The beach that inspired

It was a photo that I saw last year of an anchor from a shipwreck on Wreck Beach that inspired me to do this trail. Today I reached the Great Ocean Walk's iconic Wreck Beach.

Day 5: Ryans Den to Princetown

Rated 'hard', the hike from Ryans Den to Moonlight Head continues along the steep hills and high sea cliffs. Rated 'easy', the hike from Moonlight Head to The Gables Lookout heads inland along country roads, through Blue Gums and farmland. Rated as 'medium', the hike along Wreck Beach to the Devils Kitchen hike-in campsite passes the anchors of shipwrecks before climbing to the campsite. Rated as 'easy', the hike to Princetown follows an old coach road, a 4WD track through heathland and coastal scrub with fucking farms views to the north (ok I inserted the fuck bit).

It rained hard last night, after I had come down from sitting on the grassy knoll looking over where I had hiked over the past two and half days. I took a nap, and heavy rains and a thunderstorm came over. Ryan's Den is a bit scary for that, quite isolated, and high on a headland. Thankfully, as with all the hike-in campsites, the tent sites are sheltered from the wind. I cooked dinner in the shelter - they are so good when it rains - with the families I have seen at the last two hike-in campsites I have stayed at. Turns out they work in Search & Rescue, nice to know they were following me each day and staying in the same campsites!

I set out early for my final day's hiking. I had booked to stay in Devils Kitchen hike-in campsite, but had decided it would be easy to hike the extra 7.7km beyond that to my car in Princetown - then I could enjoy a nice cold beer, a shower and a change of clothes, preferably in that order.

Hiking from Ryans Den to Moonlight Head was difficult, it was rated as hard, only the end of yesterday and this section amongst the whole trail was rated as hard. It was, perhaps it was in my head too. Having finally reached Moonlight Head, it was a pretty tedious hike to Wreck Beach through farmland along roads. I really don't like doing farmlands, thanks to the Heysen Trail, but it should be noted this is only the second day I have really seen any farmland and it is fairly minimal.

Climbing down the 350 steps onto Wreck Beach, I met up with some of the fellow hikers from the family I camped with the night before. A few had hiked for the first 3-4 days, until car access was no longer possible.

Wreck Beach was incredible, I got there about an hour after low tide, but I still found myself having to make some made dashes to avoid the waves. Would be a nasty place at high tide. It was a no-brainer that I wanted to go there, so I was pleased the tides were going to work out for me.



Ascending from Wreck Beach I had lunch at Devil's Kitchen hike-in campsite, where I would have stayed. I wrote a little note in the campsite logbook there.


Another hiker's logbook entry

The hike from there to Princetown was so boring, rated as easy, following an old coach road along the sand dunes. A long, straight sandy track. If it wasn't for the sound of the sea on one side, it didn't matter which direction one turned it all looked the same. I can't say I hiked this section, I trudged it. Knowing that the section from Princetown to Glenample Homestead - the end of the Great Ocean Walk - followed this same sandy coach road confirmed I wasn't going to tackle the remaining 6km tomorrow. Bugger that! Later, as I drove to Port Campbell to stay the night, I noticed that the trail ends at an information shelter beside the Great Ocean Road, the Glenample Homestead is no longer open to the public and the signs pointing it out have all been removed. What an anticlimax that would have been! I'm not sure why the trail doesn't end at the Twelve Apostles, they are only 3-4 km westwards beyond this point.

Despite finishing 6km prior to the end of the trail, I still hiked a total distance of 92.86km, so I was pleased I had hiked beyond the 91km figure the trail is meant to measure.


92.86km

True to form, no, don't roll your eyes, my pack got heavier and heavier as I walked along the sandy track closer and closer to my car. But the sight of my car - such relief!

Showering later, I discovered a huge bruise and swelling on my ankle. Well that explained the pain I had been experiencing for the last day and a half - didn't realise it looked so dramatic though.



