Leonie
- Start date: 28 April 2015
- Age When Completed: 52
- Direction Walked: Sectional
General Comments
I started walking the Track with my husband in April 2015 when we walked from Pemberton to Northcliffe. I was immediately hooked and knew that I wanted to complete the Track. We did a couple of more sections together and then at the beginning of 2017 I set myself the challenge to complete the Track in 2017. I have completed 7 sections of the Track and about 650 km this year between March and October. This has been achieved mainly by catching the train/bus to towns and then walking to the next town with the assistance of some lifts closer to Perth.
Food/Supplies Comments
Oats or muesli for breakfast.
Dehydrated homemade dips for lunch with crackers.
Dehydrated homemade evening meals at night.
Favourite Section
Walpole to Peaceful Bay.
Completed this section over the long weekend in June 2017. From leaving the inlet on Saturday morning, walking up into the forest, staying in the shelter on the river, visiting the Tree Top Walk, staying the night in the middle of the forest and then walking out to the coast the following morning and finishing with fish and chips at Peaceful Bay. An awesome long weekend!
Highlights
Reaching the south coast at Mandalay Beach after tackling a tough section of walking and wading alone and being very wet from the time I left Northcliffe.
Arriving in Albany after finishing the Bibbulmun Track with my husband there to meet me.
Personal Reactions
It was a personal challenge to set out this year and complete the Track on my own. It has been an awesome experience and a very rewarding personal challenge. I have looked forward to getting out each month and very excited and proud to reach Albany.
Wildlife
Highlight was seeing an echidna.
No problems with any wildlife except at Blackwood where I hung up my shorts and forgot that there were snacks in my pocket. I woke in the morning to find a hole eaten through my shorts by a rat/mouse.
Your Best Equipment
Walking with one walking stick. Essential for preventing injuries to knees and ankles particularly on downhill and uneven surfaces.
Your Worst Equipment
Not necessarily the worst but underutilised was my tent which I carried the length of the Track and only used it on the second last night when there was 9 at the shelter. There was only one other night in the Perth Hills in the school holidays when there was a number of people at the shelter each night and I preferred to sleep in the shelters.
Advice for Others
Take only one set of clothes for walking and one set of warm clothes for wearing at night. Drink plenty of water and pack too much food.