It was still quite cold, as the sun was only just now peeping over into the campsite, when we made our walking stick selections and headed out.
We planned to walk the 9.7km to Big Bend and then on the return leg stop at a couple of sites that branch off from the main track.
This is a spectacular walk with 20 creek crossings, across Carnarvon Creek, as you wind your way along the boulder strewn floor of the gorge. The scenery and the awesome grandeur of the escarpment of the gorge as well as the very beautiful scenery of the creek is impossible to adequately describe in words. Hopefully the potos will provide some insight into Its beauty.
The walk out was good - we made quite good time and enjoyed the changing aspect of the gorge along the way out to Big Bend- which is a natural pool in Carnarvon Creek in an elbow of the gorge beneath looming sandsone walls. We rested here for a bit in the shade of large spotted gums and watched a couple of rainbow lorikeets in some holes high up in the walls that loomed above. Big Bend is a campsite for hikers wishing to walk out for an overnight stay in the gorge and even has a bush composting toilet.
Along our way we met and chatted with many other hikers - young and old. Cindy more than any of the rest of us has a way of quickly establishing a rapport with many people and by the the time we got back to camp we were well known and from then on we were always stopping for chats in the campsite or out hiking with our fellow campers.
Russ was having a problem with one of his hiking boots as we headed back. He had one hard spot in the side of the shoe that had started rubbing on his ankle and our solution was to try to relieve the pressure by applying a "woman's personal hygiene pad" around this part of his ankle.
This however did not work out well enough and eventually he just took the boot off and walked most of the return journey with just a sock on one foot - all the way back the 11km across the 20 creek crossings.
When we got back he just threw it on the ground and gave it a good bashing with his hiking stick.
The three of us girls did head into Boowinda Gorge on the return leg of our hike (Russ opted out of this side trip as with no shoe on one foot it would have been impossible to manage). There is no actual formed track and it involved much rock-hopping as we made our way into this sculpted side gorge.
Being just off the main track we also checked out the massive wind-eroded overhang that is Cathedral Cave - which is the site of a panorama of fantastic aboriginal artwork.
The walk (22km) was not only long - but with all the creek and walking over rocks in the river bed for the most part - it started to take its toll on us all on the return leg.
The last 5km we were all hurting one way or another - legs & feet were all worn out.
Within a few km of camp we spoke to a one of the Pathfinder group leaders who was heading out to bring back a young girl, from their group, who had an injury and was not able to continue to their overnight camp. He had a torch in hand and by the time he would be returning he would be needing it. Sounded a bit scary having to return in the dark especially with an injured person to bring back as well.
When we made it back to camp we were all exhausted and we just plonked ourselves down in our chairs, removed our shoes from our aching feet and pretty much just stayed like that for a while. Nobody was in a hurry to get moving again.
We eventually pushed ourselves to get going, made our way up for a hot shower and then we of course had to have more redd wine and spent some time admiring the photos we had taken along the walk today.
We sorted another yummy dinner together and planned where we would hike to tomorrow and again the cold, and the tiredness from the day, drove us to an early bed tonight.
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