Today was a mix of both off and on track. After packing up our camp we got back to my starting point around 9:30. The day started with a steep uphill straight up a 4WD track. We’d seen it from the distance while driving up – it looked as though it was going vertically up the mountain. Felt a bit like that too! The photos never tell the true story of the terrain.
After the steep up came the equally steep down. The kind that slows you right down while you watch every step, hoping the gravel, rocks and dirt don’t slide out from under you.
The pink markers I’ve been following since yesterday are apparently part of some ultra running event. I wonder what the total distance is if the runners were being notified they’d hit the 75km mark! Poor runners, we were just about to go off track.
The track left Twin Jeeps Track to climb Mt Selwyn via a smaller unnamed peak. At first the track felt hot and claustrophobic. I had to duck to fit under all the plants and at times it felt like I was making my way through a tunnel. There was a clear foot track that made its way to the top and along the ridge line. Very easy to follow, although not easy to walk. After awhile the plants thinned out and it was nice albeit steep walking up to the summit and then into the saddle.
From the saddle the climb up Mt Selwyn began. This was one of those mountains where you think you’re almost at the top but you almost never are. After a few false promises, I ended up checking my app to see how far I really was. The crest became pretty narrow at points. Bizarre to think I was walking on top of The Great Dividing Range! When I was close to the top (the real top), I stopped for lunch. Great view both looking out across the distant mountains and up the path I was about to walk to the summit.
The summit was a grassy open space with fabulous views out across The Barries. There was a steep, rugged and very rocky vehicle path down the other side. After a short walk/shuffle down, my walk left the track at the saddle between Mt Selwyn and South Selwyn and headed up to the peak of South Selwyn. This climb could not have been more different. After a short bit at the start with fallen trees and some dense scrub, it was green and open and a gentle uphill stroll to the top. Hands down the most pleasant hill I’ve climbed this trip. The descent was a little steeper and the fallen bark from the stringy barks made the track a little slippery but it was so beautiful that didn’t really matter. 
The second half of the day was along 4WD tracks following the lay of the land. Uphill, along, downhill, along. Repeat. Some of the uphills were steep enough to become hard work, the kind where you engage your glutes and just keep on putting one foot in front of the other. Some of the downhills were a shuffle, paying attention where to place each foot to hopefully not slide down, that shot of adrenaline as you feel the dirt or rocks slide out from under your foot and you think you’re going down too. And there were the fantastic flat or near flat sections where you can really stride it out and the only thing you need to be careful of is snakes. Towards the end, I started counting hills – I knew I had three ups and three downs to go til I’d meet Jub. The last hill was one that kept on going up and up and up. But nothing lasts forever and then there he was. It had taken me 7 hours to walk 13.5kms to our meeting point and it had taken him 5 hours to drive it!
Today was a big milestone – the end of the first section of my walk before the part I’d planned on skipping. We hadn’t planned where we’d stay tonight. We stopped at a campground along the road and ate snacks and planned over a map. We decided to head towards Whitfield and work it out from there. There was no accommodation in Whitfield and we found a place online in Jamieson which is on the way to the next section of my walk, so we decided to keep going. We ended up at a pub in Mansfield for dinner (oh so delicious vegan mushroom risotto) and then on to Jamieson Valley Retreat. We arrived just before 10pm – can’t wait to see it in the daylight. Our hosts Freddie and Angie were really lovely and welcoming. I think they couldn’t believe anyone could be crazy enough to walk 600kms through the alps alone! Freddie gave us a lovely gift of a beautiful book of photos he’s created (some remind me of the places I’ve been walking through) and a bottle of wine. We definitely picked the best place to spend our Christmas eve! And the stars are amazing!
Day 27: Selwyn Creek Road to East Buffalo Road 24/12/19
Kerry's Hikes 