Day 15: Balingup to Gregory Brook, 36km

I left Ballingup around 6:30am, first walking through the Golden Valley Tree Park, which is like an arboretum with lots of European trees - a few more weeks and it will probably be stunning with foliage. This morning was a bit grey and overcast. 

The morning was a lot of walking on farm land and country roads - it was nice to finally get some views into the distance after walking through more or less dense forest for almost 2 weeks. 

It was also pretty noisy, first, I could hear the humming of the southwestern highway, then bulldozers in the forest and timber harvesting and a little later two guys on dirt bikes who eventually passed me on a bit of road and made a point out of stirring up as much dust as possible. F...wits. 

The last few km before lunch were steep uphill through another pine plantation and this time the blackberries just looked too tempting- and they were so aromatic! 

I had lunch at Blackwood shelter which must have burned down a few years ago- they did some revegetation, but it still looks bleak and barren. The fact that it was an overcast day probably didn?t work in the site?s favour... 

From Blackwood, it’s very steep downhill, for people coming the other way (SOBOs) the hill is actually known as “cardiac hill” (so, from a Sydneysider perspective, from Kinkoppal to Rose Bay shops, but on a single trail) (hey, Sheryl :-)). The trail then crossed an organic poultry farm where a few teenagers seemed to be chasing chickens and then along a river. 

More country roads and then back into the forest. 

Another muesli bar and 3 more little climbs (on one, I passed two very sweaty more or less overweight gentlemen in their late 50s who were contemplating giving up...) (as I later learned they had actually done just that the night before- they couldn?t find Blackwood shelter in the dark as it had taken them so long to make their way up that hill, so they ended up just pitching their sleeping bags next to the trail - only to find the hut a mere 400m further the next morning!). 

At Gregory Brook campsite, there were already 2 ladies in their 60s and eventually the 2 tired gents arrived as well (before dark). As the ladies had already set up in the shelter, I decided to set up my tent- I like being in my own little bubble. And as the two guys and another late arrival all decided to sleep in the shelter, I assume they will be in for a noisy night.