A couple of days on the Cape2Cape Walk
Given we hadn’t managed to do the final bits of the Bibbulmun track together because of the Perth lockdown, but mostly because it was there, Birger and I decided to walk a section of the Cape to Cape walk in the Margaret River region.
The Cape to Cape is one of the best known and also Australia’s longest coastal walk and stretches from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin in the South. The total distance is 120km, and we just picked one section for an “out and back” to save ourselves the logistical challenge of getting transport for a one way walk.
As I had all our essential camping gear and was very used to carrying it, all we needed was Birger’s sleeping bag and food for 2 days. The weather forecast predicted perfect walking weather, sunny with a few clouds and 20 degrees.
Day1: Yallingup to Moses Rocks, 21km
We left the car in Yallingup and started walking with a slightly overcast sky. To the uninitiated observer, it may have looked like I had definitely picked the shorter straw, as I was carrying my big 65l backpack while Birger just had our small blue daypack. But he was carrying all our food and 3L of water, while I had sleeping bags and mats, so the packs were actually about the same weight. Usually, we try to split the weight in relation to body weight, I.e. Birger would carry about 30% more, but given my four weeks training over sitting in an office (and only throwing himself down a couple canyons while I covered 1005km), an equal split seemed fair.
Leaving Sydney, Birger had decided that he wasn’t going to go outside in rainy weather while on holidays and had hence left his rain jacket at home. Fair enough, but unfortunately the weather forecast did what I had experienced previously as well: “sunny with a few clouds” translated to intermittent showers. Luckily, it was mostly drizzle but it dampened the mood (at least for Birger) quite a bit to start off.
On the upside, those showers led to a number of beautiful rainbows both over the coast and the ocean.
The scenery is stunning, alternating between coastal heath, stunning white beaches and rocky cliffs.
I always love the tiny wildflowers, and there were some of the little orchids again:
We walked along Quininup beach and stopped at Quininup falls, a magical spot. It’s a place of great significance to the local aboriginal Wadandi Nyoongar people and you can tell how it is a spiritual place.
There was a bench on the headland about 100m from the campsite- the perfect spot for wine and cheese while watching the sunset - the benefits of an overnight walk are the luxury items! 
And further luxuries: Indian tika with fresh vegetables and turmeric rice and garlic naan (the later out of a package, but at least slightly heated over the camping stove) and dark chocolate for dessert!
Oh, and here’s day 1 on a video: https://www.facebook.com/1607162018/posts/10222316533014676/?d=n
Day 2: Moses Rocks to Yallingup: 23km with a few detours
The next morning started again slightly drizzly, but it cleared up quickly.
We walked back the same way we came yesterday, but took a few side tracks to different lookouts and the coast like Injidup point:
(Spot Birger in the video - lower right hand corner!)
Lunch was with a view (of course) and then we stopped at Canal Rocks and made coffees on our camping stove - can’t get much more spectacular than this view for afternoon tea:
There was a bit more beach walking than what I remembered from the day before, but we eventually made it back to Yallingup for another round of sunset wine and cheese.
Day 3: Yallingup to Cape Naturaliste lighthouse, 14km
Me being me, I couldn’t just leave it at the one section, as the last bit of the Cape to Cape walk was so close, so I set off early the next morning to run to Cape Naturaliste.
I started at 6:30am, so half an hour before sunrise, in twilight along the beach in Yallingup going North. Again, an overcast and drizzly start, but it cleared up eventually.
The coast was more rugged than yesterday and while there was still a bit of sandy trails, there was also a bit of rock hopping and some beautiful rock formations.
A bit of beach running and a few Short but steep climbs.
From Sugarloaf rock where we watched the sunset a few days ago while we were staying in Dunsborough, the trail became sealed walkway and it was a 3km relatively easy (though uphill) to Cape Naturaliste lighthouse where Birger was waiting for me.
I think we might come back to walk the whole Cape to Cape one day - this little taster was a nice start!
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