Day 6 Heysen Trail To Ingham

I booked an Uber to take me out to the trail head as I wasn’t going to walk an extra 6km in the pouring rain.

The walk went well, even though it rained heavily most of the day.  The trail was along quiet country roads with a small smattering of gentle farm land. There wasn’t much wind so I was enjoying my day reminiscing about other damn long walks I have been on and the people I have walked with.

After about 12km I  arrived at the Robinson Hill campground at 10am, just as it stopped raining.  Thanks Garry.  It was far too early to stop for the night, so I sat under the wee shelter and enjoyed my cheese, salami and crackers while watching a paddock filled with kangaroos.

  I must find out whether the farmers see them as pests or live harmoniously alongside these natives. Every half hour or so I would come across a group of them feeding on the side of the road. They let me get quite close before bounding off but don’t provide much conversation for a lone hiker.

To mix it up a bit I wandered through a large forestry area. The birds were chatty and my feet enjoyed the soft track after kms of road walking.

The sun came out briefly as the trail took me across some farmland, which meant I dried out somewhat. I was hoping I could arrive at the next campsite dry.

However I  was so busy chatting to the sheep that I missed a style and ended up on the wrong side of a long fence line.  I didnt want to walk back so stripped off my new plastic poncho, and back pack and threw them over the barbed wire fence just as it started pouring again.  By the time I managed to crawl undef the fence, I was soaked through. grrr.

Arriving in the little village of Ingram and finding the store closed, I was a bit disappointed. We are allowed to camp at the local community hall but it wasn’t very inviting in the pouring rain. I was cold and a bit miserable.  I don’t mind walking in the rain, but object to putting up and taking down a tent in the rain.

So I sat on the toilet and contemplated, and I could have slept in there for  my options. Rain was forecast for the next 4 days and tomorrow’s walk was over 30km, with a camp no better than this one. I do really appreciate New Zealands 999 huts throughout the country.

So what to do?  Ah ha a car pulls up and I chat to the blokes who are driving back up for  a Scooter Rally. They need to check the 70 riders through and then drive to Victor Harbor to have some little tyres repaired.   I changed into dry clothes, cooked up a pot of soup and had a second round of cheese and crackers, feeling happy. 

So by about 3pm I am back checking into the Poo Palace again for 3 days until the rain stops. I will then get a bus out to the trail and carry on towards Adelaide in brilliant sunshine.  We’ll that’s the plan.

Am I becoming a fair weather hike?

It is a long weekend here and the town is humming with holiday makers who look as though they expected better weather. The racks of sunhats have been replaced by raincoats and jackets and umbrellas. 

The museum was interesting. This town boasts the first railroad in Australia, a horse-drawn tram that still runs today out to an island. Of course, there is a fair ground and a mini golf to take money from the holiday makers.

Goods like wool and wheat were floated down the Murray River to Goolwa,  unloaded onto horse-drawn trains, and carted down the coast to Victor Harbor to be shipped worldwide. A steam train carries tourists along the route a few times a day.