It seemed the longest mountain we had climbed to date and a popular one. Lots of mostly older couples with a few young ones. Adelaidians are so friendly, we have to show some urgency because our time is often short. Yet another totally different environment surrounded us. With wildlife we only saw two kangaroos but with trees and plants, they were many.

Large River Red Gums as usual dominate the creek beds an environment that suits their largesse, while Cypress Pine, Grey Box, Sheoaks and Christmas Bush dominated the lower slopes. Small thin (about 100 mms in diameter) gloriously white gums were scattered in small groups and how they got there and when, gave me some morning brain exercise.

Higher up and just when I thought it was our first ‘grass tree free’ mountain, there they were in greater abundance than I had ever seen before. And rocks and stones, their ubiquitousness in South Australia or at least in the Adelaide Hills and Flinders Mountains never ceased to amaze me. The great age of these areas seem to be an important reason for their presence.

I’m not one who looks forward to looking out at views but the presence of extensive rolling hills mesmerised me as I glimpsed them through the gaps that appeared on the way down. I believe these gaps were the result of woodcutters prior to this becoming a ‘Conservation Park’.

It was also on the way down that we chatted to a pilot, who was trying to convince us to take a ride in the scariest 4 wheel drive he had ever experienced. He was also the drop off and pick up person for his wife and friend who were walking the Heyson Trail. If you’re not a camper this is your only option for completing this 1200 metre journey. We passed many others, a mixture of retirees and younger folk.

Todays was a long walk that did not include my usual early morning and early evening walks because today’s walk took us well over our 20 kms target.