Day 64: The End - Aroona Hut to Parachilna Gorge & Angorichina Village

Daily distance: 23.4km
Total distance: 1175.5km

I was outside soon after the alarm went off under the most exquisite night sky imaginable. It was crystal clear, freezing cold and the moon half just setting over the Heysen ranges which were superbly illuminated. The wind had died down during the night, which obviously made it a bit colder but then, the clouds had disappeared.

The sunrise over the mountains was fantastic, needless to say a photo or two was taken. This did however lead to a momentary lapse in concentration which lead to an early Dee-tour. Only when we were half way up the mountain above the valley we had spent the night in, did I look at the GPS and realise we were about 500m off the trail. No drama.... off we went down the side of the mountain until we found the trail....no worries mate!

From this point we literally followed an old track the whole way to the trailhead 16km away. Well, to call it a track would be a stretch as there were parts where the "track" had washed away completely, and others where the gullies across the road were so deep they would hide any Texans 4x4. None the less it was all level ground so the walking was easy and the scenary was just out of this world.

Eight kilometers up the track from the old Aroona Station ruins we past the "Pigeon bore", which had been sunk by the original owners of the station in 1850. It was still working with an old hand pump on it which we used to have a drink. This also marked the top of the watershed for the two folding rivers which flowed in opposite directions, in the valley. The trail started to descend gradually until we joined up with the very wide Parachilna Creek which carved its way through the ABC and the Heysen mountain ranges. Truly spectacular! We stopped for lunch and had to take a few "selfies" in the creek. This was an experience with the flies........

Before we were ready, the trail rounded a bend in the gorge and popped out at the Parachilna Trailhead and the end of the Heysen Trail.

I am not sure how we felt about it but it was a very ....... well it was sad in one regard and exciting in another. Dee shed some tears and I just simply could not believe it was over... 1175.5km in 52 days of walking, averaging just over 20km a day and now over...

Well not quite, because we still had to walk through to the Agorichina Village which was 4 kilometers to the east. On went the packs again and off we went down the road. Yip, we were back on trail again and what a trail it turned out to be. The road followed the Parachilna Creek through the gorge and it was outstanding. Sheer cliffs dropping into a stream bed only to rise up on the other side just as high. Super.

Before long we walked into Angorichina Village into the only building there.... the general store..... We booked a camp site, bought some beer and wine and sat outside and had a toast to the walk. We then picked everything up and walked down to the camp grounds. Here's us with big packs on, beer and wine in both hands walking round a barren treeless piece of dirt on top of a mountain, both of us freezing cold.... well we did one circuit and carried on straight back down to the general store and changed our booking to a cabin. Yeah, now thats what I call thinking. Had a few problems with the gas heater, but once that was sorted out what followed was a shower, beer, wine, food and.....   a good nights sleep.