Heysen Trail Adventure: Day 1

Cape Jervis to Tent Rock Road

With some trepidation I started my odyssey. I did not know how well the trail would be marked and my map reading skills are limited, but I took heart from the fact that the trail followed the coastline along Backstairs Passage and as long as I kept the sea on my right, it shouldn’t be too hard until the trail veered inland at Blowhole Beach. Day 1 was when I learned the lesson that the contours on the map are to be respected and that a conservative estimate of distance able to be covered in a given period of time is best.

The trail started off easily enough but soon became a bit of a goat track, often at an acute angle on the side of a slope and quite stony in parts. It is well marked an easy to follow if you pay attention. The scenery is stunning and worth every step. I did get lost at a reroute near Eagle Waterhole and veered off inland ending up in Goondooloo Hut in Deep Creek Conservation Park. As the skies were looking ominous, I called the pick up crew and we managed to find each other just as the heavens opened.