Fresh from my week on the Great Ocean Walk, I headed to the regional centre of Warrnambool to stock up with another weeks worth of supplies, before continuing along the coast by coach to Portland, where I had ambitious plans for another biathlon of sorts - only this time instead of cycling and drinking my chosen disciplines would be walking and paddling. With school holidays (and the ensuing stampede for campsites that they inevitably bring) fast approaching, I had set myself the challenge of hiking 250km and paddling a further 50km in a kayak in the eighteen days remaining before the start of the Easter long weekend - which appropriately enough would fall on the evening of April 1st. The way I saw it, anyone still out adventuring by that date truly would be an April Fool.
The of my little adventure would be a full circuit of the Great South West Walk, which runs from Portland all the way to the tiny settlement of Nelson (only 4km from the South Australian border) and back again, with the inland section measuring 130km and the coastal leg between 110km and 120km, depending on the route taken. The paddling
component would be a 50km solo kayak trip along the lower Glenelg River - to be tackled halfway through my walking loop - following the same route as the walking trail after being dropped off back at Moleside Landing with a rental kayak. I say along the lower Glenelg River rather than down it because in its lower reaches the river is already at sea level, being so wide and lazy that headwinds and tides can make life difficult for canoeists and kayakers alike (neither of which I consider myself to be), particularly on the last into Nelson near the mouth of the river. In fact at the highest tides the river can be tidal all the way back to Dartmoor 75km upstream. So on the downside I wouldnt exactly be getting much help from the rivers current; but on the other hand I wouldnt have to negotiate any rapids along the way either - which was probably just as well as I had never taken a kayak trip of longer than a couple of hours and most certainly had no idea how to run rapids in one!
the walk (a group of tireless and passionate volunteers known as the Friends of the Great South West Walk, in cooperation with Parks Victoria) have labelled it a Symphony in Four Parts, with roughly three days each spent passing through the Cobboboonee Forest, following the Glenelg River, walking on the beach of Discovery Bay, and rounding the rocky capes and bays to the southwest of Portland. Add in a day to get from Portland into the forest at the start, and a possible day off in Nelson at the halfway point, and youve got the standard itinerary for the Great South West Walk. There is also an option to swap the third day of beach walking for a traverse of Mount Richmond, which at 224m would surely have to be one of the lowest high points on a 250km walking trail anywhere in the world - though I have no doubt the Dutch would have something to say about that! Without the Mount Richmond detour the highest point is closer to 150m.
This is another attraction of the Great South West Walk: its about the easiest long walk you could ever hope to do! Not only are
the ups and downs along the way so gradual as to be barely noticeable, but the trail is so well maintained by the fleet of volunteers (two separate groups of fourteen had walked the entire track only two weeks earlier) that my average walking pace would turn out to be an unprecedented 5km/hour! This meant that even the longest sections (22km) could in half a day, leaving plenty of time for relaxing at the equally impressive and campsites - all of which are virtually identical to those on the Great Ocean Walk, with a shelter, rainwater toilets and plenty of space for tents, in addition to being located in some very scenic spots along the way (the riverside campsites were truly glorious).
