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 (...)

"what the hell is she doing in here at this time in the morning? Where did she come from?" It was too early to have walked all the way from the Waterfalls...
I did not explain to anyone at this point in time. I had a quick look around, signed-in a logbook to leave a trace, just in case ;), brushed my teeth... and left.
That team of hikers was to become my second family for most of the Overland Track..


Leaving Windermere (by mindsosket2)

Windermere (by midnsocket2)

 

Being all hopeful for the mid-day stop at the indicated hut I didn't mind the pain that was pulsing through my right knee. Yes, the left knee was not fully operational and now it looked like my right knee was rebelling as well... I knew I needed to rest it, but how to rest and continue walking?

Never mind that, I am walking the Overland Track, who cares about knees!

Learnings so far:
- watch out for signs when coming close to huts;
- do not underestimate weather conditions, keep changing your layers to be walking comfortably; one hour it can be dazzling cold when walking in open valley, another hour could be hot and humid; when walking through dense forest... plus being exposed all the time to sun/ rain/ wind;
- eat and drink on the way - plan stops and eat to sustain energy levels;
- private huts are for private groups ONLY;

Windermere to New Pelion was 16,75 km altogether, done in around 5 hours of limping and wimping... through buttongrass moorlands, with one lookout only minutes side trip - quite windy and wet already... I have been lucky so far with dry and sunny weather but my luck was running out quickly. Crossing Pelion Creek and skirting Mt Pelion West through wet forest it was indeed getting wet.

going through Frog Flats : photo credits to Scott Kilvert http://dreamgolive.wordpress.com/

I did not take any side trips this time. The weather was not in favour and my limping wasn't helping either. I was so happy to have arrived at New Pelion Hut... and then the heavy rain started.




New Pelion Hut by Wiki - View of Mount Oakleigh. Unfortunately it was not possible to take a nice snapshot with my little camera in the pouring rain.

In fact having arrived at New Pelion there was no view of the Mt Oakleigh at all. It was all foggy and rainy that you could not see through the first front row of trees. Choosing to concur Mt Oakleigh in this conditions was pure insanity.. So even though there was still good few hours of that day I chose to stay and try to heal my knees.