Day: 053
Date: Sunday, 23 August 2020
Start: Katherine
Finish: Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk National Park)
Daily Kilometres: 30 (click for Julie's Strava and photos and here for our walk)
Total Kilometres: 5540
Weather: Hot and sunny
Accommodation: Tent
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Fresh fruit salad, passionfruit danish/chocolate croissant
Lunch: Corned beef, cheese & pickle sandwich/Chicken & avocado sandwich
Dinner: Bangers & mash/Chilli con carne, vegetables & rice
Aches: Nothing significant
Highlight: A very pleasant and scenic hike around the 5km Baruwei Loop later in the afternoon when the heat had diminished a little. After we had gone a kilometre, a sign that said the walk was closed for upgrading, but we decided to take our chances that it was still passable. The trail wound its way up through a (relatively) cool and shady small canyon whose rock walls were lined with palms before emerging on an arid plateau scattered with scrub and boulder outcrops. It passed by the edge of the plateau giving good views over the river valley and tourist area before descending a little to the Baruwei Lookout with a spectacular view up the Katherine Gorge with its rocky walls lining the dark green and inviting river. Another, more formidable, fence and sign warned the trail back down to the tourist area was closed, but by this time we were not going to retrace our steps, and being late Sunday afternoon thought there was little chance of getting into trouble. So it turned out, and we returned to camp unscathed and unprosecuted.
Lowlight: Although we only rode a short distance today, a brisk headwind made it very hard, and occasionally unpleasant, work.
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:
We only had 30km to ride today, from Katherine to Katherine Gorge, so we slept in then walked to the supermarket and bakery around 8am to get some breakfast and final supplies. Back at the motel we ate breakfast while I got my fix of current affairs TV before packing and leaving at 10am on a very warm and sunny morning.
The road to the Gorge was to the east, directly into a strong headwind, so it was hard work and slow progress as we followed the out-of-sight Katherine River upstream to the Gorge. Along the way, it was a mix of woodland, grazing land, hobby farms, a few orchards, and an eclectic mix of resorts, camping grounds, restaurants and curios. Nearer the Gorge, the country became hilly with some brown rocky bluffs marking the start of the Gorge country.
We reached the National Park Visitor Centre at noon and booked a very expensive tent site for two nights. There is a camp kitchen with fridge and microwave, along with a very nice swimming pool, and plenty of grassy potential tent sites, so I guess we are getting some value for money. After putting our drinks and some other food in the fridge, we erected our tent, locked our bikes to a sturdy tree, and had lunch in the open air kitchen sheltering from the strong sun. After lunch, Julie spent time in the pool while I did some email and listened to the football.
Around 4pm, as the day cooled a little, we set out on the 5km Baruwei Loop Walk from the campground which climbed up onto the dry escarpment overlooking the tourist area and and then visited the lookout offering views up the first part of the Gorge before we descended to the river and returned to the campground (see above).
After showers, we microwaved dinner and ate it in the camp kitchen watching the orange glow of the setting sun light up the escarpment in front of us. A magic end to a pretty lazy and enjoyable day. It is Sunday, after all!
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