The section from Pemberton to Walpole is exciting. You get to experience the famous (or infamous!) Pingerup Plains, the swamps comprising days of wading. You’ll see the first giant tingle trees, large enough to literally drive a truck through. And you’ll walk the first beaches and dunes.
Lots of climbing make Warren to Schafer demanding, but it is delightful country. Unbelievably, the trees are still getting bigger, with beautiful bridges and rivers to cross, so there is plenty to enjoy.
Schafer to Northcliffe is much flatter and largely downhill, together with a shorter distance, making for an easy hike. You’ll see more lush, rural scenery with quirky vignettes, while orchid enthusiasts will spot many, many flowers, especially around Northcliffe.
Northcliffe to Gardner takes you through open heath vegetation, with different wildflowers - we see more than a dozen orchid species in flower! And there are more small creeks with rustic bridges to cross.
The terrain is getting flatter from Gardner to Lake Maringup, with wide sandy swamps between the higher forested ground. In the winter-spring period there can be many long pools of water to traverse!
At 25.7 km, Lake Maringup to Dog Pool is the Bibbulmun’s longest day, and in winter-spring there will be many knee-deep pools to wade. However, the climbs are short and relatively gentle, and you’ll enjoy many flowers and ever-changing scenery.
The Pingerup Plains from Dog Pool to Mt Chance are a highlight of the Bibbulmun Track. Forget the puddles: instead, savour the sense of remote wilderness and wide skies.
The day from Mt Chance to Woolbales has a huge variety of vegetation and landscapes from plains to forests of karri, jarrah and marri. And yes, there’s more wading in the wetter months, but the scenery is worth every soggy step!
From Woolbales to Long Point you’ll traverse through fabulous open heath, rich in wildflowers, more forest and granite and, yes, more pools of water. And today, you’ll also reach Western Australia’s famous southern beaches with their squeaky white sand and crashing waves.
Long Point to Mt Clare brings new landscapes and, along with them, rare ecosystems and plants that exist only in a tiny area around Walpole.
A short, mostly downhill trek into Walpole with the highlight being your first taste of giant Tingle trees - they truly are amazing!
Today’s hike is mostly through beautiful forests with lovely river scenes. And we see our first snakes!