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I Say		They Say
Distance Total time Odometer Moving time Stopped time Start time End time Moving average Overal average Max speed	23.5km 7h 35m 92.86km 5h 03m 2h 32m 7.30am 3.30pm 4.6km/h 3.1km/h 11.8km/h	Distance Total time	23.2km 8h 0m

Select alternative blog entry to view:
Day 1: Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay
Day 2: Blanket Bay to Aire River
Day 3: Aire River to Johanna Beach
Day 4: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den
Day 5: Ryans Den to Princetown

A magical den

A butterfly just landed at my feet - and it stayed long enough for me to get a photo. That proves beyond doubt that this place is magical.

Day 4: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den

Rated 'medium', the hike to Milanesia Beach features lush valley views and country roads through farmland and forest. Rated as 'hard', the hike through to Ryans Den starts on the beach the climbs steeply to the clifftops with sensational views, continuing through steep hills and coastal forests passing high sea cliffs.

I'm sitting in a grassy clearing, atop what can only be described as a huge, remarkable headland jutting out into the ocean. From my vantage point, I can see the beach were I had lunch today and the pine forest I walked through on the lands far above it. I can also see the campsite and beach at Johanna where I spent last night. Beyond that, I can see the outlet of Aire River - where I camped two nights ago. And in the hazy distance, quite distinctly, I can see Cape Otway Lighthouse, which I passed on my second day.



I'm on one of the two grassy clearings at the headland just metres from the Ryans Den hike-in campsite. Not only is this place magical - the views from my tent are amazing - but so too is the hike in from Milanesia Beach. It was a tough hike, the hardest section of the Great Ocean Walk - but this added to the magic. It was very isolated and the gullies seemed almost surreal - green moss covered rocks forming slab bridges and steps, all in the midst of an eeriely quite wet forest. All the time, the distinct headland of Ryans Den loomed far out in the ocean, it's shape like something out of a fantasy movie. The enchantment continued when I came upon a staircase that spiralled seemingly endlesslt upwards towards the campsite.



I left Johanna this morning a bit flat and tired. The wind had beem strong through the night, and the wind was unrelenting. THere was no sight og the sun as I hiked along an old coach road that winded through farmland. The rain came in fast and heavy, but eventually cleared. This part of the hike through farmland reminded me, perhaps a little too much, of the many farmland sections the Heysen Trail passes through. It was then I realised that I have a confession to make to you regular End-to-Enders on the Heysen Trail. It's quite a serious confession for a End-to-End hiker... no highlighter have been in my hand, or on my maps for this whole trek!

The farmland eventually gave way to pine forest, following what I think is the first car accessible road on the Great Ocean Walk. It then entered natural bush, thankfully, before descending to Milanesia Beach. In a stream that entered the sea here - finally - I had a refreshing wash. A swim would have been better, no doubt at all, but that sea had looked scary for days, and it was cooler now, and the sun not constant.

Tomorrow I will hike it home, along the Great Ocean Walk's iconic Wreck Beach, past my pre-booked hike-in campsite at Devils Kitchen back to my car - a beer, hot shower, a pub meal and a powered tent site. Perhaps Friday arvo I will complete the remaining 6km from Princetown to the Twelve Apostles.



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I Say		They Say
Distance Total time Odometer Moving time Stopped time Start time End time Moving average Overall average Max speed	13.8km 6h 25m 69.4km 3h 14m 2h 58m 7.30am 1.55pm 4.3km/h 2.2km/h 29.3km/h ??	Distance Total time	13.4km 5h 30m

Select alternative blog entry to view:
Day 1: Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay
Day 2: Blanket Bay to Aire River
Day 3: Aire River to Johanna Beach
Day 4: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den
Day 5: Ryans Den to Princetown

Great Ocean Walk - Miscellaneous Ramblings

I think the 21k pack - although I'm sure it's much heavier than that - is too heavy for me. They say you can carry 25% of your body weight, thats 18kg for me - you do the math. It get heavier - I'm serious now - the closer one gets to the campsite, or a landmark location or feature you have been striving for. Don't look at me like that - have you overnight hiked before with a 20kg+ pack? Can you disprove me? I think not. So yeah, like I was saying, it gets heavier. That's a given. Conversely, first thing in the morning, it's much lighter - if you keep pulling faces like that I won't go on, I can lip read to you know, you potty mouth. The pack was definately the heaviest for the first 2km along the road from Apollo Bay. Evidently something rather heavy fell out after that point, although I can't seem to account for what was lost - oh for goodness sake stop rolling your eyes.

