Day 54: Robinson Hill to Waitpinga Camp Site 27km

Today I was going to reach the Southern Ocean. I had been looking forward to this section for a while now and I must admit today didn't disappoint.

I had the obligatory walk through the roads and the paddocks. They also managed to throw in another Heysen on me where the trail leaves a road, travels 2 kilometres around some paddock to then go back to the road 1 kilometre down from where you left it. The trail then comes within a couple of hundred metres of the suburb of Encounter Bay.

I was tempted to side trail to the nearest cafe but it turned out to be 2.2 kilometres away a 4.4 kilometre round trip. Just too far for a coffee. The trail then starts to follow the coast proper and I slowed down a lot to continue to admire the views.

The trail follows the cliffs from King Head to Newland Head before heading inland a little through the Newland Head Conservation Park. I headed for the Waitpinga Campground where Belinda had to book me a spot online. No one else there except me and every mosquito in South Australia. I had to spend the last of the daylight hours in the tent after they found me. They eased off a little after dark.

Day 53: Heysen's Rest to Robinson Hill Campsite 18km

The day started with the need to get out of a warm bed. Not happy Jan.(old yellow pages commercial) Jayne form Heysens Rest B+B delivered me a scrumptious breakfast. 3 poached eggs, bacon, avocado with toasted sourdough. A side bowl of blueberries and strawberries with an orange juice chaser and two apples. Wonderful value for $15.

Then with a belly groaning (I took the apples for later) I had to go down to the road and continue. The trail takes you through the normal roads, paddocks and steep hills up to a ridge line that then into the Myonga Conservation Park. Another gem hidden in amongst the farmlands.

I first thought I was just going to trudge along a fenceline but the track eventually winds through a portion of the park as it follows a creek line up to another ridge. From there its back onto the roads looking across the Inman Valley. The drop down into the valley takes you in the front garden of a house and then down their driveway. Some people are generous to allow the trail and the subsequent bums like me to pass within 10 metres of their front door. On the way down a driveway I gave one of the apples to a horse.

The trail crosses a road but I did a quick left to go to the Inman Valley General Store and Cafe and had quick coffee and bite to eat. Obviously breakfast wasn't enough. Then back up the road to follow the trail through a pine plantation.

Halfway up a hill the trail takes a left. I looked at it and said , No your not doing a Heysen to me at this time of the day. You see the trail went back down a hill and the camp I was heading for was called Robinson Hill and since I was already halfway up a hill I decided to continue on the track I was on and it just went on a steady climb to the top where I then followed a fence line to meet up with the official trail which of course seemed to follow the longest and steepest way to get somewhere. I felt a small sense of victory of not letting the bastards fool me again. But have I now really done the Heysen? I think I can live with it.

The camp site is a small spot of bushland in a paddock about 30 metres from the road. But sheltered and flat is all I ask for now.

ay 52: Mt Compass to Heysen's Rest 26km

Today was a much better day for walking. Cool morning and sunshine. Little bit of frost but not enough to worry me.

I walked out of the caravan park about 6.45am after a cold night. No power meant no heater and I was stuck to a very small area in the bed as it was also cold an the only spot warm was what I made warm. The power did come back on about 4.30 am as I had a light on that woke me up. If I was more with it I could have remembered to turn the heater on but I just flicked the light off and rolled over.

The initial walk is up a road.Not to arduos but I was feeling a strain in one of my legs. Worried that I may be hobbled so close to the finish, I took some voltaren and kept going. First pills I have had to take on this trip.

When you climb up the hill it then turns into a grazing property and follows a ridge line for a couple of hours. Being a pleasant day meant the walk was enjoyable and not at all difficult. It looked like most of the walk was through one property. I thought from the ridge line I could see the ocean in the distance. Then its a drop of that ridge then down a road and a climb up to another grazing 

property.

The highlight of the day was the Yulte Conservation Park. Just a pocket of native vegetation and some steep climbs but lots of birds and I saw another echidna. Just the general feel of the place made me happy. At one stage I sat and tried to distinguish how many different bird calls I could hear and I got up to 15. A true birdman could tell me whether they were same birds calling each other or not.

I read that a lot of these zones generally came from the farmers giving up the land as it was too difficult for them to farm. They would pay for a lease and of course they were expected to stock it to certain levels or clear it etc. If they could convince a bureaucrat to take the difficult areas back then they were saved a few dollars. 

This is probably why there are so many of these areas in steep gullies and hidden valleys.

I sat on a ridge line and had lunch overlooking Myponga. then after descending the ridge it was a road walk to a B+B called Heysen's Rest where a beer comes with the room. The room is much flasher than I expected.

Got in around 2.30pm for a 25 kilometre walk. Tomorrow is only 15 kilometres so no need to leave too early and the lady is making me breakfast in the morning.

Day 51: Jack's Paddock to Mt Compass 30km

The day was better but the tent was very wet. A little rain and a lot of dew.

Left Jacks Paddock about 7 am with a long day to Mt Compass. Simple walk out of the forest area to Kyeema Conservation Area. After that its a fairly long walk then I entered the Mt Magnificent area.

I was halfway up the side trail to the summit and decided I didn't really need another hill to climb. After that it was fairly long road walk through some nice countryside before a long walk down the main road to Mt Compass.

I was booked to stay at the caravan park and I went into town to pick up some supplies for the last 6 days. The town area is 2 kilometres off trail and the caravan park is an additional 700 metres.... a long way to walk with a couple of bags of groceries.

I did look at the tavern menu to see whether it would be worth a walk back in and out for a pub meal but decided I could make do with the supplies I had and a rest.

I managed to get my clothes washed and had hard boiled some eggs when the power went out and didn't come back on till 4.30 am. The little cabin was a cold place without the ability to get the heater going. So it was early to bed and mindless television watching.