Adventure 14 - The one with a1000km trail

 Where: Bibbulum Track, North Terminus

When: October 2016

My Adventure Companions: The Giant Baby

“What do you want to do for your last hike?”

My maternity leave is nearly finished but had one last morning to squeeze in a hike before I had to start packing for our trip to the UK. I have wanted to visit the 1000km long Bibbulmun Track for a while. Its northern end is very accessible as it starts in Kalamunda, a mere 40-minute drive from home. Unfortunately, my hiking buddy was unable to join us on the day so it was just me and the Giant Baby on our little exploration.

The track is well maintained by a small army of volunteers (read: lots of steps) and the iconic yellow trail markers were plentiful and easy to follow. The weather was a little marginal but it made for a nice temperature as I moseyed down the trail into the Kalamunda National Park. The Giant Baby got comfy and snuggled down in the Tula for a nap. I’m going to miss this.

As I reached the turn-around time I realised that what goes down, must go up again, so up the steps we went. On the return leg, we passed a couple of solo hikers looking like they were setting off for a long journey. Not long after we passed a runner who I recognised as the legendary Bernadette Benson. Among other ultra running accolades, She currently holds the Fastest Known Time for completing the Bibbulman Track (15 days and 9 hours, if you were interested). The Giant Baby is getting pretty hefty these days but all the walking seems to be paying off as the way back wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared. Even the swooping magpies had gone elsewhere by time we returned to the Northern Terminus so we were left free to journey past their tree un-molested.

Website: https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/

Opening Hours: never closed

Cost: Free           

Adventure 13 – The one where Mini Monkey got his mojo back

Where: Nobel Falls

When: October 2016

My Adventure Companions: The whole MAP family

“Do you remember how small she was?”

Nobel Falls was one of the first hikes we ever took Velcro Dog on. We keep revisiting this spot because it is such a lovely place (and allows dogs). Re-visiting is fun because it changes throughout the year: wildflowers and fast flowing water in the wetter months; shallow pools for paddling and crossing points in the dry. I think the only person to be disappointed about the venue was Mini Monkey, because he thought we were going to ‘the big, loud water falls’ (Lesmurdie Falls) and so he wouldn’t get to see the dinosaurs. It totally amazes me every time that he remembers things like the dinosaur statues on the drive into Lesmurdie Falls.

Mini Monkey seems to be getting over whatever was bothering him earlier this month and going from strength to strength. With very little persuasion, he walked the whole way, threw sticks in the water for Velcro Dog, paddled in the shallows and still had energy to play in the playground at the end. Suffice to say, he didn’t last the journey home before those little lids became too heavy for him to keep open. It was such a blissfully quiet drive home.

Velcro Dog had the most amazing time. Whilst she can normally be described as ‘energetic’, today she buzzed around with a joy I have not seen in her for a while. She bounced backwards and forwards, up and down the trail, in and out of the water, fetching sticks and gum nuts for us to throw for her. I love to see her so happy.

Comments from the Giant Baby: I got to go in the big carrier today! It’s such fun to see so much over Mum’s shoulder but the bushes are scratchy on my feet.

Walk Trail: http://gidgegannup.info/tourism/noblefallswalk.htm

Opening Hours: never closed

Cost: Free         

Velcro Dog on her first trip to Nobel Falls in 2013

 

Bonus Adventure

“Do you think anyone will come?”

This was the third time the Bear Hunt in Kings Park had been scheduled. It was getting to the point where I just wanted to get it over and done with. The forecast was a bit iffy and it pelted with rain an hour before the meet time but as I said we’d go, go we did. As it turned out, one more family decided to roll the dice and we were all rewarded with the clouds clearing into a lovely sunny morning. 

Whilst I read the story to the three littles, Mr MAP went and laid the bears. Ok, so I may have taken some liberties with the ‘bears’ as one of our contributions was a koala, another a gold elephant and another a dog/rabbit (we were a little undecided on that one). The littles had great fun finding the ‘bears’ and a nice wander down to see the ducks at the Synergy Parkland.  

Adventure 7 – The one with bumblebees and bubbles

Where: John Forest National Park

When: September 2016

My Adventure Companions: The MAP Family (minus Velcro Dog) and some other Hike it Baby families.

“Is this the right waterfall?”

Nope. Not even close.

I was hosting a toddler hike in the lovely John Forest National Park. It was akin to herding cats. As soon as one toddler decided he or she was going to start walking again, another needed to stop to be let out of the carrier or to be put on their parent’s shoulders because their carrier was El Diablo today or to look at an inexplicably interesting gum nut. Mini Monkey decided that this week he has to stop at every flower he sees to look and see if there is a bee in it. It's wild flower season right now so we don't get anywhere quickly.   