My shoulders and hips seemed quite bruised the first day - but not since. My feet are pretty sore at night - definately sorer than anything else. But the single-use hand warmers work a treat inside my socks next to my toes - insert product promo here. They are small sachets with iron and salt in them I think, you shake one and minutes later it is toasty warm. It says it will last up to six hours, but lasts more like twenty-four hours.

Overall though I'm not too sore, the body really does adapt to this multi-day hiking much better than just to one or two days of hiking. As I type up my hand-written notes now, on Friday, I can say I feel really stiff now. How did my body suddenly become stiff after five days of hiking, when I have finished, on the sixth day, and not on the fifth day when I was still hiking? Clever stuff those bodies.

I've only had one blister, on my heel. But a blister pack and some sports tape is keeping that in check, a pretty minor blister. Unthinkable of course to those of you that know me, that I would hike without my lamb's wool on my heels, works a treat to prevent the inevitable hot-spot blisters I get. This product is so cheap and simple, forget the fancy blister products, this wool shits all over them. Thanks Leonie, I was a slow on the uptake in believing and trusting in them, but now, nothing else for me!

My hiking boots are working a treat - so glad I didn't opt for my hiking shoes like I wanted to. Lots of mud and creek and sea rock platform crossings, and lots of sand from beaches and sandy tracks to fall into lower ankled footwear.

My knees are tops, thanks for asking - OMG, how '80s is 'tops' - no pain to report. Perhaps largely in thanks to the trekking poles that have never left my side, not even my arms are hurting from them. The trekking poles an absolute must for carrying a 21kg pack, otherwise I only ever use one when I hurt a knee.

Btw, the transfer service I used (highly recommended) is as follows:

GOR Shuttle
Cape Otway
Providing a personalised 4WD pick-up and drop-off service to and from your choice of accommodation along the Great Ocean Walk
Ph: (03) 52 379 278 / 0428 379 278
email: gorshuttle@bordernet.com.au

• Food drops
  
• Backpack forwarding
  
• Car shuffling for clubs, larger groups
  
• Bicycle forwarding
  
• Local knowledge and experience with all credentials
  
• Tours: Maits Rest, Otway Fly, Triplet Falls, 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge etc or tailormade tour

Weblink: www.otwaysaccommodation.com.au/ ... / I paid $80 (I think?) for the transfer, very reasonable, esp when compared to competitors

Rest day - it's a trick of the mind

It was meant to be an easy half day, to rest up, take it easy and let the body recover.

Day 3: Aire River to Johanna Beach

Rated 'medium', the hike to Castle Cove features the Air River estuary, rocky escarpments and coastal views. Onwards to Johanna Beach, experience heathland, wildflowers, grass trees and clifftop views.

So with that in mind, I slept in and left quite late. The past two days hiking have actually been double days - 2 suggested hiking legs per day. But today was to be by-the-book. Primarily it was to meet up with my transfer service guy, Abby , so I could swap my rubbish for a few extra days of food supplies and a cold beer. Seemed like a good opportunity to discipline myself and have a rest day.

But it took much longer that I expected, the sign said four hours, the map said five hours. It took me five and half hours, and as long as forty-five minutes to get from Johanna Beach to the hike-in campsite, some 800m beyond the beach (measured as 1.1km on my GPS though!).



Lots of coastal salt bush and heath, as they call it. The end of the day some 3km spent on the beach. I can see the beach now, and hear the waves crashing from the hike-in campsite on a ridge high above the beach. I can see where I walked today, and where I had lunch on the beach. It seems so close now...



