South Gippsland

Day 1.

Cape Jervis to Cobbler Hill Campground - 15 km
My weather forecast for today was sun, wind and rain with a temperature of anywhere between 0° and 40°. Just about covers it, I think. 
An early start and on the road. The bus certainly makes life easier. Thanks, coach captain Whip.
13 excited walkers hit the trail.
My goodness the coastal scenery was absolutely stunning with views of Kangaroo Island for much of the day. Plenty of undulating terrain kept the day interesting. A couple of kangaroos and the remains of some wildflowers. For the last part of the day, we headed inland and up, up,up. Certainly, tested us all. Our coach in the car park was certainly a very welcome site. A tough day but very enjoyable.

Day 2
Cobbler Hill Campground to Tapanappa Campground - 15 km
And then there were 10. Three from yesterday electing to do different activities. An even mix of girls and boys today, a very unusual occurrence. Women usually outnumber 5-1.
I’m well aware that the grading of a hike is very subjective. For me today ranged from very brutal to a little bit brutal to a lovely bush walk. Beautiful weather after a blustery night. My new hat and fly net paid for themselves in the first 5 minutes. Overall, a great day with only a sore little pinky to show for it.
 
Day 3
Tapanappa Campground to Tunk Head Rd - 13km
A good night sleep fixes all. Another early start excited for our beach walk today, with 11 starters. One resting up a sore back and one going shopping!! (I missed that option in the fine print)
I have totally loved today. Starting with the bush followed by rocky up hills and down. Then 5 km of beach.
While beach walking has a wow factor it can also is tough going. Today was pretty firm under foot so not too bad. We definitely ticked the box of adventure club today. For me today the best and most rewarding was a climb of 100 m virtually straight up using a chain to pull ourselves up.
Looking forward to a wine and relax and be on my game for tomorrow
 
Day 4
Tunk Head Rd to Parsons Beach 10.5km
What can I say, today we sort of cheated. Well, we stayed on the Heysen Trail route, but we sort of stayed on the bus. It was only for about 2 km, and it was on a road, so it doesn’t count, right?
The rest of the morning was solid but enjoyable. Through farmland, up and over stiles and even dodging a herd of cows. A bit of up and down a bit of beach and a lot of magnificent coastline.
We were finished by 12.30 so our coach captain took us to the Boulangerie at Port Elliot for coffee and French pastries and tarts.
Then the rain came down, but we didn’t care.
After the slog of the last 3 days it has been lovely to have a shorter easier day.
 
Day 5
Parsons Beach to Kings Head 16km
The Wild Coast Way, the gift that keeps on giving.
It has however become apparent that the excessive amount of foam on the beaches reportedly due to algae is causing minor throat irritation, coughing and snuffles. Some reporting chest tightness. Hiking can really be a challenge for oh so many reasons. Personally, I was relieved when others reported symptoms as I thought I was getting sick. We all however made it through another great day on the track. The rugged coastline with the Waitpinga cliffs being a highlight in the day. Oh, and not getting wet feet when we crossed the river. See you tomorrow. Polish up your boots for the last day.

Day 6
Kings Head to Granite Island 13.5km
The Heysen Trail heads north from Kings Head. Just 1100 km further. We are not heading north at this stage.
As a treat for our last day we enjoyed a walk from Kings Head to The Bluff where we took in the views from the top. We then strolled the water’s edge of Encounter Bay to Granite Island.
A lovely wander across the bridge to enjoy further climbing and exploring. All finished off with lunch at the cafe. What an amazing trip it has been with a great bunch of hikers.
Our day finished with dinner and fellowship at The Port Elliot Hotel partaking in a well earned meal and a drink.
You can now unlace your boots and store your backpacks until the next adventure after completing 85 kms on the Wild South Coast Way.


This trip was led by myself Helen with great support from my fellow hikers. We all stayed in accommodation in Victor Harbor and Port Elliot and our shuttle took us to and from each day. It has been a wonderful hike with a great bunch of hikers.
Many thanks to Whip our ever-loyal bus driver. He never missed a beat. Always being there for us at the start of the day and most importantly the end of each day.

Participants

Helen, Mary-Anne, Wendy, Ed, Nathalie, Alec, Joy, Graham, Michelle, Phillip, Janet, David, Judy and Clive (bus driver)

Until next time
H