The Overland Track: day 2

It rained overnight. Fortunately for us the rain cleared by the time we got up and tucked into a scrumptious breakfast. The guides cook bread each evening so that there is toast for breakfast and bread for lunches.

Our hut was nestled in the forest ... as seen from the back landing

Setting out it was very wet underfoot and remained that way throughout the day.

Yes, this is track

Cloud clung to the higher peaks making it difficult to get a clear shot of Barn Bluff. Eventually the cloud cleared and there were great views across to Barn Bluff and Cradle Mountain at times during the day.

Barn Bluff with passing cloud

Much of the walk on day 2 was through moorland which brought back memories of Coast to Coast and the many moors that we crossed - often wet and muddy! The profusion of plants in flower certainly made it a very pleasant walk. The landscape was dotted with tarns, lakes and pools.

Not your normal hiking footwear ... running repairs were needed for Tim's boots

Much of the track was on duckboard although there were areas of loose rock, which made for hard walking, and the sections across Pine Forest Moor required some rock hopping while the Enchanted Forest was definitely rock hopping territory.

In the morning we dropped our packs on a platform at the junction of the Overland Track and the track to Lake Will. There were some great views on the way down to and back from the lake. Along the track were a number of colourful fungi (I did not get any photos of these).

The platform on which we dropped our packs before heading down to Lake Will

Lake Will with Barn Bluff in the background

Morning tea break on a beach at Lake Will

A colouful pool near Lake Will

One of the hardy members of our group ventured in for a swim at Lake Windermere - brave considering it was a cool day and the water temperature was cool too.

Looking towards Lake Windermere

Glacial action was evident across the landscape. The structure on the top of Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff had stood proud above the glaciers while the ice flows scoured deep valleys. As the glaciers retreated they dropped their deposits or left depressions in the landscape that now gather water and form the many pools and lakes evident today.

Once again conifers were in evidence. Today thee were pencil pines which actually look like tall cones rather than pencils.

View from Pine Forest Moor (with Barn Bluff on the left and Cradle Mountain on the right)

Shortly before leaving Pine Forest Moor we diverted to a lookout with a fantastic view along the Lemontyme Valley. This area was subject to protests when it was decided to turn the forest in the valleys and hillsides into woodchips. The Lemontyme foest protest eventually resulted in the World Heritage status of this wonderful wilderness area.

In the evening some pademelonswere sighted close to our hut.

Today we walked 12 kms.