Another travelling day for us.  We started out cold due to a power failure at the park.  As a consequence of that, we were the only lights on anywhere to be seen thanks to the backup batteries, but the heater wasn’t working either, so we were probably the coldest too since we were the only ones silly enough to be out of bed this early!

Kel went to have her morning shower and bid a hasty retreat, as since there was no power the instant GAS hot water wouldn’t fire up and a cold shower wasn’t in her mornings plan.

We didn’t have too far to go today, but there was plenty to see and do.  The roads were also winding, undulating and steep with little opportunity for others to pass ol’ wobbly, so we had a fan club behind us for most of the day.  Luckily, since my van rear view camera was on the rubbish pile back at Albany I was blissfully unaware of the goings on behind me.

The Valley of the Giants tree top walk opened at 10am and that’s when we rocked up.  This tree top walk is the original.  It’s only got the walk and none of the fancy towers or cantilever sections like at the Otway Fly.  The walk isn’t the drawcard though, the trees are.  They are certainly tall and majestic.

After the tree top walk there is a ground level walk to do too.  This is certainly more interesting as there are many info stations along the way to learn the ways of the forest.  The trees also are more amazing viewed from the base than from above.

Grandma Tingle Tree (See the face?)

 

We stopped for lunch at Northcliffe after passing a few emus by the side of the road.  We’ve now seen tons more emus than roos on this trip.  Go figure?

Next stop was going to be the Gloucester Tree a 61m tall climbing tree.  Climbing trees are fire spotter stations that you can climb up to enjoy the view.  In doing the research for the trip I’d planned to climb the Gloucester tree but I’d also heard of the Bicentennial Tree, a 75m tall monster, that could also be climbed … but couldn’t find out where it was.  That was until we nearly drove past it!

The lookout is that tiny little spec up the top of the tree

The sign at the bottom warns that it shouldn’t be climbed in wet or windy conditions.  165 pegs to climb, plus the tower.  Since it was neither wet nor windy I had thus run out of excuses and up I went.

The first half went easy enough, although it was the stair master from hell and I needed a bit of a break at the first platform.

Looking back down from halfway up

There’s a lovely sign here that reads “Congratulations, this is just the beginning … the next section is longer, steeper and narrower.  The final section is almost vertical.  DO NOT PROCEED if wet or windy.  Only 4 people allowed at the top (or one fat bloke)”.  Well, I tell ya what, many glances were had at the sky and I even did a little rain dance … no one was above me and even though I almost qualify as one fat bloke I started the next section anyways.

The tree really gets a good sway up and its pretty unpredictable which way its gonna go next.  When you get to the top of the spiral peg case you’re not done yet.  Oh no … there’s still another 3 levels connected by ladders.

Once you’re at the top of all that you are rewarded for your psychopathy with a magnificent view.

Didn’t know Matchbox made cars that small

Once you’ve soaked in the view, the reality of doing it all again backwards sets in.  Not as strenuous going backwards, but certainly no safer either.  I had no trouble on the way up and once starting the trip back down you immediately feel safer with each step … even though you’d be a dead duck from about the 20th step from the ground.  The issue I had was that I kept banging my knee and getting that ‘funny bone’ effect after about each 20th step.  Gave me a few anxious moments and made the crawl back to terra firma that much longer.

 

Looking down from the top

I made like the Pope and lips hit dirt when I got back down.  I was buggered.

We still had about 100kms to go until camp for the night and it continued to be similar road.  80 kmh was about all that could be reliably managed.  We got to Nannup and bought a paper … Not too interested with the news inside, but we needed something to light a fire with!

The camp for the night was to be either Barrabup Pool, Workers Pool or Cambray Siding.  All of these sites are on the Heritage Rail Trail.  This is a world class walking/biking track that runs from Perth to Albany following the path of an 1800’s rail line.  Most of the path still has most of the original sleepers intact … such is the strength of the Karri timber used in their construction.

The sites are all well off the beaten track and beside water holes (to feed the steam engines).  I figured they’d be a great spot to camp and get a bit of history.  I’d love to walk or ride the trail in full one day … it’s one of the worlds great walks.  Not too likely to happen though.  It’s a bit of an epic trek.  I was also hoping to see a bit of wildlife, given that the camps are beside waterholes and the native fauna kinda needs that to survive.  We saw two emus as we pulled into camp … that’s it.  Even they made a hasty retreat.  There were plenty of hidey holes for animals and even some artificial Wombat burrows … but nada, not a single animal was seen.  Coupla Kookaburra’s laughing at us out here in the cold was all.

With no animals, other travellers, rain or wind it was a very quiet free camp tonight.  I offered to get the generator going to provide some internal heat, but it wasn’t really needed as it wasn’t really that cold.  Nobody seemed keen to assist in firewood collection so we didn’t get one of those either.  The kids & I did have a bit of a wander around and found a geocache (surprise!) and many of the plaques explaining the many artifacts around.

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