut

The next day I woke up with the sunrise at 6 am. Beautiful and brisk day. I had to put socks over my hands to be able to bring the tent down and pack my belongings. It was sooooo freeeeezing cold.
A quick breakfast - piece of bread with hard boiled egg - and I was ready in no time.




Getting ready at Lake Windermere. I am starting my day 2.





Now I could think about yesterday with fresh mind. I did 24,6 KM in 7 hrs time. Definitely the day was more challenging than I had anticipated. I quickly went through my planning and there was only one more day coming close to the distance. It was 17 KM... and it was today. The trail from Windermere to New Pelion Hut... How lucky to be having it straight after my stretched day 1 ;). Normally it would have been day 3 if not for my crazy run. So normally it would have been working out well - day 1 stretch with two mountain tops, day two a bit of a rest going down from the mountains, and day 3 a stretch again, flat walking though.



Overland Track - my day 2 - Windermere to New Pelion Hut



Looking at the map, I had a secret hope of stopping over at Pine Forest Moor as the map was indicating a hut there. It was half way through, so if it was too difficult to walk the 17 KM I could maybe have a stop-over there.


For now it was enough just to start and continue my venture. I was walking around Windermere lake for about 25 minutes and imagine my astonishment when I came across a big sign for a public Windermere hut...It turned out I was camping in the middle of nowhere while not even 30 min away I could have gotten a bunk bed, hot water and a decent company of 9 other hikers.


Windermere hut (from wildsight.com.au)

Their faces when I entered the room at 7 AM were more than anything saying (...)

The Overland Track day 1 - Cradle Mountain to Windermere cont'd




After missing on Cradle Mountain climb I could not refuse temptation of Barn Bluff (1559 m). Even though it is said to be 3-4 hours return walk (7 KM) I though I still had enough time. It was probably around 3:40 PM when I left my backpack at the junction, securing it from unzippers I went off, free from all the weight. It felt wonderful to walk without the 15 kg stuck to my back. I started running down the path...Jogging was the last things a normal healthy person would do being in my position. But I just could not help it. It felt so unbelievable good.

Barn Bluff - getting closer

I arrived on the bottom of the mountain and started climbing up. After a while I realized I wasn't going to make it to the very top. It was just too much without a proper gear and a support. I decided no to risk more then I did already.





Looking at Cradle Mountain from Barn Bluff

 Even if I did not make it to the top I felt satisfied with the views and the fact that I was the only person there. No other hikers decided to do this side walk, some being tired anyway and some probably content with having climbed Cradle Mountain just few hours before. And the Waterfall Valley camp site was so close that most people is usually desperate to get there and relax.
 I don't blame them!

The Overland Track day 1 - Cradle Mountain to Windermere

Not knowing what to expect really and whether I am capable of completing such a venture, the minimum plan was the 83 KM. Full self sufficiency and a survival test.
But I was injured already before even starting. I had a bad knee from an unfortunate fall on icy path back home. It happened three days before my departing flight. It was a middle of winter and obviously Poland at this time can be covered in ice and snow ;). I slipped just outside the gate to my place and immediately I knew I was going to suffer... Next day was not looking more optimistic at all, the knee was swollen and hurt badly. I needed to see a doctor.
The sentence was: nothing really bad happened but it will take 4-6 weeks to heal. Long distance flying could cause complications, further swelling was the least he told me...of course no exercising and keeping it nice and cool for the time period. Anyway, as I heard that it was not that bad, there was nothing stopping me from going. I had few days before the trek and I knew I was going to do it this way or another.


Getting off the final transfer bus, just in front of the Overland Trek "gate" with 10 other companions. Me with a bandage and elastic bands around my knee and ankle. Taking a photo all together and them laughing that it is unusual to see someone injured before they even started. It is normal to see people with injuries at the end but no one with common sense would attempt to complete the trek without 100% of their capabilities and power. That wasn't reassuring, was it?

Fast and furious?
On the trail with my backpack and a small camera. The pic was taken 2-3 hrs into first days trek. I was counting the hours of my trek to make sure I get to the camp site before the dawn. Keeping in mind that the starting point was 1:15 PM the commong knowledge was that the sunset is at 7:20 PM. Plenty of time for 10,6 KM trek, right?

I began the trek at exactly 1:15 PM, signing my name in the log book at the start. It started off nicely with an easy boardwalk taking me through a valley up to the steep climb that was continuing for ever..and ever...and then a bit more....I did not feel anything other than excitement and hunger for adventure. Will I be able to come out on the other side? Will I make it? I quickly picked up my pace and soon I was the only one on the trail, leaving the others far behind.
First day was going to be "easy" according to my planning. Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley, 11 KM 4-6 hrs. I would get to the first camp early enough to enjoy the sunset!

On the way to Marion's lookout, passing Crater Lake.

 

Adrenaline rush made me almost run the track, wanting to see all of it, not to miss any detail. Like the air was going to expire or the soil was going to evaporate. Exposed to the warmth of full mid-day sun, already covered in sweat, I got to the very first stopover - the Marion's Lookout at 1223 m, the highest point on the track. I did it in 1 hour, bypassing a group of tourists and some other single hikers. It was not even a half way through the daily distance but I knew it was the most challenging hike from all days. The route was far to busy for me towards the top, I was hoping for quiet and piece and here I was surrounded with crowds of people going up and down. Some people were on guided tours, some other wanted to follow the full trail but this first day was already too much for them so they were heading back. I did not feel any hesitation for a single moment. The steeper the trail was becoming the more enjoyable the journey was for me. Crazy adrenaline junk I was ;).

 

When I arrived at the top of Marion's Lookout there was a small crowd of people taking rest, a bunch of young blokes amongst them, looking like on some kind of a bonding trip. Full of laughter and chat, sweating a lot and debating whether they would be able to keep up the pace and continue. I stood next to them, not wanting to sit as sitting is the worst thing you could do after a climb like that. So here I was, a single female backpacker smiling at them and cheering for them to continue. I was not complaining and not sweating like them (to be honest white t-shirt was doing me a favour!). They even got to check my backpack if it was the same heavy. It had to be for all the things I needed to carry... 

 

I had my look around and decided to continue. After such a spectacular start I could not wait to see more. They were also getting ready to go. I let them pass me thinking there was no way I could keep up with them. I did not feel like competing maybe. Or maybe I was just polite to let them go so they didn't have to pass me in the coming minutes. What a surprise it was when after some minutes it turned out they were not all that fit! I was running the trail faster than them - it was a challenge they could not refuse of course. Some of them at least. Finally a common sense won and they all stayed together, not to break the group.  And so I got baptised with my new Overland nick name "the Hiker Chick". What I did not realize was that I was not going to see them for the next 6 days.

Crater Lake with bare grey rocks and shrubby slopes of tea-tree provided the first of many superb views on my walk.

I met a man bird-feeding on the side of the Crater Lake. I stopped trying not to scare the bird off and the man said: no worries they are used to people and you cannot scare them. On the contrary you should be aware that they will take your food away and dismantle your backpack in no time, if you live it unattended or unsecured. What a weird place I thought, I would never ever foresee I that I have to protect by belongings from birds there...The birds are called Currawongs and they are known as unzippers of backpacks :). Now I know!

 

I have never seen a view like this before. No civilization as far as you can see. Only me and the Wilderness.

 

 

Ronny Creek to Marion's Lookout is pretty much an open walk. Disposed to sun, wind, rain, snow. You need to be ready for it all as the weather is really unpredictable. It is said that at Marion's Lookout sun shines only 37 days a year. I was the lucky one to get blue skies and hot weather, all in one.