Like I said, it was a rest day, so I was goign to take it easy, nice and slow. I realised I had forgotten there was a decision point on today's hike, a place to deivde whether to take the beach route, or in case of high tide, take the safe, reliable inland route. There are eleven such decision points along the trail, this was the ninth (most of the decision points are on the first hiking leg). The low tide was at 9.30am, and this was one of the three decision points for which there was no inland route. Again, it seemed like a fuss over nothing, but I can see how at high tide the beach would be narrow, but it would need to be a mighty tide or stormy to be inaccessible. Decision Point 9B (yes, they have mulptiple decision points on one beach sometimes) was a small headland on the beach. I had to wait for the waves to recede before rushing across to the nest beach.



When I finally made camp, I chose out a nice spot. When you book your campsites, you are allocated a particular tent site. Mine was one with a mountain view, but I preferred the coastal views on offer. I didn't set up camp yet though, I would wait and check with the family I had met last night which I knew were due in soon, as they would have booked three tent sites, and there were three such coastal view tent sites. They hogged the shelter last night, not that I minded, but perhaps they would feel a little guilty abou tthat - so they wouldn't mind swapping a tent site tonight.

Got a blister on my heel today, erwk.

Tomorrow I think I will set off early - to go for a quick swim - finally!



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I Say		They Say
Distance Total time Odometer Moving time Stopped time Start time End time Moving average Overall average Max speed	14.6km 5h 32m 55.6km 3h 18m 2h 14m 10.15am 3.45pm 4.4km/h 2.6km/h 9.0km/h	Distance Total time	13.8km 5h 0m

Select alternative blog entry to view:
Day 1: Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay
Day 2: Blanket Bay to Aire River
Day 3: Aire River to Johanna Beach
Day 4: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den
Day 5: Ryans Den to Princetown

Where is my shoe?I mean, FUCK! Where is my shoe?!?

I was calm, why? This was a disaster. Fuck, where is my shoe? Either someone took it overnight, or an animal did so. I had left if outside my tent in the vestibule overnight, but now, as I was all packed, just putting on my shoes to discover one missing.

Day 2: Blanket Bay to Aire River

Rated 'easy', the route to Parker River Inlet is through dry coastal forests. Rated 'medium', the hike to Cape Otway is along clifftops, with Manna Gums inhabitated by koalas, then alongside a mown track to the lighthouse. Rated 'medium', the hike to Aire River follows wind sculpted slopes and clifftops, traversing a sandy track.

Madly, I looked around my tent - no shoe to be seen. It can't have been the other couple here - who does that anyway - if it was them surely they would leave it hanging from a tree. I had my ugg boats, so could go for help, but my 6-day hike would be over. Having just got up, I found a suitable spot to relieve myself. There was little I could do. Then as was doing my business, just beyond under a tree, was my upturned shoe, the red sole attracting my gaze. It was quite wet, but not inside because it was upturned. I don't care why an animal dragged it ten metres from my tent, or what they did with it, I was so relieved to find it, and as a bonus dry and intact. My chief suspect if the kangaroo - no, wallaby - no, numbat?? that I made friends with last night. It was not fussed by my presence, acting all cute and friendly. As I cooked dinner, it came closer and closer to forage. Lucky for me I had decided early on not to leave my pack in the tent vestibule, it needed to be inside to protect it from animals, I had learnt this elsewhere before, and my two man tent is large enough for my pack too. But leaving my shoes inside too? I hadn't thought of that!



A long hike today, again two suggested hiking legs in one day. Blanket Bay to Parker Inlet was cool, all foresty, and the view over Parket Inlet was fantastic, although no photos did it justice.



The scenery towards Cape Otway Lighthouse changed increasingly from forest to coastal salt bush. It was a tough getting to the lighthouse, but perhaps mainly because I saw it much sooner than I expected, then spent forever actually reaching it.

Came face-to-face with a koala. I was trying to duck down under a low hanging branch - this can be quite difficult with a 21kg pack - when I looked up to see a koala just inches from my face! After a few photos, I thought it best to head bush to go around the koala.



