The morning came with promise of drier weather today. Although still overcast thee forecast was for just patchy rain accross the Flinders Ranges area today.
The decision was made to get the sheets and towels washed this morning and then we set off on the "Clems Lookout" hike. This would take us only about an hour and half. Then after an early lunch we planned to do a scenic drive to Blinman and Parachilna Gorge.
We set off with umbrella and poncho to do this walk as the threat of rain was always still very high. It was not a particularly difficult walk but it was very scenic.
The flies have started to arrive in droves!!
it did rain a bit on the bike and even had a decent shower that sent me scurrying to get the poncho on and the camera under cover. All in all it was a walk we would highly recommend.
After a quick lunch we set off for our afternoon drive. Furst stop was Wilpena Pound visitor centre which was our first mistake. We should have left this visit off the itinerary for the afternoon so that we had plenty of time for the drive North to Blinman and Parachilna Gorge.
Out on the road again ( and it is tar all the way to Blinman) we decided to check out a lookout that we could see was on top a hill. The dirt road wound it's way up away from the main road to "Stokes Lookout" - just the most amazing 360 degrees panoramic view of the countryside.
We moved up the road heading for Blinman - a tiny village in the Flinders with just a pub and cafe/ general store. There really did not seem to be much else there and after a quick look around and toilet stop we made our way onwards - deciding to do a circuit via Glass Gorge down into Parachilna Gorge (our main destination on this drive today).
We started off on this route okay- looking forward to the scenery of these gorges.
The road was a bit muddy in patches but this presented us with no real problems.
HOWEVER - partway through Glass Gorge a storm hit (we we had obviously not seen coming) - maybe we had been too pre-occupied with our sightseeing and the scenery and had not noticed it approaching. It got really dark quickly and then the heavens opened up.
So the scenario was:
we are in a gorge in a heavy thunderstorm - with water starting to run across the roads. We had. I way of getting out of there quickly and had to just press on in the pouring rain.
The water was only surface run- off but we were pretty worried it would quickly turn to mud.
It was a bit scary and tense driving through this - but we emerged onto the road coming out of Parachilna gorge and headed straight out to the highway.
This road was much better and we were heading out of the mountains & the gorge and we were soon on dry road with the storm behind us.
Here is the view we had looking back to where we had just come from!!
We were now heading for the tiny village of Parachilna - where the Prairie Hotel is a well visited pub hereabouts.
This is the sign we passed on our way - advertising the Prairie Hotel.
Not much further up the road we arrived at their iconic pub.
Our car really now looks like it belongs out in the bush!!! It was covered in mud!!
We stopped for a quick drink and a sit out the front in the sun - before continuing on - now back down the highway to Rawnsley Station (our current home away from home)
We did not consider going back through the gorge - even though the storm appeared to be moving away quickly from that area.
We also decided not to take the shortcut/ scenic route back to Rawnsley from the highway - as we did not know how much rain they might have had along this road today.
So we headed down the highway all the way back to Hawker and then to Rawnsley Station. This meant that we did not get back to our camp until after dark - so we were driving at the danger time of day for encountering wildlife on the road. This is something we would always try to avoid but we had to get back to camp.
Fortunately we arrived back safe and sound - with no harm done.
This will certainly be an afternoon to remember!!
Nice pictures once again ladies.....so got to visit this place.
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