The Hike Continues

Hello!
My second day started out in snow and finished in brilliant sunshine!

This section of the track is 16.8kms – it changes from open buttongrass plains to rocky forested areas.

I love these tracks – a bit of a challenge as you have to keep an eye on your feet, but its never boring!

And just when you’ve had enough of the dark forests, back out into the open you go!

Hi!!

It didn’t take me long to shed the gloves, coat and hat. The wind was brisk but not too annoying.

That point is the edge of Mt Oakleigh. By the end of the day I will be on the other side of that mountain looking back. Seems a long way off doesn’t it??

Enough of the easy plains walking… back to the climb up through the rocky forests again.

It’s incredibly peaceful walking through here. I did pass a few hikers but mostly I got to enjoy the solitude and the beautiful surrounds.

I did stop when I was looking up and about. Marvellous twisty trees.

And suddenly… daylight:

Back to the duckboards and a bit of wide open scenery and sunshine!

Its a bit hard to see the steepness of where the path was going but you might see its continuation on the right side…

I think I did a lot of garden planning and soap making planning in my head along this section.

Happy as a clam I am!

One thing that was very noticeable was the amount of trees down on the track since we were here last March… They must have had some epic storms. Apparently the rangers had been in recently to clear the track. I’ve not seen it like this in the last 3 years.

The mud was epic.

I met up with a group of Chinese students part way along the track. One of the girls was industriously cleaning off her shoes with wet wipes!!
Her idea was to clean her shoes before getting to the hut. I advised her not to bother. Firstly – nobody is going to care because everyone is muddy.
Secondly… she was going to find an awful lot more mud before the day was out!!

Can’t believe this was a rushing river that Fiona and I had to navigate when I was here with her April 2018!! So different.

My shoes got cleaned for a brief time

The narrow track around the mountain goes for so much longer than I remember.
Its hard to see in the photo, but a whole section of trees fell away taking part of the path with it. What was left to hike on really wasn’t much.

It falls away steeply so you had to really watch your footing.

(Looking back)

And back into the sunshine! Time to pull up a rock and get out the gourmet lunch!

Camembert cheese and a fresh apple.
I felt a bit posh!

Best views for lunch too!

It was time to prepare myself for the last slog up up and up before the gradual decent down into Pelion.

At that time of the hike, its much harder work.

The hut is a welcome sight – the big veranda was bathed in sunlight and everyone was taking advantage and hanging out socks, shoes, gaiters and other clothes along the balcony to dry off.

Told ya I’d be at the other side of Mt Oakleigh by days end!!

I got in around 2pm (about 5 and a half hours hiking) so plenty of time to change into my stylish PJ pants (complete with circus elephants) and lounge around in the sunshine on the tent platforms.
I might have been thinking of my husband a little bit…

All in all… a really fabulous day on the trail.
Time for some soup and a snack and try for a decent nights sleep!
Cheers!