Monday 20 February: Stirling Range

Up early at 6:15. Stretching and skipping on the grass by the van. 

Today we are climbing up Bluff Knoll in the Sterling Ranges. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Porongurup. Cloud is pouring over the top of the knoll and there’s a strong wind from the east. 

We start the walk at 10:00. It’s an up and back route. 650 metres of climbing. Stepped a lot of the way so progress is quite swift. Near the summit we walk into cloud. It’s actually quite cold and we put in extra layers. The walking poles are a godsend. We reach the summit but don’t hang around and start the descent. 

Picnic lunch at the base and coffee made in the van. 

Then to the Sterling Ranges retreat campsite. Very rural with hardly anyone here. Fantastic views of Mount Trio. As the sun sets behind the mountain we sit and watch with a bottle of Pemberton Shiraz. Brilliant starry sky later.