The lighthouse wasn't the landmark or photo opportunity I had hoped it would be. You couldn't see any of it from the carpark, the closest you could get without paying an entrance fee. You could see it by doing a self-guided tour, and I don't think the $13 entrance fee was too much, it just seemed too much like car-sightseeing, it was odd to be around all these old fat people who complained having to walk from their car. In the shop, I purchased an ice cream, and a couple came in. They asked how far it was to walk to the lighthouse, 440 metres they were told. Oh, that's too far, they replied. I had seen them park their car in the carpark, they didn't select the disabled carpark, and seemed fine to walk. I guess some people are just lazy. I took that as a sign to move on, maybe I would return on Friday arvo when I finished the trail.



I had lunch at the Cape Otway hike-in campsite, the end of the suggested hike leg. The shelters in the hike-in campsites are fantastic, they are well set up. Only Blanket Bay didn't have a shelter, it was still being built. As I was busy preparing lunch, two rangers stumbled in, in search of forty cows that had escaped a nearby farm. There was pleny of evidence of the cows, but they were no-where to be seen.



As I hiked on, I came across the lighthouse cemetary in the sand dunes. The sand dunes had been busy reclaiming their territory, but it was a cool spot.

From here to Aire River wasn't heaps interesting - lots of walking in sand dunes. I was too late to choose the beach route due to high tide. Aire River was a good sight for my sore feet and pained shoulders. All good though - no blisters. Bruises on my shoulders and hips, yes, and very sore feet, but all good.

I had been prepared for a wet day because it had rained all last day, but it was a warm sunny afternoon, yay.



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I Say		They Say
Distance Total time Odometer Moving time Stopped time Start time End time Moving average Overall average Max speed	22.1km 8h 06m 41.0km 4h 33m 3h 33m 8.30am 4.00pm 4.9km/h 2.7km/h 22.2km/h ??	Distance Total time	20km 7h 30m

Select alternative blog entry to view:
Day 1: Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay
Day 2: Blanket Bay to Aire River
Day 3: Aire River to Johanna Beach
Day 4: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den
Day 5: Ryans Den to Princetown

Perfect Timing

I arrived at my chosen campsite - Blanket Bay - at 1.30pm. Early, yes. Could I have hiked more? Probably, but my feet and shoulders were sore, and my knee had the slightest twinge in it - a good indicator of pain to come. So I was glad to set up camp. I selected a good posi, set up my tent and decided for a little nap. I was awoken minutes later to the sound of pouring rain, not the light showers of earlier in the day, but full and lasting rain.

Day 1: Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay

Rated 'easy', a footpath leaving Apollo Bay alongside the Great Ocean Road leads to Marengo Caravan Park. Rated as 'medium/hard', the route to Elliot Ridge follows the coast on a walking track and beaches from farmland to tall wet forests along old forest tracks.

I had Apollo Bay early this morning, setting out at 7.30am (I thought it was 7.00am... but my clock was still set to CST). The previous night as I walked home from the pub & a good meal, I was glad of the calm, cool weather. Yesterday had been warm and sunny, but later that might I was awoken to tremendous winds - the kind in which I would not like to be camping in a dome tent. The winds would hae been strong enough to push a domie flat - not a nice camping experience. But hiking tents are much smaller and robust. By 6am the wind had thankfully gone, although there was no sign of the sun behind the clouds. There were some early showers as I hiked, but these were welcome relief from the warm weather.

I started hiking from Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve - a caravan park and footy oval combined - about 1km from the start of the trail. I would have walked that section the previous night on the way to the pub. If I were to hike the Great Ocean Walk again, I would stay in the Marengo Caravan Park and start from there, the hike from Apollo Bay to Marengo is just along a roadside path.



I was glad of choosing to wear my hiking boots rather than my hiking shoes - I got wet feet a few times today, but my hiking boots are fully waterproof, I could step into the sea or a creek and not get wet feet - I did both, the sea accidentally as I scrambled over some rocks, and the creek was just unavoidable. The advice to only do the beach walking during low tide seems sound - I hiked through a low tide and there were several spots where the waves came close. Having hiked through one decision point, electing to take the inland route over Bald Hill rather than the beach route - I decided in future to always favour the beach route. The beach was relatively wasy to hike on, even with my extra pack weight, and scrambling over the rocks was cool, albiet sometimes slippery - particularly between Decision Points 4 & 5.

