8th September 2017

A saunter down the road

September 8

Managed to get our host to feed us breakfast at 6 and at 6:30 drive us to today's launch point to walk back to Lion Head. We managed to get a start a few kms up the road which means we do them today not tomorrow when we are back on full packs. Much shorter days with full packs sounds better and we camp at a native campsite tomorrow. Loving the variety  of accommodation we are having. 

The plan had been to camp most of the time but soon learned that wasn't possible. Much of the trail goes through private land and the landowners don't allow it. Of course, we could 'stealth camp' as many do,  but would rather not upset people who are generous enough to allow us to cross their land. And besides, although the forest is beautiful, it is quite wet underfoot and as soon as you're not moving the mozzies come and have a food fest!  It just makes it a bit more expensive. 

We descended quite a way and it was very dark even though the sun was up. Towards the bottom there was a super slippery section and would have been easy going up......but going down....uh huh, today I carry dark grey mud!  

Mostly today was the rocky escarpment and some beautiful forest full of fungi following all the rain we've had and there was a lengthy road section which wasn't so bad given it was a 30km day. The coast was noisy and really windy and the water looked like an ocean with heavy waves coming in. There was one short section where we're supposed to drop down to the beach and a short bit later climb back out but when we looked down the waves were crashing over the 'trail' bit and right on the edge of the cliff in spots and the wind was blowing like crazy, and we chose a safer route along the top. 

The forest is so serene and so beautiful.  Just changing vegetation all the time and sections that are rocky and other sections that are mud skating spots. 

One of things we've noticed here is that much of the 'beach' area is private land to the waters edge where at home the area next to the water belongs to the government with public access all the time. The homes along there are stunning and in some places the house is on one side of the road with their own private path to their beachfront set up like a holiday zone complete with bbq's.  

We were back in Lions Head much sooner than we thought today and had lunch at Rachel's again. Grabbed a couple of bits of food for the trail onwards tomorrow and managed to get some rock tape at the pharmacy.  We always carry enough to get us out of trouble following the debacle on the VDLP a couple of years ago but do need to top up once it's been used. It has been a beautiful blessing on my knee. 

One thing for sure today I could never have lost my buddy!  His shoes have turned squeaky!

Something new we learned......we have passed places called 'Half Dump', 'High Dump' and 'Reed Dump'. These are where logs were rolled off into the lake for collection later. 

Going to sample the pub for diner tonight