Portland to Cubby’s Camp. 21st October 2025. 20.2 km

 Woke early after a restless night sleep, it was kind of that pre race or pre event anxiety except really this isn’t either. It’s a hike and it’s for enjoyment.

We set off about 7.30 and possibly some of the anxiety comes from knowing the first days are always tough. It’s the shock to the legs, getting used to the fully loaded pack and generally finding your rhythm and routine.

We walk out of Portland along cliffs which provide really pretty views.




Portland is Victoria’s oldest town so therefore has Victoria’s oldest cemetery. 



It’s a little off the walk but I think it’s something very interesting to do. Unfortunately we then had to find our way back to the path which was a bit of a worry.  Managed to find ourselves in some very beautiful back yards( up high on the cliff) before a very nice man stopped us and set us straight, popped us on the right path again.  He is a volunteer or friend of the walk so was very excited for us and hoping we had everything that we needed, including wet weather gear……

We head down a bunch of stairs essentially through a forest before finding ourselves on Dutton Way.  




A road that runs beside the beach with great looking little houses obviously directly on the beach.  One lady was painting her fence and checked to see if we needed anything. I am sensing a theme.



Finally tho off the road and into farm land, her we meet the farmer who allows us to help feed his bull. Whilst chatting ( and feeding) we meet his partner who is a beautician on Chevron Island.!!!  Small world indeed.





Anyhoo, we cross the Princes highway twice and finally stop for some lunch at the Borrowa community centre.



As we continue on we have people stopping to ask us if we are aware of the weather warnings for tomorrow, of 120km winds and do we have everything we need……..

On we plod beside a disused railway line for what seemed forever.





We are tired and am starting to feel very acopic. It is ridiculously long slog this last hour or so but finally we can see a little shelter.

I am so tired I could cry if I wasn’t so tired!! Stuart was also shattered but able to pull it together to build a tent. We are not alone and shared the shelter with a really lovely young couple going the opposite direction.

Had our first dehyd meal which wasn’t great but at least calories onboard.

All of us retreating to our tents before dark and before the predicted storm.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prelude to the Great South West Walk 2025

Image
 We are about to embark on another epic adventure, life is good in semi retirement. This adventure was first discussed a couple of years ago after seeing an ABC documentary on the walk. It has an interesting inception from an idea of the chief district ranger, Sam Bruton and the principal of Portland High School, Bill Golding. It became community project for Grade 10 students at the Portland High School.  The kids were given a choice of continuing a week of work experience or spend the week creating the dream.   Four years later ( November 1983) the first 200 kilometres was open and the rest as we say is history. Stuart was very keen as always but it has taken me a bit longer to jump on board. Too old, too chubby, dodgy knees and whatever else I could think of. The impetus for us actually, finally going forward was a conversation with friends about our experience on the Great Ocean Walk that we completed in 2023. We started to think about how fabulous that was, despi...
Read more

Portland to Nelson and back to Portland 20th October

Image
  Oh my, if it weren’t for the very old noisy pipes as the neighbour was having a shower, I’m not sure when we would have woken up.  Glorious little sleep in. Today is a day of resting with a couple of errands thrown in, But first coffee! Bit of research whist still lying in the warm and comfy bed and I discovered a coffee shop called Twelve fold coffee, literally around the corner. Described as a little bit of Fitzroy Melbourne in Portland, that will do.. Our first job today is to drive to Nelson to drop of a bag of supplies for our second week of walking.crazy to think that it takes about 45 minutes to drive there and we will walk it in week arriving next Monday We had hoped to drop it off at the Nelson Hotel where we are planning on staying ( and have booked to stay) but it seemed decidedly empty and we were unable to raise anyone, hopefully they will rock up by next week. Thankfully there is a community centre around the corner and they are happy to keep it for us.we had...
Read more

Gundagai to Portland, Victoria. 19th October 2025

Image
  Let’s start with Happy Birthday to our dear Harry Green. Another early start but not quite as nasty as yesterday and the distance to travel a little more palatable today. Before we leave Gundagai, we just need to tap our inner tourist and visit the dog on his Tucker Box.  I’m sure we have been here when our boys were little but as we are here it seems the right thing to do. Once that box ticked off we go. We had a couple of concerns through the morning with that DPF thing but nothing that seemed to be effecting the performance of the car, so we keep going. Early lunch and coffee at a kebab shop in Shepparton and we continued on our way. Just gorgeous countryside to be driving through and nice to be off the big motorways. Great small towns, each one had me thinking they would be nice to stay in on the way home The weather closing in and a bit of rain as we approach Portland. And we arrive about 5.30. Straight our accommodation, Victoria House which sits on the high ground abo...
Read more