Guy Smith
- Start date: 17 August 2015
- Age When Completed: 35
- Direction Walked: North to South
General Comments
My first long distance walk! So pleased to finish this wonderful adventure, such a feeling of satisfaction and elation when I reached the Southern Terminus! No blisters and all limbs accounted for!
Food/Supplies Comments
Bought food in the track towns and packed 10 days food for Kalamunda to Dwellingup. Heavy, but made it! Smaller towns not so good (Dwellingup, Balingup) but others (Collie, Pemberton, Northcliffe, Denmark, Walpole) were fine. Electrolyte tablets and energy gels were difficult to come by! May consider food drops if I end-to-end again.
Favourite Section
Boat Harbour to William Bay. The beautiful cliff views, followed by the 8km walk along the beach (done without boots!) was just breathtaking. The heart of arguably the best section of the Track.
Highlights
Campsites: Waalegh, White Horse Hills, Lake Maringup, William Bay,Torbay. Definitely the karri forests between Donnelly River Village to Pemberton. The spectacular Tingle Trees and the views down to the coast! Seeing the Albany Wind Turbines for the first time.
Personal Reactions
A wonderful Track, well maintained, fantastic campsites. In places, there were a few Waugals missing but I’d be counting these instances on my fingers, which is pretty incredible for 1000km! Disappointed with Possum Springs (no water, tent provided?) but diversions well marked. So hard to quantify as one experience - it felt more like 9 mini adventures! It has definitely whetted my appetite for more long hiking trips to come!
Wildlife
Stunning. I have come back with a much greater knowledge and appreciation for the different types of trees, wildflowers, orchids, birds, marsupials, snakes and many other creatures besides. You really cannot help but marvel at nature when walking the Bib!
Your Best Equipment
My walking stick. I only took one (I found this helped to keep moving when fetching things from pockets, taking photos or having a drink). Camel bag with drinking straw is a must!
Your Worst Equipment
Fuel stove - fuel bottle pump broke two camps from Collie, plus the burner covered everything (including me) in soot! If only boiling water, gas is the way to go, especially systems of the ‘insulated’ variety!!
Advice for Others
Wear in your boots, invest in walking sticks and stay as warm and dry as you can after a days hiking! Plan your walk; know distances between shelters, especially around diversions. Know how many days of food you will need to take! Then head out into the bush, look out for those Waugals and marvel at the beauty of the South West!