To book phone the Glyde- In on 93393964

Our first foray into the gorges was  one of the best- Circular Pool, the walk along the gorge bottom to Fortescue Falls and then a wonderful swim at Fern Pool.  We spent all day doing this route, enjoying the sun, the rocks and the changing vegetation.

The next day was a new route for Richard and me. We went down to the bottom of Joffre Gorge.  Only Peter and Carole came all the way, others watching from various levels above. For the first time in Richard’s memory the falls weren’t flowing. From there we went over to Knox Gorge, for another first. A rather uninviting descent took us to a beautiful area, similar to Fern Pool, but no-one was there. Another delightful swim in a magical place.

The following day was Kalamina Gorge, always a treat. It’s an easy descent followed by a meander along the gorge bottom , stopping for swims en route. The water here was very cold, Richard refuting my theory about the 3 minute minimum. However, Peter, Ute, Claire and Kay also took the plunge.

Each night back at camp, Richard would produce his culinary delights- curries, pastas and BBQ’s . Ably assisted of course by a myriad of capable kitchen hands. Claire was a dab hand with the beans!

Then of course there was the big summit day- the conquering of Mt Bruce. There had been much talk about this ascent, with reference to chains on rocks and “climbing” up cliffs etc. Several people thought they would start, but not necessarily finish. Pam had declared she would wait at the crux and see us on the way back, but she never even faltered. Everyone got to the top.

Our final morning was spent in Weano Gorge, with Greg and Carole going down the rope and all the way to the last pool. Jennifer made a dramatic picture clinging to the gorge side as we swam way.  It seemed that that was enough adrenalin, so we traded Hancock Gorge for a return visit to Knox Gorge, giving Peter, Jennifer and Greg a chance to see what we’d been raving about. Then it was off to Tom Price , for our first contact with civilisation for nearly a week.

The next morning Jennifer and Ute joined me in a hike up  Mt Nameless for more great views. Then we all had a relaxing afternoon at the campsite before we headed north. Our first stop on that day was Hamersley Gorge, known for its twisted rocks. Not to mention the spa pool! That night we had our only bush camp of the trip- we had a fire and enjoyed Richard’s special damper.

We had a hint of rain that night about 3am, enough to move me from the open into Ute’s tent. However it was dry the next morning as we headed into the Chichesters. Our first stop was Deepreach Pool, followed by Millstream. The weather had begun to look threatening, and then suddenly, just as we set up lunch, the threat eventuated.  The rain came down quite heavily.After lunch we drove into the Chichester range, which had been devastated by fire recently. It looked like a lunar landscape. The weather had lightened a little, but we thought we should go straight to camp and get our tents set up before it rained. We got to Snake Creek and began making camp but before we could , a front hit. The tents were being blown horizontal as we tried to erect them. We realised this was hopeless and made the call to “abandon ship”.Tents were stuffed back in bags, everything was thrown on the bus – all in about 15mins- and we out of there. driving north to where?? Then Richard thought of Pyramid Station, a nearby sheep station. Surely they could offer us a shed?? The road was turning rapidly to mud as we drove. We reached the station about 45 min later and went in to ask. The very friendly lady said “you’d better look first”! She was offering us shearers’ quarters, but they were pretty basic. Nevertheless, dry, and also offered water and power! What more could we want? Everyone rallied and in no time the rooms were swept, tarps spread on the floors and the kitchen established. Followed of course by a 3 course meal, a dress up and the inevitable exam!!!

Thanks to everyone on the trip- you were a terrific group, so helpful and enthusiastic. Richard and I had a good drive to Broome the following day and then Steve and I had a very relaxing time in Broome in our 4.5 star accommodation!

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To book phone The Glyde-In on 93393964

To book phone the Glyde In on 93393964

At Redgate beach the following day, we searched in the waves for a glimpse of the wreck of the ill-fated steamer, the Georgette and then hiked down the beach and on to Bob’s Hollow and Conto’s Cliffs. There were two snake sightings today, a python and a dugite. The views were as amazing as always and we loved the contrast of the coastline and the trees today as we finished off in the company of the towering karri trees.

Jane Scott, the author of the guide book on the Cape to Cape joined us for Day 3 and we all thoroughly enjoyed her company and her passion for the area. T’was a day of exploring the coastline between Hamelin Bay and Cosy Corner and three mermaids and a merman even braved the rain for a dip in the Indian Ocean while the rest of us huddled on board the bus! We all loved the blow holes and were happy we decided to push on as we were rewarded with spectacular views of Deepdene beach and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. We said farewell to Jane and topped the day off with a visit to Cape Leeuwin and a hot drink to warm us up.