We took the Eagle View Trail along-side the creek with an aim to cross it at National Parks Falls and return on the more direct and shorter Heritage Railway trail. Every time we came across a little muddle of rocks with a bit of white water, people asked “is this the waterfall we’re going to?”.

About half way down the trail I considered skipping the falls and settling for watching the toddlers dip their toes in the creek at a nice resting spot. No sooner had I found a comfy place to sit, some of them decided that this spot was not interesting anymore, so we were off again. Mini Monkey was feeling a little under the weather so I deployed some bubbles to lighten his mood. He rose to the occasion and charged ahead down the trail. I was concerned at one point that (in my over active mum-imagination) he was going to keep going and shoot off the edge of a very large cliff but all those ‘stop/start’ games we’ve been playing whilst out walking Velcro Dog paid off well. 

When we finally arrived at the falls it was busy. After the rain earlier in the week the water was gushing through the gully and over the edge in a fairly spectacular display. Clearly everyone else had had the same idea we had: rain earlier in the week + sunshine today = great time to visit National Parks Falls! 

The trail home was meltdown central with sit down protests and dramatic flourishes which only toddlers can manage. Lesson learned: listen to your gut. If you think some of the little ones would be better off turning around halfway to your destination, then do it. There will always be another time to visit. 

True to form, The Giant Baby resisted his trail nap until mere moments before we returned to the car to go home.

Comments from Mini Monkey: Lots of flowers. Bumblebees like flowers. I see bumblebees. Bumblebees make honey for me. Ooooooo, bubbles!   

Website: https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/john-forrest

Opening Hours: main gate open 24hrs per day

Cost: $12 per car.

Bonus Adventure - Plane Spotting

After our epic trek out to Paruna last week, my hiking buddy decided we needed something a little more sedate this week and suggested that the boys might light to go to the airport viewing platform. 

Even though they were doing maintenance on the runway directly in front of the viewing platform, the boys had a great time spotting the planes as they were taking and landing from the alternate runway. They ate lunch on the move, ran/crawled around the platform and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. 

Opening Hours: 6:30am-5:30pm every day

Cost: Free 

Adventure 6 - The one with lots of naps

Where: Paruna Wildlife Reserve

When: August 2016

My Adventure Companions: The Giant Baby, my hiking buddy and her little boy.

“Who takes six hours to do five kilometres?” I scoffed

The info on the Paruna Wildlife Reserve suggests it may take between three and six hours to do their cutely named mid-length trail, the Quenda (which is actually 6.5km). It is an absolutely gorgeous spot and with all the wildflowers, spectacular view and little detours to strategically placed lookout points, I now understand how someone may want to take six hours on the trail.  

My hiking buddy first told me about the Paruna Wildlife Reserve after she read a review back in January this year. It looked beautiful and we were both keen to visit but had shelved the idea until now because it is only open during the winter months. After a number of delays and a few weeks of sickly families we were both pretty excited to be finally getting out there. The countryside around Paruna has rolling hills, a deep valley with the River Avon running through it and, most importantly for mums of boys, a train line. It makes for a stunning drive and wonderful walking. The sunny but cool weather today was just the icing on the cake. 

We walked and chatted and marveled at the scenery, taking photos as we went. We stopped around mid-way to let the boys down for a little bit and feed The Giant Baby. Sitting on the trail steps in the middle of a field of purple and white wild flowers on a sunny winters day was bliss. After weeks of snotty colds and interrupted sleep, I felt refreshed again. After our mid way stop, we picked up the pace a little, passing the rocky pools, walking way up above the train line and through a multitude of different landscapes. We even to stumbled upon a handful of wide eyed wallabies no more than twenty meters away from us. They stood around for a bit, eyeing us up, before speeding off over the hill.

It was a challenging walk for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would love to come back again and do the shorter, flatter walk with the whole family. I think that it would be just right for Mini Monkey. There’s a lot to explore with some lovely spots to have lunch and I think Mr MAP would enjoy the car ride out there.   

Comments from The Giant Baby: It was a grand day for napping. Car ride, nap. Tula ride, nap. Food, nap. Car ride, nap. Bed with my favourite Ellie, nap. And all before tea time. Such a lovely way to spend a day.  

Website: http://www.australianwildlife.org/paruna-visitor-program.aspx

Opening Hours: May to November

Cost: minimum $10 donation – pay ahead of access to obtain pedestrian gate access code [instructions on website].