We woke at 6 and got up and had breakfast.
While we were eating, and it was still dark, a dingo knocked the lid off our
bread container and stole a couple of bags which had bread crusts in them – I
went after him but he was too quick. I didn’t mind so much about the bread
(although I didn’t want to feed them) but hoped the plastic bags didn’t make
him sick.
We were on our way out to Kings Canyon a
bit after 7. It was cool to see the ranges slowly becoming visible as the sun
rose – it was fully light by the time we arrived, which did make the first bit
of the walk easier. The climb up to the level of the canyon wall is very steep
– at first as we approached it, it looked like a smooth path going up at a
crazy angle, but it was actually rock steps, some man made and many of them
natural steps.
The steep climb was hard work, we stopped
often and rested and looked at the view, which was constantly changing as we
gained height and moved across the mouth of the canyon. Once at the top of the
climb it was great to know we’d done the hardest part of the walk. This is one
of my favourite walks that I’ve ever done and it didn’t disappoint. The rock
formations are incredible, unlike anything else we’ve seen. The rocks have
weathered into dome like patterns, so when we were away from the canyon edge,
it was like we were walking on another planet. Then as the track approached the
edge we could see into the canyon which is an incredible view, just awe
inspiring to see those sheer cliff walls on a massive scale. There are no
fences around the canyon, so we were very careful at the areas where the edge
was close (we didn’t ever go really close, close enough for me to feel nervous
but not panicky). We took a couple of side tracks as well – one leads out to a
little bridge across a deep ravine, and then up over some domes that jut out
into the canyon. We’d seen people on top of these domes when we were back at
the steep part of the walk, and couldn’t believe anyone could walk out there.
Once we got there we decided to give it a go, one child at a time (my anxiety
rockets the more children I have close to a scary edge…). It was really really
windy too, so we took things very slowly. Tony took LiAM out first, across the
bridge and to the top of the first dome, then it felt too windy to go any
further (the track goes a few more domes back and looks down on the Garden of
Eden but we decided that felt too tricky with the kids and the wind (and the
height!)). Caitlin was a bit scared of the bridge but went across after asking
that no one else be on the bridge at the same time, and then Tony followed and
went up the top with her. Millie had been really scared then decided she wanted
to try it, so she and I went across and up the top too – it wasn’t as scary as
I’d thought it would be and we went very slowly and were glad we’d made the
effort. I held very tightly to her hand the whole way, although once we got out
there she wasn’t worried at all and I think the hand holding was for my
benefit, not hers.
We continued our walk and after a while it
led us down some stairs, then across a wooden bridge with water running way
underneath it. I think this has all been built since I was last here, it didn’t
seem familiar and I couldn’t see how we could get to the Garden of Eden like I
did last time. The track in is now on the other side of the bridge, so we
followed it along. There were a few more sections of steps going up and down as
we walked along inside this smaller canyon, with the water alongside us (and
much lower than us). Millie wasn’t happy when she discovered this wasn’t part
of the loop, that we’d have to do these stairs again on the way out, but I
convinced her to keep going and said we’d have lunch once we got to the end of
the side track. We reached the Garden of Eden and were so glad we’d come down
here. The waterhole was very full (the water level was up to the middle of some
of the signs saying to keep off the vegetation). It was so peaceful, sitting on
the rocks at the edge of the water, the kids paddling their feet, with lots of
green green trees and palms around us, and the tall red rock canyon walls soaring
up above us. The best spot on the whole walk. It is a sacred place for the
local people and they ask that no one swims in the water, it was enough to sit
and enjoy the tranquility and the bizarreness of so much greenery in the middle
of the desert. We ate some lunch, then Caitlin and LiAM worked their way around
the rocks to the other side of the water where there was a long flat ledge they
could explore. LiAM got stuck once, and Tony helped him come back – he took off
his shoes and went again and was able to maneuver better without shoes on. I
had a few nervous moments watching them navigate the (sloping, fairly sheer
rocks), but I know that they are confident in their own abilities and don’t
push beyond their capabilities, so trusting them and being impressed with their
confidence and skill made it all much easier for all of us.
Once they’d climbed back around a tour
group arrived so it was a good time to leave and be away from the crowd.
Walking out the group caught up with us and we offered to let them pass but
they were happy to walk behind Millie, so she led everyone out. We climbed up
the rest of the stairs to be out of the canyon and kept walking over more cool
rocks. Because the rocks are layered and have weathered the most on the top
layers, the layers form quite natural steps. Often the exposed edge of the
layers are quite narrow though so it’s easier to go sideways to get more of our
feet on each ledge. Stepping sideways down from one rock my pants split again,
undoing all the sewing I’d done last night! I might need to patch them this
time.
We stopped after a while and had another
snack and took some self-timer photos, and kept going at a fairly leisurely
pace. It was another cloudy day which was great, it would have been a very hard
walk in the hot sun. As it was it wasn’t difficult, just long and the ground
was unyielding as it was all rock. I’d hoped to see lizards but I think without
the sun being out they weren’t interested in being out on the rocks. We did see
several interesting bugs though.
We passed another little oasis type area
with green trees and palms. There were a couple of more views into the canyon
on this side, still amazing, then the path led away from the edge and had views
out to the other side, including some areas that sometimes have waterfalls (not
today though). Eventually we could see the carpark and made our way down the
much less steep stairs that lead out of the walk. Caitlin asked me if I was
tired and I felt ok. Once we got to the bottom and I sat down though, I didn’t
feel like I could stand up again – yes, I was tired.
Back to the campground where we had a very
quiet and restful afternoon. Tony took the kids for a swim and I stayed at the
tent and did some puzzles, read my book, wrote some postcards. I made up some
powdered milk for us to use, and while I was mixing it there was a dingo with
his paws on the table. I couldn’t shoo him away, he would jump down if I waved
my whisk at him, then come straight back up. Millie came to see and eventually
he wandered off, she followed him and he thought she was playing so he came
back at her, which scared her quite a bit (he didn’t nip or anything just ran a
little towards her). Later I made some popcorn and had our salt grinder sitting
on the table – a dingo came up and grabbed it in his mouth and ran off with it.
Caitlin was closest and went after him, he dropped it under a tree and while
Caitlin stopped, unsure what to do, he ran at her which understandably freaked
her out. He ran off then and we were able to grab our salt back.
Tony made flatbread dough and then did
pizzas in the camp kitchen oven. We chatted to some other travellers in the
kitchen, and LiAM, Caitlin and I went up to the sunset viewing platform. There
had been late afternoon sun on the top of the ranges, but it was cloudy by the
time we got there and once again there was no pretty sunset. I talked to my
friend from the previous sunset/sunrises, and another mum who is travelling for
a year in a camper trailer with her husband and 3 kids. The kids played
together while we chatted.
We ate our pizzas and Caitlin wanted to go
for a swim in the dark, so she went and got ready. LiAM was going to join her
but we couldn’t find his swimmers. I looked everywhere I could think of and
none of us could remember exactly where they’d been put after his swim that
afternoon. They’ve either been thrown in somewhere odd to keep them away from
the dingoes, or they’ve been taken by a dingo. Caitlin enjoyed her evening swim
and was there until the pool closed at 7pm.
Everyone was exhausted so it was a very
early night for all of us.
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