Kel and I headed off early to climb Barn Bluff, leaving Jubbie at the hut for a well deserved relax. I loved walking around Barn Bluff yesterday the same way I loved walking around Mt Jagungal on the AAWT. It was so stunning and a real treat to have been able to climb it with Kel. It was nowhere near as tricky as Cradle Mountain, and the trail was well marked with cairns and arrows. The view from the top was stunning, and we were spoilt to have it all to ourselves! We only saw two other people climbing up as we were heading down. We were also spoilt by the clear skies. While we were at the top, the clouds started coming over, but the rain kindly held off til we got back to the hut. When we got back to the hut, we found that Jubbie had managed to spot us on our way up and snapped a photo of us looking like little ants climbing the mountain!
After a snack back at the hut, we headed off towards Windermere, all rugged up in our wet weather gear to protect against the rain, which was just starting. The mist and low clouds gave a completely different vibe to yesterday, which was really beautiful. We dropped our packs and took the side trip to Lake Will. It feels like you’re floating on air when you get rid of your pack! The lake was gorgeous, just a shame that by that stage, Barn Bluff was completely whited out because otherwise, it would have made a stunning backdrop.
The walk into Winermere Hut around the lake was so beautiful. Kel and I wandered along loving the scenery while Jubbie was more on a mission to get out of the rain! His waterproof boots ended up being not so waterproof, which made walking a bit less enjoyable.
Windermere Hut is another beautifully renovated hut with huge open windows capturing a stunning view across the lake. The fog obscured the view, but it was still pretty special. We scored three bunks inside the hut and got ourselves ready for the night before heading into the common room for snacks and dinner and then an early night.
Kerry's Hikes 