Where should we explore this year?

70 Year Old Brother in law and his son just finished the trek from Walhalla to Tharwa. Did food drops along the way, carried everything with em, took 6 weeks.

Walking the AAWT at 70! That's very impressive!

Yep, they call him "EverReady", just keeps on going! His wife cooks and dehydrates all his tucker and packs it in vacuum sealed bags for him.

Terra'Mer

If you only have 10 days to walk the 240km arduous Larapinta then suggest you rethink how far you are going to get in those 10 days. They recommend 21 days, it can be done in 12 days if you are superbly fit and have arranged food drops.

Waste of money trying to do it in even 12 days, you won't have any time to enjoy what you came all that way to see. Wonderful scenery and ecosystems if you have the time to notice them.

Mark

Hi Mark

As these walks get closer I will be starting blogs and everyone's advice, concerns, ideas and support can be posted on those.

I could just say "Wait and see" but I prefer people knowing I am not going into these things as an inexperienced and ignorant woman.

Larapinta is 228km including Mt Sonder and the extra 5km walking to the telegraph station from the Alice YHA but not any side trips to resorts or other side trails. An average of 23km a day will be okay, I have timed my itinerary to be in the right places at the right times for the best light and plenty of little breaks for photos (I have heard of it being walked in 8 days). I am also Aspergers and nature is my passion so I see, hear, smell, feel and taste far more than the average person when I'm walking in the great outdoors.

I will be returning there in August 2016 as part of the campaign walk around Australia and will be taking a full wet season break in that region giving me plenty of time to experience that wonderful part of our country. This first small campaign will, hopefully, involve a bush circuit out west to the communities with the clinic, pending elders approval. I have taken into consideration the terrain and climate for the end of May. I'm not expecting Larapinta Trail to be stroll in the park especially considering I'm carrying everything all the way, no food drops but I will be informing the rangers of my trip plan so that water is available at least every few days. It's also a training walk in preparation for walking around Australia and the next training walk/snowshoe across the Alps.

The Alps campaign/training trek is approx 670km and I've given myself 31 days to do that (I have read 23 days is the speed walking record/18 days running record). My average over the mountain trails is 4km/hr and 5-5.5km/hr over flat terrain, 25-30km/day.

The walk around Australia will be averaging 25km/day, no record breaking, just slow and sustainable over 75 months with full wet season breaks across the top and free depression awareness and suicide prevention talks as I go.

It's not your average style of walking and I understand your concern.


: )

Terra'Mer

Best wishes for your big year

For the Larapinta Trail, the below link to a person's photo blog contains some superb photos of the Larapinta Trail (I don't know the author).

The best guidebook I know of is the book written by John & Monica Chapman, it is far better than the NT Parks guide.

Please have some contingency plans for where you will come out at the end of 10 days if you don't make the entire length.

Sorry here is the link

http://davidhoulder.com/walks+1/larapinta/larapinta-trail-eastern-half

Thanks Mark,
David Houlder's photography is superb, like an apertiser. I'll get my hands on the Chapman's guide book before I start, from the Alice public library. Guide books are fantastic, especially the ones with notes on geology, birds/wildlife, plants and history.
Cheers
Terra

Hi
Hoping to go to Cape York did it in 84 go up the O T track happy and safe travels where ever you go
allan

Hi Oldbaz,

so you will only be away a fortnight then? Sounds like a great trip. Lucy you.

Regards,

Heather