Neville Bruce (Nev Bruce)

Completed: 11 November, 2022

Neville Bruce thumbnail — **Neville Bruce**
Nev Bruce

Start date: 4 September, 2022
Age When Completed: 79
Direction Walked: Southbound

Track Towns and Supplies

Did you have any issues finding food/supplies? Yes
Dehydrated most of my food and relied on family to resupply along most of the way.

Your Story or Advice for Others

General Comments
Fantastic. So pleased to have done it. So thankful for first nations for preserving the South West environment for 40000 years and to the many Bibbulmun volunteers and workers for maintaining it and to the many friends met along the way, whithout whom I would probably not have made it.

Your Best Equipment
My single skin tent. I started with a cheapish pack and less than warm sleeping bag and overjacket. These were swapped about 3 weeks into the hike with better equipment brought down by my family. The new pack in particular made a world of difference. It was much better ballanced and clung to my back well. The earlier version had a will of its own, it would keep going when I tried to change direction and so led me to quite a few falls.

Your Worst Equipment
Cheap pack.

Advice for Others
This is mainly for the somewhat more mature, optimistic but relatively inexperienced and untrained newbies. 1) Get track fit. I thought say 20 one hour walks up hilly country with a pack would do it. It did not! The Bibbulmun was say twice as difficult. 2) If you leave the track for a toilet stop make sure you come back and walk in the correct direction. Leave an arrow in the dirt to make sure of this! You may still see some of my arrows for some months. 3) Talk to others on the track. Most end to enders are very experienced. You will learn so much from them about how to hike and the joys of other hikes. You will also learn how supportive they all are. I could not have finished without their enthusiasm and advice.

Trip Details

How you completed the Bibbulmun Track:

All at once

Who did you complete the Track with? Other - Solo with friends met along the way
Was undertaking your hike the PRIMARY/MAIN purpose of your TRAVEL from where you currently live? No

Your Experience

Favourite Section
The lot! Major transitions during the one day were particularly exciting.

Highlight of your trip
Waking up in the morning and breathing in the forrests, flats, and seascapes; dreaming of the days walk.