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!

Look from the Barn Bluff

 I returned to the junction where I had left my backpack. It was intact thankfully. Birds saved me or I did not have food attractive enough for the effort. Remember my food list? It was not that all impressive, was it? It would have been a real disaster to have lost the small amount of food I had on me. Putting on my backpack again was a painful exercise. I could really tell the difference and my knee was starting to rebel a bit. Thankfully I was not far away from the shelter ;). At least I thought so.


On the way from Cradle Mountain to Barn Bluff

Looking down from Barn Bluff way you could see the Waterfall Valley hut. It really was not so far away. Then I entered a forest again, going down all the time in a quick pace I managed to catch up with another big group and I focused on passing them buy. I kept walking down, and down, and some more... It was already past 6:30 PM, sun was going down and I could feel wind chill clearly. Where was the firkin hut?

I took out my map and only then I realized that I passed the hut few kilometers back. I must have missed a junction for the camp site, obviously running to fast and not paying enough attention to the signs. What was I going to do?


Lake Windermere (taken by mindsocket)

The funny thing is that I saw some tents up in a distance but it did not get through to my brain that was the camp. I don't know what I was thinking. I was just walking buried in my own thoughts I guess. Anyway, I decided to keep walking. No point turning back now, I was almost half way through to the Windermere Lake and another hut. I trusted  the map and my orientation.

In the next half an hour all the adrenaline run down and the pain started getting to me. 6 hrs of hiking with full backpack, some running, climbing... that was too much for my knees to take on. But I could not stop walking. I had to get to the next hut. Each step painful at this stage.

Lake Will (taken by mindsocket)

I stopped to have something to eat and drink (finally! I did not feel hunger before). It was very difficult to resume walking. I was getting desperate... I passed the junction of Lake Will in a distance (side trip would cost me too much effort at this hour) and Lake Holmes, I was dying to get rest. The sun was quickly going down and I was still walking. No sign of the Windermere Hut. Having passed the first hut without almost noticing it I was overly cautious now as I could not spare missing this one. Finally there was another lake appearing ahead. According to the map this should be it. The hut should be somewhere near. 7:30 PM. Sunset. The night was coming quickly. Taking pictures at this stage was the last thing on my mind. Can you blame me?

approaching Lake Windermere, (taken by mindsocket)

I got to the lake, and started walking around it. The track was continuing along the shore. I knew I was going to walk it tomorrow anyway. Still not sign of the hut, mind you. It was getting dark and cold. I decided to camp as soon as I find a suitable place without restrictions.
Finally I found it. I left my pack and walked for another 10 minutes to make sure the hut was not there. But it was not. So I returned and put out my tent. No way I was going to be alone in the dark without a tent! Well hello, first night on the trail and already camping alone in the middle of wilderness. There was not much I could do at this stage anyway. I needed to get ready for the night and make sure I got rested before starting again tomorrow. I really was exhausted. I did not want to count the hours nor number of kilometers I did that day. Simply did not have enough energy. I went to sleep immediately after my tent was up and my sleeping bag was ready. I put on most of my clothes hoping to survive the night in relative comfort.


Lake Windermere - first night emergency camping - morning view.

And it was OK up until midnight.
I woke up as there was a strange light outside. I opened the tent to check what it was. It was the moon and the stars. So bright that I could not believe it. But it was so cold that I did not feel like coming out and exploring the night life. I was hungry like I was never hungry before. I had to eat something there and then, in the middle of the night. I ate a simple bread and cheese sandwich then put on another pair of warm socks and went back to sleep. Feeling little lizards running underneath my mat ;). That did not stop me from getting more sleep. I knew I had to get up early and get going. At least before the other can catch up with me. The quota system keeps the Track from getting overrun: 50-60 hikers / day (about 34 independent, 26 guided) so I had fairly good chances of being caught by a group starting off from Waterfall Valley or I would join the group in the front that started the treck a day before me.

Lake Windermere at dusk

At 6 am next day I woke up with the sunrise.