It's Worth That 5 Minutes of Planning

Take the time to measure your planned hike on the map. No really, it's worth that 5 minutes of planning. And always have a spanner to remove your car tyre, a spare tyre is no use without the spanner.

3 hikes in Deep Creek Conservation Park

Blowhole Beach

Yes, really, just measuring how many finger-widths a hike is on a map just doesn't cut it. So really, should I have been surprised a hike was twice the distance I thought it would be? I mean really, could I be that stupid. Mmm... let's ponder a moment. Apparently the answer is yes.

Also, one needs a serviceable spare tyre, I had that, just no the spanner to remove the wheel with. Mmm. Damn it, obviously the first flat tyre since I got this car. So I had to walk 10km to get help, an unplanned hike. Thank goodness for daylight saving hey.


Tapanappa Hill

I camped at Trigg Campground for 3 days before Christmas, and did 3 hikes. The first was Deep Creek Circuit Hike, and despite the miserable weather I set out in, it soon cleared up to be a nice day. A really nice hike, this circuit is, going via Deep Creek Cove, Tapanappa Hill and Deep Creek Waterfall.



The second day I measure the day's hike with my finger on a map. We don't need to go there again. I hiked west along the Heysen Trail, past Eagle Waterhole campsite to Aaron Creek, then followed the creek to the coast. The creek trail was very overgrown, and the closer I got the coast the scratchier it became. I never quite made it to the end, but the coast was spectacular. I walked a different way home, via the flatter roads north of the Heysen Trail, longer, but quicker (although not as interesting either).

On the third day I did a short loop walk down to Blowhole Beach from Cobbler Hill Campsite. Beautiful, I love the beach and the rugged coastline immediately below Cobbler Hill. Lucky I did a short hike though, really, because driving back to the campsite I got a flat tyre. Pity I had no spanner. Mmm. So I had to walk 10km to get help, there was absolutely no-one around this day, perhaps cos it was Christmas Eve.



View photos as full screen slideshow



Stats:
Deep Creek Circuit Hike

• Distance: 11.8km
  
• Moving duration: 2h 51m
  
• Stationary duration: 1h 17m
  
• Moving average: 4.1km/h
  
• Overall average: 2.8km/h
  

Aaron Creek Hike

• Distance: 8.53km 1st leg (9.98 return leg)
  
• Moving duration: 2h 01m 1st leg (1h 49m return leg)
  
• Stationary duration: 1h 15m 1st leg (18m return leg)
  
• Moving average: 4.2km/h 1st leg (5.5km/h return leg)
  
• Overall average: 2.6km/h 1st leg (4.7km/h return leg)
  

Blowhole Beach - Cobbler Hill - Marrano Creek Hike

• Distance: 6.43km
  
• Moving duration: 1h 34m
  
• Stationary duration: 1h 09m
  
• Moving average: 4.1km/h
  
• Overall average: 2.4km/h