Lake Eyre with Dad - Dubbo to Parachilna, Sept 12, 2011)

Dad and Margies fabulous adventure started with a good omen in Dubbo. When we arrived we were upgraded to a very large apartment and both slept well.

So we headed off on Rex from Dubbo, Moosie along for the ride.

Dad took to flying like a pro, and it was a lovely clear day so the country looked great.  ( Amazing since he had been on a plane only once in his life, when he was 18 and flew to Sydney for National Service). 

We arrived at Broken Hill after a 90 min flight and were met by Eddie, our pilot, who guided us out to our tiny plane. 

We took off smoothly, Dad in the front with 360 degree views and his head set on, me in the back marvelling at all the beautiful patterns that emerged as we few.

We could see many tiny homesteads, occasional roads, green snakes of water courses, but mainly huge flat tracks of red land.

After about 50 mins the Flinders Ranges came into view, they were amazing to fly over and see the lines of different rocks thrust up to create this range.

The just as suddenly as they appeared they were gone, it was flat, and our little plane was gently touching down on the dirt air strip of Parachilna!!!

I had been an intense few hours so we were glad for a rest in the lovely Prairie Hotel. Jane runs the hotel which is a beautifully restored old pub of stone and wood. Dad and I even have interconnecting rooms!!

The Flinders ranges are only about 2 km away, and change colour frequently in the light so it's a nice spot to just stroll away up a track and look at the mountains.

No phone signal and no tv at the hotel makes for a real holiday break.

Lake Howden, the end of the trail, and sea kayaking on Milford Sound

Woke really early and had to start in the dark, as my kayaking bus was picking me up at 8 am.  I had not planned on the latter sunrise (being so far South) so was up and packing in the dark, just waiting for some light. Walked the first bit with a headlamp, but it soon was ok to see as my eyes adjusted

After only an hour I was around Key Summit and out, to a very comfortable shelter, which was nice as it was raining now.

Then the bus arrived, with my Kayak company giving me a nice hot chocolate for the 20 min trip to Milford Sound. We were quickly in our gear and out on the water, and I was lucky enough to share my kayak with one of the guides, a young indigenous woman who was great fun and told me heaps about the area, the plants, and the natural history of NZ.

There were a couple, and 4 kids from the US in my group, and even though it was raining the Sound was still magnificent. This is Lion Rock ahead of us.

I did wonder what the sheep farmers were doing without their beanies

We paddled into a cool little alcove called Dragons Lair which had the most noisy birds, and we then lunched at the end of the Milford Track

So I think I will be back again to do more of the Great Walks. My Annie Dillard quote " how you live your days is how you live your life" fitted well with this trip. 

Lake Mackensie to Howden

Once again I awoke to a lovely morning, very early as there were some serious snores in my part of the hut, snores that even earplugs couldn't block out!

My legs felt ok, a little sore in the calves, so I went for a 45 min walk around the Lake to Split Rock without my pack. So light! It was a mossy beautiful walk, and the moon was still visible over the Darran Mtns.

The lake was really still and peaceful

with lots of birds chirping from the trees

And once again all the trees and rocks were covered in moss. This is Split Rock, about 40 min walk around the lake, its about 30 metres high!

I felt great this morning, perhaps not having a pack on helped!

The it was time to load up and start the 40 min fairly steep climb up

The track was rougher than previous days, so I was glad that I did  warm up walk. It climbed to gain the height lost in descending to the lake yesterday

And when I got to the top it took my breath away! It was a crystal clear morning, and the view across the valley was unbelievable

There were mountains as gar as I could see to the north and south

The picture is back down the Valley that I had walked yesterday

There were so many picture moments that I went very slowly

Every time I came to a gap in the trees the mountains looked different, as the clouds moved about

Pyramid Peak was especially beautiful, I was lucky that it has snowed early in the season

And of course Moosie was there to

Being lurked by a dark shadow

Obviously my self timed photography has not really improved

But finally I got it

Then it was just a long steady descent, passing many lovely little falls

And the magnificent Earland Falls, which are 80 m high

The trees were magnificent, and I especially loved the Beech, with its architectural form it looked like giant Bonzai!

And the to Howden, on the shores of another pretty lake. This hut only had 20 bunks( tiny for this track) and I had the choice of them all. About an hour latter another trekker showed up, and with 19 other bunks to pick, chose the one next to mine!! ah, getting away from it all!

I enjoyed another evening walk, a bit sad that this was the last night

Over Harris Saddle to Mackenzie Hut

It rained and blew all night, so I had a great warm sleep snug in the Hut. The warden had said last night that a big  front was coming through, so all night I had thought tomorrow will suck, its the day we go above the tree line all day! Then the sun came up and it was glorious!!!

 Moosie and I shared a morning coffee and bowl of porridge ( well actually he couldn't eat as he was too nervous about the climb) and then by 8 am we were walking.

 We walked beside Routeburn Falls, and onwards toward the start of the river. It was cold but beautiful light, and I was alone in the valley.

 The trail was really good, but icey where the sun hadn't reached. As I climbed the sun rose behind me,

 And Harris Saddle came into view

 I was above the treeline of 1000m now so it was all grass and alpine plants

 I was having a fabulous morning, but looking at this picture I can see why my shoulders ached latter in the day, my pack was to high on my hips ( I did realise this about 2 hours latter!)

 Then Harris Lake popped into view about an hour from the hut

 It was still only 9 am, so cold and brilliant

 Looking back from where I'd come you could see the lumps of rock left as the glacier that carved this valley receded

 Harris Lake, the track sidled high above it on a narrow goat trail

 Then suddenly I come around a bend and could see the grassy flat of Harris Saddle, and through to the Hollyford Valley and snow capped Darran mountain range. Yippee, this was the top of my track at 1255 metres, and I had done it in under the suggested time!!!

 Moosie and I took a well earned break at The Shelter,

 The views of the Darran mountains across the valley came in glimpses as the clouds scuttled past

 It felt like they were really close, but in fact there is a really deep valley between

 The track was pretty steady and flat for about the next 2 hours as I walked along the top of the ridge

 There were lots of different alpine plants up here, and this one was surprising in that it looks like a cactus!

 But mostly it was alpine grasses and shrubs

 The track was quiet damp from the rain, and I was glad that I was walking on a sunny, still day. You can imagine how exposed it would be in a storm

 The cloud chased me through the pass and down the valley, but luckily it seemed to wait behind me

 At times I could see the Hollyford River fare below

 The after a few hours I rounded a point and could see Lake Mackenzie. My tired legs didn't enjoy the steep descent!!

 The track zig zagged down so I went past the lake, and doubled back

 Then dropped into the most amazing moss covered forest

 I swear if I had sat much longer that the moss would ahve started to cover me. It was amazing, elves definitely live here!!

 Finally to the valley floor and lovely lake ( and Hut!). It was still early afternoon, so another nap was in order before a stroll around the lake

 The evenign come in and this was the view from my spot on hut porch to the Darren Mountains