The Bibbulmun Track, Western Australia. Days 17 – 20

Our flying visit to Collie was done and dusted. We were clean, our clothes were clean, and our tummies were full, so that means it must be time to get sweaty again, be constantly hungry and struggle along under the weight of a heavy pack!

Are we having fun yet? 😊

Days: 17 – 20

Dates: From Monday, 25 September to Thursday, 28 September 2023.

Stages: Collie to Yabberup Campsite = 19.7km

            Yabberup Campsite to Noggerup Campsite = 19.9km

            Noggerup Campsite to Grimwade Campsite = 22.8km

            Grimwade Campsite to Balingup = 23.3km   

Total Planned Distance: 85.7km      Total Actual Distance: 85.7km

Progress: 418/1,005km

Terrain: Trees, trees and more trees as we climb up and down %$#@! hills. Yep, more lung busting climbs each day, all day.

Average Daily Ascent: 408m           Average Daily Descent: 428m

Weather: Too damn hot for hiking.

General Comments:

• Oh dear, this heat is a killer. When I was doing the initial planning for this hike, I was thinking that early Spring would be perfect timing as it would be cool and make for nice walking. Yes, there may be an increased chance of rain, but at least the temperatures would be kind. It seems we are waking up and walking earlier and earlier to hit the trail before the sun rises. Luckily other people sleeping in the shelter have exactly the same plan and we all seem to be rustling and packing from 500am onwards.
• Once you are out on the trail, it almost feels like a switch flicks at 730am. The early morning moisture in the air evaporates and the heat turns on. By 1000am it is seriously hot and the temperature just climbs from there. I am draining my three litre water bladder during each morning walk as well as topping up with electrolytes. Hydration is key out here and I am always boggled when comparing notes with other hikers and they tell me they only drink ½litre each day. How do they do it? I would simply shrivel up on the side of the track.

• Our tramily (trail family) has grown to about eight people. Tramilies are always a bit fluid with people walking different distances. It is nice though when you meet up regularly with the same people as you get to know them better and learn about their lives. We have been walking with a lovely young couple from Denmark (a small town up ahead on the trail) and there are always plenty of laughs as we sit around at the end of each day. They have brought along the game called ‘Spot It’ and that generates even more laughs as we battle it out.

• As the ol’ saying goes ‘pride goeth before the fall’ and I had time to consider that saying in detail as I lay on the ground pinned under my backpack. One minute I was upright, the next minute I am up close and personal with the dirt. How did that happen? More importantly, how do I get up again? If you have visions of a turtle on its back, with all appendages flailing about, you are pretty close to the mark. I would have been laughing too it I wasn’t using all my energy to roll over onto all fours and push myself up again. No major damage done – a bit of skin off the knees and elbows – and it was a good reminder to pick up my two left feet as I walk!

• A famous icon on this section is the Mumballup Pub, also known as The Mumby Pub. If you time your walk correctly and schedule it on the days the Pub is open, you can enjoy cold beverages and a big feed (meaning less food to carry in your backpack) before hitting the trail again. Unfortunately, that did not work out for us and all I could do was look longingly as I strolled past its silent and closed doors.

Highlights:

• Collie: To get to the town of Collie, you actually have to take a spur trail off the Bibbulmun Track. While the additional kilometres are not all that welcome, this is offset by the benefits of a town day/night. Collie is a town in the process of reinventing itself away from a reliance on coal mining to more of an outdoor/adventure centre, especially mountain biking. It is not the prettiest of towns, but it does have excellent facilities for resupply (two large supermarkets) as well as a great bakery, coffee and pubs. We stayed at the Colliefields Hotel (a Bibbulmun Track supporter) and can highly recommend it. While the accommodation is fairly simple, it’s centrally located and the tariff includes access to a washing machine and breakfast. *NB: the bakery opens very early, as does the coffee cart diagonally opposite. Perfect fuel for the track!

• Trees, trees, trees: We have now passed day 20 of walking through the forest. Who would have thought there could be so many trees in Western Australia? A highlight of this stage, other than its magnificent trees, was the opportunity to walk through some more open farming country and also receiving small, teasing glimpses of vistas through the trees, trees, trees. When this happens it almost feels like a weight is lifted off my shoulders and head. I can actually see further than 30m and get a rough idea of where I am heading. Most of the time these periods of openness and space only last a couple of hundred metres before we plunge back into the forest again. Those small reprieves are very welcome.
• Walking Solo: Aitch and I agreed from the get-go that we would ‘walk our own walk’ and this may include walking on our own for part or all of the day. I think we both enjoy the solitude and the opportunity to be with our own thoughts in the peaceful bush. I do love company and solo walking is just as good.

• At the end of each day, is there any better feeling than pulling your backpack off, unlacing your boots, and dragging them off too? It is a sign that you have worked hard and achieved something during the day, but now it is time to rest and recover. My toes are continuing to give me plenty of grief, so getting the boots off as fast as I can is a priority for me. A few posts ago I was talking about how hiking simplifies your existence and drills down to what is important. Rest and relaxation at the end of the walking day is definitely important to me! 😊 Hence my excitement about walking into Balingup. It’s time for another rest day!

• Balingup is only a small place, but it has all that you need and provides a warm welcome. There are a good range of cafés and a bakery on the main street, and a well-stocked supermarket located at the service station. Don’t miss the fish and chips from the bakery (yes, I know that is a bit weird) on Friday nights. $20 buys you a couple of pieces of the tastiest fish and more hot chips than even the hungriest hiker can consume.

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