I reached Elliot Ride hike-in campsite within two and a half hours, I was glad I decided to skip this suggested campsite and combine two suggested hiking legs. Hiking through the tall forests of blue gums was cool, following fire tracks. It was a little eerie hiking through the quiet forest alone. Hiking towards Blanket Bay it was quite an experience to see the ocean through the trees, and moments later to hear the crashing waves.



I accidentally deleted my map path from my GPS unit, so I have grabbed someone else's off of the internet for todays hike, although the three waypoints are accurate.



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I Say		They Say
Distance Total time Odometer Moving time Stopped time Start time End time Moving average Overall average Max speed	18.9km 6h 36m 18.9km 3h 54m 2h 42m 7.30am 2.00pm 4.8km/h 2.9km/h 9.7km/h	Distance Total time	21.5km 7h 45m

Select alternative blog entry to view:
Day 1: Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay
Day 2: Blanket Bay to Aire River
Day 3: Aire River to Johanna Beach
Day 4: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den
Day 5: Ryans Den to Princetown

15 koalas plus 1

Our next exciting installment of the Yurrebilla Trail. Kate brought along Marie, a Japanese student teacher exchange. She was keen to see some koalas. "Two. Tops, if we're lucky," we said. We saw 15. Plus 1.

The Yurrebilla Trail
Section 3: Norton Summit to Summertown
Section 2: Summertown to Eagle on the Hill

Seriously, she said she was keen to see some koalas. I suggested we make koala-mating sounds, you know, to bring out the koalas. Kate's was the best (I didn't even try). We had learnt last hike on the Yurrebilla that they sound like wild pigs. Within fifty metres we came across our first koala, and, thanks to Kate's koala mating sounds, a wide awake one (any Aussie would know this is rare). After stopping and letting Marie take some photos, we hiked on, coming across another koala. It soon got tedious, another bloody koala. Although we saw two baby koalas too, very cool.



All the koalas, except one, were within about 500 metres of each other, on the descent into Horsnell Gully. I quite liked this gully, I've never been here before, beautiful. A couple of really cool ruins too. And Jenny had said it was a tough hike out of the gully, which it was, but not as hard as the one out of Ambers Gully near Athelstone.



The day's hike started with what looked like was going to be a long road hiking section. Hey, yeah cool, welcome to an real Aussie bushwalk Marie... not! Thankfully, the map was shit, and it ended up being not so far, relieved to see this arrow leading onto a secret winding path.



Good too, that much of today's hike was also along the Trailblazer trail. Although we didn't walk very fast, we did the 16 km in 4.5 hours walking time (I think), that's 3.5 km/h. Jenny hiked the Montacute to Mount Lofty section, similar to what we did today, on Sunday, as in tomorrow, which was today, cos even though this post is labelled Saturday I am actually writing it Sunday night.

Walking through Waterfall Gully, from Mt Lofty to Eagle on the Hill, was beautiful. Now I know what you are thinking right now... "Jeremy, he's a keen hiker, born and lived in Adelaide, he would surely have hiked the Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty summit hike before, if not many times?" Well, no actually, I never have. It's a real beauty though, but not so keen on the bitumen path.



Hiking up out of Waterfall Gully, we over-shot the car - because of my poor map... or poor map reading skills... I have purchased a GPS unit on Ebay, and had I been using it today (today as in Saturday - remember we're pretending I wrote this on Saturday) we would have known we were about 30 metres from the car and not have over-shot it. However my Express Post - "guaranteed overnight delivery to major cities" will take over a week to arrive ex Sydney, thanks to next week's APEC summit.

A good day's hiking. Nice photo below, but I think Tim and I should be on the far side, not the near side... we look like giants compared to Kate and Marie...



Oh, the plus one? Tim found a foetus on the track later on in the day. We figured it might be a koala, fresh one it was... but really hard to know.