Day 32: Balingup to Blackwood

Written By Slower Hiking

We acknowledge the Nyoongar People as the traditional custodians of the land and waters along the Bibbulmun Track

Pastoral scene with green meadows, yellow flowers, a dam under a cloudy sky

Lovely rural scenes today

Aerial image overview of Bibbulmun Track the main track in blue, the section from Balingup to Pemberton in yellow and the days hike in red

Overview map, use Bibbulmun Track Foundation Map 4 Blackwood

Aerial image of the days hike with elevation graph track is in red

20.1 kilometres with an elevation gain of 500 m

Today’s hike of 20.1 km and an elevation gain of 500m is one of the top fifteen in terms of difficulty. Fortunately, it’s the first day out of town and you’ll likely be well rested. The walking is wonderfully varied, too: a few small country roads, a delightful arboretum, farmland and Greenbushes Reserve, rich in wildflowers and orchids. You finish the day in pine forest and a hut with views across the valley.

Small picturesque park along roadside with lake and wooden bridge over creek

It’s raining with glimpses of sun, creating beautiful limpid light as we leave Balingup. It’s road walking, but they are pleasant country roads rather than highways, with pretty scenes like this.

rustic wooden fence and gate with track sign on gate pointing to wide grassy path to follow

The track diverts into Golden Valley Arboretum, with many different exotic trees in a park-like setting, sheep grazing under the canopies.

single grassy foot track though bushy shrubs and tall trees

You’ll continue climbing and then turn into Greenbushes Reserve. Oh my, it is so rich in orchids! This section passes very, very slowly!

close up of two double spider orchids close together with purple centres

Reaching Spider Orchid (Caladenia arrecta) - a new species for me!

close up of two clubbed spider orchids

Growing right beside them are these Clubbed Spider orchids, Caladenia longiclavata, with particularly wide, flat, vivid yellow clubs. I’m almost certain that they are a hybrid.

closeup of white spider orchid it has long white petals like spiders legs

And a new white spider, Caladenia longicauda ssp redacta

closeup of spider orchid with long pale purple petals with rusty coloured club shaped ends

And yet another new species, the Rusty Spider orchid (C. ferruginea), named for the colour on its clubs.

closeup of single pale pink spider orchid

This is probably a hybrid between C. ferruginea (note rusty clubs) and C. longicauda ssp redacta (pale colouring, elongated sepals and drooping petals). The two species were growing in close proximity.

hiker with orange backpack sitting on white wooden bench seat looking over green rolling hills farmland raining in the distance

After many happy minutes photographing orchids in the rain we emerge from the park for more beaut rural vistas.

small herd of black cows in florescent green grassy paddock under bright sunshine

Moo! The fact that I even bothered to photograph these cows is testament to just how much of this track is in native forest, and how little is in farmland. The Bibbulmun is unique.

hiker walking along red brown gravel road towards a farm gate

Just a little more road walking, and into private property.

white sign with black writing on gate advising entering private property and to respect landowner requirements which are listed on the sign

Please heed signs like this. Only a few people doing the wrong thing can spoil it for everyone. Owners are under no obligation to allow hikers through their properties, and can revoke that privilege as easily as it is given.

view over rolling grassy hills under grey sky with small farm dam in valley below

The trek up through this paddock is long and muddy, but dappled sunlight and rain showers make for lovely views even here.

single grassy foot track though pine forest

Finally into the pine forest, with more climbs and descents. I’m really looking forward to reaching the hut!

small wooden three sided hut surrounded by tube stock plantings with green tree guards

And there it is! Surrounded by revegetation after a bushfire destroyed the surrounding pine trees, the hut is still quite exposed but should be delightful once the native species establish.

light green double sleeping quilt and bedding spread-out on bunk in hut

It is very wet so we sleep in the hut. A number of northbound and section hikers arrive later, making for a congenial crowd.

lots of clothes and other gear hanging under hut verandak drying small tent set up in large clear open area behind hut

Apologies for the quality of the shot, but I’ve included it because it shows the tent pitches behind the hut, which I forgot to photograph. At the moment the pitches are all very exposed, but this will soon change as the reveg establishes.

early evening sun rays though clouds lighting up grassy foreground expansive distant view over forested mountains in background

A lovely sunset and we are in bed not soon after. Long days like this after a rest day are not too bad at all! And of course, there were plenty of orchids to put a spring in my step.

Slower Hiking https://Slowerhiking.com
Next

Day 33: Blackwood to Gregory Brook