Then it was time to say farewell to the Cape to Cape and we jumped on the bus and had a travel day down to Denmark. I must say, I was impressed by the travel games on board and they definitely helped to amuse us and pass the time! A wander in amongst the tree tops at the Valley of the Giants introduced us to the mighty Tingle trees. Then we arrived at The Cove, our accommodation in Denmark and got settled into our cozy cabins.

After our travel day we were all keen to get out walking again and we were blessed with great weather for our beach walk from Mutton Bird Island to Cozy Corner. The sand was not too bad and we just had to keep an eye out for vehicles and the occasional rogue wave which threatened to take away our packs.  Jan nearly lost hers while off in the dunes! Pam joined us for the hike after a lovely morning tea and we made our way up and along the coast. Lunch overlooking Dingo Beach with million dollar views was a highlight and then a drive and a swim for a few hearty souls at Shelly Beach was a fantastic way to end the day.

It was a pleasure to be able to walk out of The Cove in the morning to begin our walk on Day 5, which followed the inlet, then headed up and over Mt. Hallowell. The granite rocks and karri trees were superb and we had time to enjoy the views from the top before the rain set in. Across to Lights Beach we headed, then a lunch stop and a short detour to a lake (did the guide go the wrong way or was it deliberate, that is the question!). Up and over some steep sandy hills and a big bar of chocolate to share at Williams Bay shelter helped us all to finish off our long day. And of course another swim at Greens Pool was refreshing for the brave ones.

Our last day of hiking arrived so soon and we headed into the Tingle and Karri trees and soon developed sore necks from all of our admiring of the tall trees. We all loved the Frankland River shelter and had to drag ourselves away as some of us got very comfortable. We met a man who had been walking for 37 days on the Bibbulmun Track and encouraged him to keep on going as he seemed a bit weary. No wonder! Before we knew it, we had arrived at our end point, the Giant Tingle Tree and then we finished off the trip on a fantastic note – with a wilderness cruise on the Walpole-Nornalup inlet. Gary entertained us with his stories and wowed us with his local knowledge and we feasted on snacks and sipped on champagne and took in the beauty of this wild area. As it was Di’s birthday, we surprised her that night with a birthday cake and party hats were donned and a most wonderful evening ensued. It was certainly a great way to finish off a great week together.

P.S. This was my last trip with Pam and Inspiration Outdoors as my husband and I move to Canada this year for more hiking adventures and snow!  A big thanks to Alf and Di for all their help and all the shared laughs. And to Steve, for being the tail end Charlie and entertaining us with his Canadian insights. And of course, Pam, for giving me encouragement and sharing her vast knowledge over the past three years and for being a good friend.

To see more photos from this trip click here.

The second Albany to Denmark trip was huge- 16 walkers. Included were the girls referred to as “the farmers”, though I’ve never known farmers to be so addicted to coffee shops! However, their 6am yoga sessions were very impressive,  so the coffee must do something! And what about the headstand on the coast? Also on this coast was Patrick’s friend Kate, who was enjoying her first ever trip to Australia from Austria. We had a lovely mix of “newies and “oldies” on this trip and Bob managed to keep them all in line. This week we walked into Mutton Bird Island road, totally drenched- was this really the same location where the week before I’d cooled off in the ocean?

The final trip was Walpole to Denmark. Gisela guided this one and again we had a mix of old and new. Erin, the farmer, brought along a collection of her friends. We were a little concerned to discover that one was a ‘celestial transportation expert”- was he touting for business?? The mix of the Tingle Forest with the coast makes this a great walk, but the culmination is always the last day- the hike over Mt Halliwell. The group had a perfect day for this, and the views were spectacular. Almost as impressive as Rod, who did the entire walk with a broken collarbone and never missed a beat, nor tripped once! (Disclaimer: he arrived with the bone already broken!).

For photos click here

Thanks to everyone who made the 2009 season a great success, especially my team of Alf, Di, Gisela, Bob and Steve.

It’s hot and humid, but you start early and enjoy a lunchtime siesta.  To cool off, there is the underwater world where the snorkelling is unbelievable. We met many divers who rated it the best they had seen in the world! It is so accessible-you can just slide off the beach into the water and there it is- in knee deep water you can see the most incredible array of fish. We went back time and time again to Flying Fish Cove.

The cultural mix of Malay, Chinese and Europeans makes for an interesting collection of sights- with temples, graveyards and a mosque reflecting the various backgrounds. All this is set against the backdrop of the phosphate mining and now of course the refugee centre. The island is very much under pressure from the sudden explosion of population and the cafes are flat out trying to service everyone.

