Day 94 – Thursday 21st October 2021 – 0 Km

An early start (not early enough, we wanted to start walking at 6am) we were at the start of the walking track into Carnarvon Gorge National Park by 8am with lunch packed & lots of water in the backpack. We were here in 2010 & walked all the way to the end of the Gorge at Big Bend & back whilst looking at all the side gorges (each of the side gorges you have 600 metres more or less to walk in) too in one day. Today we are not so ambitious (those were the days, 11 years younger certainly makes a difference). There is a sign at the start of the track stating that the track will be closed at 3pm due to encroaching wildfires.

We cross the Carnarvon Creek over the dozen stepping stones full of excitement for the scenery that we knew lay ahead. The track has changed since we were last here with lots of steps put in along the track. We can understand why, the track is so worn in places from the huge amount of foot traffic. This is a very popular park, understandably so.  There are a few walkers that overtake us as we are walking along slowly & taking our time. The scenery is just as beautiful as we remember it with the giant sandstone cliffs closing in on either side & giant gum trees & palm trees reaching to the sky. In places we can see that a fire has burned through here within the last year.

As the time passes there are lots more people that walk past us, some stop for a chat. The turn off to the Moss Garden is a bit over 3km along the track & it is a further 600m in & up the side of the gully. It is tough walking with lots of rough steps up & down crossing a few small creek beds. There is a new board walk & seats here but the moss gardens are just as beautiful with the small waterfall & all the moss growing on the rocks with water dripping out of it. It is also very wonderfully cool in here as the day is starting to really warm up. We sit & have our morning tea & wash it down with some of the cold water we brought. The colours here are amazing as the sandstone is sitting on top of an impervious layer of shale & the contrast in colours from the shale to the sandstone to the mosses & ferns is very pretty.

The walk back out of the Moss Garden is just as tough & we stop for another rest when we get back to the main track. We decide to continue on to the Amphitheatre, another 1.5km along the main track that is now fairly easy walking as we are down on the creek flats. There are two creek crossings that we take slowly, stepping from rock to rock & trying not to get out feet wet.

The turnoff to the Amphitheatre takes us up the side of the escarpment & is again tough going up & down many steps. The entrance to the Amphitheatre is part way up the side of the cliff & is reached by a series of ladders, more hard work. Inside is worth it all, again, it is stunningly beautiful & we sit on one of the benches & have our lunch whilst enjoying the coolness inside.

Walking back is tough as now it is hot, around 35C and we are around 5km (this isn’t counting all the walks we done to get into these side gorges) away with a lot of up & down, steps & creek crossings to go. The scenery is still beautiful & we stop & admire it still, we have a few more rest stops on the way out and drink more cold water. The sight of the Park Headquarters roof is welcoming & the last creek crossing even more so, but still more steps to climb out of the creek. We are exhausted, we have been walking for 7 hours. Back at camp we sit & rest for a couple of hours, drinking lots of more cold water. We are both sore especially our thighs from walking up & down all those steps & it was such a pleasure to take our shoes off. A long day, early to bed tonight.

I am so very grateful that Ron was there with me with his helping hand every time we went over very rough terrain, steps and helping me from falling off the stepping stones into the creek.  Stepping off the stepping stones into the cool water was very tempting. That last kilometre heading out I found in the heat very hard – thank you my sweet heart.

On returning to the Karavan we only had a light meal but lots & lots of cold water – I think because of the heat & exhaustion.

The national park is closed because the rangers don’t want people in there just in case the fires get out of hand & get into the gorges.  The caravan park offered us all, if we wanted to leave earlier, they would refund the fees we paid.  We decided to stay with many others.  There is no smoke here at all, we will have a relaxing day & enjoy walks around the river or if our legs won’t recover maybe a swim – there are no crocodiles here.  Exhausting but a great day.