Hiking

Other than the pale glow from a luminous moon and a solitary beam of light from my shaky headlamp, I arrived at Catninga Shed in complete darkness on Day 13. The distant …
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My legs were pulsating when I arrived at Wilmington’s Beautiful Valley Caravan Park after a depleting Day 14. Mum and Dad had scooped me off the road in the nick of time. …
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I ended Day 15 with a conundrum—my rain jacket had gone rogue. I combed Gray’s Hut and the surrounding paddocks for the crumpled heap of water-repellant fabric to no avail. …
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I received my fair share of advice before commencing the Heysen Trail. Some suggestions were helpful, others seemed a little nutty, others I ignored completely. Amongst this direction, there was …
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The first 17 trail days were near idyllic—temperate climates, clear blue skies and minimal wind. Other than a few abrupt exceptions, including suffering dehydration in Wilpena Pound, a gloomy walk through The …
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If I had a ‘taste’ of wet weather on Day 18, I had a twelve-course dinner complete with complimentary drinks on Day 19. Other than a short respite over lunch, …
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Along the trail, you must continually push yourself to place one foot in front of the other—a battle of persistence over monotony. Chew through the tough times to arrive at …
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24 hours marooned at the Go-Cart Track Shelter on Day 20 was enough inactivity for my ‘hiking legs’ to suffer unbearable ‘itchiness’. My body had grown used to constant movement …
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For the most part, the terrain throughout the Flinders Ranges was immaculately untamed. While there were bursts of groomed vegetation en route to Wilmington on Day 14 and alongside the rain-soaked paths …
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At times on the trail, I felt truly isolated. Despite the constant support and steady stream of encouraging messages, there were moments I couldn’t help but feel emotionally separated on …
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