Daily distance: 14.4km
Total distance: 951km
Another great day dawned with us in the 'Ritz'. After a leisurely pack up, we swept out the hut and departed in a westerly direction heading up towards the Dutchmans peak. The track took us around the peak and into a long valley. 3 Kilometers along this road the trail suddenly turned off the track through some thickish bush and went into Dry South Creek that is not so dry!
Dry South Creek was flowing but was small so navigating back and forth across it was not a problem. However there were a few waterfalls that needed careful footing to circumnavigate. We walked down the creek bed between towering peaks as the creek moved this way and that finding the easiest course downhill. The area was very sparsely vegetated, with the slopes mostly barren and devoid of any grassy under storey. It was wild country and what I have been waiting for, for the whole walk. We had a bite to eat on the top of a waterfall with a large flat rock to sit on and collected water straight from the creek which tasted sweet.
Eventually we came out the creek onto a track, which according to the map is a goat culling track, and this took us up and over the last ridge on the western side of the Flinders Ranges. The flat, barren, dry, dusty, beautiful landscape we all associate with Australia opened up before us, from one horizon to the next. It was so spectacular it took my breath away! However as soon as we descended into or onto the plain we got swamped/swarmed by flies. I always thought the Aussies exaggerated when it came to their flies, but now I know and I wish I had brought that cork hat Sahara made for me.
Coming off the mountain slopes we followed a fence northwards for about 4km with the mountains towering up on our right. The enormous expanse in front and on our left was amazing, the pure vastness of it is spectacular. Makes me want to just turn in that direction and..... sing... These boots were made for walking...... and then keep walking! The fence dipped through a deep gully, come stream bed, about 3km later and coming out the other side we noticed a hut about 100m off the track. Our camp site, Eyre Depot, was still about 3 km further but we went to investigate anyway...... a shed with a roof is better than no shed at all! Getting to the shed, the first thing we noticed was a big sign saying, trespasses will be prosecuted!!! Being South African thats like a welcome sign for us so in we went and had a look. A bit unloved but would be great for the night. The 'deal sealing' factor was a note written in the dust on the counter top saying 'Evelyn and Ross were here, 29/3/13'.... we figured we had a good chance of the farmer would not coming up here tonight.
Sitting inside now after having a look around and seeing some magazines...mmmmm Australian shooter, Australian Hunter, Protect Yourself.... kinda makes me wonder if we should be taking on the 'Polar bears' outside rather.
No broom so we swept the carpet by scraping our feet all over it for half an hour (warmed me up), put our groundsheet down and sleeping bags atop that. Baring irate farmers with guns, it should be a good nights sleep.
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