We did several walks to the coast through rainforest. One such walk took us to Winifred Beach, where the rock platforms and ocean swell prevented us from actually reaching the beach.  So we made do with a dip in a rock pool. Another rock pool awaited us at the coconut palm fringed Dolly Beach. However, the grotto made for the most interesting swim, with  the breath of the dragon booming from the limestone walls. Yet another walk gave us a shower under a jungle stream. Caves are a feature of the island, as are the limestone blowholes, which seem to blow reliably! One walk took us , after a challenging scramble, to the entrance of a large cave, first discovered from its ocean entrance.

A boat excursion gave us a good view of the limestone terracing of the island, and also provided another snorkelling opportunity. The skipper, Shane, provided us with a colourful insight into life on the island!

Out accommodation was excellent, the food very good and the company superb! Out final night concluded with the customary “examination” which provided much hilarity. We enjoyed the company of Dr Rex, who joined us often and gave us more island stories.

This is definitely going to be repeated in 2010, this time with the addition of the Cocos Islands! Put it on your agenda!

For more photos click here

Day 1

We were a group of 10 happy hikers and one enthusiastic guide, as we embarked on our 135 kilometre journey in good spirits and under sunny skies. After sharing the fascinating history of Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, where I also work as a tour guide, we gradually watched it fade away in the distance as we made our way past Sugarloaf and along the limestone ridges to Yallingup. Everyone was keen to get to know each other on our first day and thus there were lots of interesting conversations took place as we hiked along. We soon discovered a shared interest in orchids and whales, which were spotted numerous times on this day.

Nearing Yallingup, which I call home with my husband, Simon, the group was interested to see the stone cottages where we lived, so after a section along the beach, we took a short detour to have a look at my home and the stain glass windows. Alf was happily waiting for us and we headed back to Augusta to hot showers at Sheoak Chalets. Di provided us with a warm welcome and never ending feasts of delicious and healthy meals each night, along with treats for on the track as well, so we were well looked after for the entire trek.

Day 2

This morning we admired dolphins surfing the waves and Pam joined us at Smith’s Beach and hiked with us to Injidup. Mark seemed to have an amazing ability to walk on the water, for the moment I blinked, he was across Gunyulgup Brook, with a big grin on his face! A delicious lunch was served up at Injidup and my friend Renee, who is also a guide and lives locally, joined us for the afternoon session to Moses Rock. Greg, our bird expert, as he was the one carrying the excellent bird guide, spotted a Pacific gull and an elusive fairy wren and was always gazing to the skies in search of a winged friend. Meanwhile, others in the group were always looking for whales and we were in luck today too, with several located off shore as we hiked along.

Everyone was amazed by Quininup Falls, which was a sight to marvel at due to the heavy winter rains. We pondered the idea of a swim but no one was that keen! As we finished the day, the rare Moses Rock orchid was discovered by Pauline, who cried out loudly in excitement and before we knew it, there were orchids everywhere! They were absolutely incredible and we all attempted some close-up shots with our cameras.

Day 3

We strolled through a garden of wildflowers to start off our hike today and it was a highlight of the day as we marveled at Nature’s beauty. Willyabrup Brook proved to be a challenging crossing, but with some great team work, we all made it across. Jennifer impressed us with her slow motion leaning motion towards the water and elegantly fell in as she crossed the brook, just as I started to move towards her to try to help. She remained in good spirits about it and her only complaint was that her knickers did not try out fast enough!

One of several bobtails was spotted along the way, and Anne shared a story of bobtail friend coming into her house – not a welcome guest! We admired the magnificent Willyabrup Cliffs, the playground for rock climbers and then made our way up to the top. Heather had been sick and reached a point where she did not feel well enough to continue, so with the help of the satellite phone and Greg doing some scouting work, I managed to get in touch with Pam and she came to pick up Heather. Anne, a kind hearted soul, was very helpful and as she had done the hike before, volunteered to stay with Heather until Pam arrived. We left Heather in good hands and continued on our hike.

We marveled at the wonderful coastline and the crashing of the waves on the rocks as the afternoon hike took us towards Gracetown, where we ended yet another special day on the trail.

Day 4

Leaving Gracetown, we passed by Left Handers, a popular surf location and were amazed at the number of surfers in the water. Pauline let out more yells and whoops at the stunts of the surfers so we all knew she was a surfing fan too! After morning tea at Ellensbrook House, we marveled at Meekadarabee Falls, then hiked through the peppermint trees and up over the ridge. We were all excited to find our first forest mantis orchid along the way.

Lunch is eaten in a lovely grove of trees before we hike along Kilcarnup Beach, then up over Cape Mentelle and to the mighty Margaret River, where Pam is awaiting with a canoe to deliver us across. The river is not too high, so a few of us hardy crew take off our boots and wade across. I could not believe how cold the water was and it reminded me of the numbing waters in Canada, my home land. But we made it across and Alf whisked us away back to Augusta once again.

Day 5

The long day of 26 kilometres and Jane Scott joined us for most of the day. Her presence really opened our eyes to the bush around us as she was a wealth of information on the wild flowers and ecosystems we hiked through today. We relished a lovely morning tea by Boodjidup Brook and then headed down to the coast and Redgate beach. Hooded and red-capped plovers were spotted on the sand as we made our way along.

Alf met us at Redgate for lunch and I administered first aid to Greg, with Jennifer’s help. He had blisters and then managed to bang his toe on a rock on the beach. I think he enjoyed all the attention as we put on the band-aids! Crossing Calgardup Brook was easy for some, but others, myself included, got caught in the ocean surge as we pondered whether to take off the shoes or not and ended up with wet feet! Oh well, it was a warm day and the feet dried quickly and on we went. An adult and a juvenile Heath monitor lizard were encountered along the way, and they stayed still in the hopes we would not see them.

The hills were awash with colour as the wattles and wild flowers were in full bloom as we hiked onwards. We admired the views from Contos cliffs and then had a break at Contos campground before heading into the karri forest for the last 7 kilometres for the day. I rescued Mark from stepping on a snake – you get a good eye for snakes when you are walking out front!

To end the day, Peter got the sack from the Tail End Charlie position. I told her the news and she looked at me innocently, from the middle of the group and asked, “Why?” It was a good laugh and she admitted it was a good idea. Finally the bus appeared in amongst the trees and the long day was done and we could rest our feet again.

Day 6

Peter was amazed that, within a few hundred metres of leaving the bus this morning and heading into the forest, I stopped the group to listen to the beautiful song of the Golden whistler. Ah, the well kept secrets of guiding. As we stopped for a water break, Sally discovered she had been wearing her new water bladder upside down in her pack, which provided a good laugh to us all.

Soon we left the beautiful forest and headed down to the coast, but not before the guide walked right past the biggest snake on the trip. Mark spotted it in the bush and I was relieved it did not seem interested in hassling us, so we took some photos and continued on our way. After a re-fuel stop with morning tea, we were rearing to go and headed off on the long beach walk to Hamelin Bay. The sand was fairly soft, which made it more challenging, but the prospect of lunch awaiting us proved to be the carrot on the end of the stick and we made good time.

After lunch at Hamelin Beach, we tackled Foul Bay beach, then the hills, admired the puny Foul Bay Lighthouse and then finished the day with a walk down to Cosy Corner road.

Day 7

The last day on the track brought up mixed feelings of excitement to be nearing the attainment of our goal and sadness to know this was our last day together on the track. We had all become close in the short time and shared laughs and tales and it was soon to end. But what an amazing last day it was! The blowholes at Cosy Corner were active and we admired the rugged beauty of this section of the track. Then Deepdene beach appeared as we rounded a corner and we prepared for the long haul on the sand. It seemed to pass by quickly enough as we chatted away and everyone was in good spirits.

A new section to the track took us up off the beach and into the sand dunes and although there was just as much sand, it was a nice change of scenery. Then the track took us up into the headlands which wove their way towards our ultimate destination, Cape Leeuwin. It always amazes me how close the lighthouse seems to be, yet, like a mirage in the desert, it teases you and never seems to get any closer! But eventually, we did get closer and it reared up into view. Reaching the end of our 135 kilometre trek, we gathered at the base of the lighthouse to celebrate the achievement. It had been an amazing experience for us all, filled with many happy moments on the trail and to top it off, we set a new record – not one drop of rain for the entire trip!

For more photos click here

To read all about the 2009 trip click here.

Date: 17th February- 4th March 2010

Price: $4575

Includes: Twin share accommodation, all meals, transport and guiding. Meet in  Christchurch, tour finishes in Queenstown. Airfares not included.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS TRIP IN 2011 PLEASE CONTACT US

For more information contact Coates Wildlife Tours on 93306066 or email coates@iinet.net.au

Date: 4th-14th Dec,2010

Price: $4800

Includes: Twin share lodge/motel style accommodation, all breakfasts, most lunches and some dinners, air travel from Perth to Christmas and Cocos Islands and return, transport on the islands, all guiding and National Park entrance fees.

NOTE: Bookings for this trip must be done directly with Coates Wildlife Tours. See trip itinerary for details.