We ended the season with a beauty. With spring warmth the hills provided such variety. Great views of the Montacute valleys, we found (and felt) a couple too! Flora and fauna was also enjoying the spring warmth. Lyn was pleased the brown snake had warmed enough to clear the track, and her foot, in a millisecond. Cake and cordial – 3 young entrepreneurs set up a stall at Montacute, then at Cudlee Creek – no coffee yet the cakes so fresh and yummy, umm! Thanks go to Nick, Heather and Julian for sorting us out this season.

End 2 End 3 completed one of the hardest and most remote sections of the Heysen Trail, on the October long weekend. Aided by good weather and generally early starts, most managed to get through all the walks.

Saturday saw us at Dutchman’s Stern for the trek to Eyre Depot. Good creek walking, with some adventurous rock hopping, then out onto the flats leading north to Eyre Depot. One wrong rock hop too many and a badly twisted ankle brought the rescue vehicle into play.

Sunday and an even earlier start, began the Eyre Depot to Buckaringa Gorge walk, 26 kms of creek, hearty climb to Mt Arden then the ridge line to Buckaringa. Great creek line, Depot Creek, with a slippery climb around the waterfall, then the twists and turns that creeks in the area are prone to. The long hard climb to the top of Mt Arden to be rewarded by an ice block. Then followed the long and tiring ridge walk, however the views were to kill for, and a cool breeze at our backs. Finally all back to the buses at 6.30PM with a very late, but sumptuous meal in Port Augusta. No late night carousing for many.

Monday saw the catchup walk from Broadview to Woolshed Flat, previously washed out by flooding in Waukerie Creek. Another hard day with an arduous climb to MT Brown summit, rewarded with a great vista from the tower. Waukerie Creek seemed longer than usual, however the reward, a cold beer, soft drink or champers.

The bus people, I suspect, slept most of the way back to Adelaide.
Thanks to Barry and Jan Matthews who followed us diligently all weekend and Gavin and Bill the bus drivers who kept us safe on the roads.

End to End 4 enjoyed a wonderful sunny spring day â with orchids now emerging, along with many wildflowers. A long walk of 26km , (thru Cleland, Horsnells Gully, Norton Summit and Morialta Park – with a few fallen trees and significant undulations) caused some sore feet and tired legs. All walkers admired the views through the bush, over the city and the hills farms, with many being introduced to these areas for the first time.

South Australia, driest state, in the driest continent. Oh yeah!! E2E3 put paid to that old chestnut, On a weekend when 4 walkers had to be rescued from the Heysen Trail near Blinman, E2E3 endured what can only be describes as appalling conditions.

A revised programme, due to an impassable Waukerie Creek, meant the group walked from Dutchman’s Stern to Woolshed Flat on Saturday.

Rainjackets were the order of the day, and stayed on ALL day. If you didn’t have wet feet, you didn’t do the walk. Some woozes in the fast group had to have plunger coffee at the Old Willows Brewery Restaurant, for lunch, however were quickly chased back on track by their leaders.

On Sunday, an impassable road and Waukerie Creek running too high meant cancellation of the Broadview to Wooshed Flat walk. This allowed walkers who had missed part of Saturdays walk, due to the inclement weather and fading light, the opportunity to do a catch up. Others did the Dutchman’s Stern circuit, whilst some just slept in.

What a great day for a walk it turned out to be! Chilly to start and it then just got better and better.

A bit wet under foot in parts, however nothing to get your socks in a knot about.

Looks like the GPS got it at 21.3 km for the day if you came via the Botanic Gardens. Lots and lots of water about-great to see.

We now start to head away from Adelaide, so it’s all north from here, apart from the west bits and the south bits, but we’ll get to that a bit later in the E2E4 programme.

Did you miss out on the Friends Sea to Summit? Then join the Road Runners on 12th Sept for a run or walk. 15km or 32km.

check it out:

The End to End 5 group rose to the challenges of the weather and the track for the section of the Heysen Trail between Balquhidder and Waitpinga Campground on Sunday 15th. The 47 walkers easily overcome the elements and some tricky track conditions that caused the occasional wet boot and one leader to find himself prone after tripping on his walking pole while crossing Waitpinga Creek. Despite unrelenting wind from the south west, the walk was enjoyed by all. See you all at next month’s walk.

With high winds and the fickle weather at our backs, 25 hardy walkers, including 15 students and parents from St Joseph’s School, Kingswood, started the inaugural George Driscoll Sea to Summit walk at 7.45AM.

Eight hours later, having been blown upon, sprinkled upon, rained upon and even hailed upon, all 25 ceremoniously touched the Mount Lofty obelisk.

Another great walk completed, with the youngest, Michael, aged 12 carrying 4 litres of water. Part of the "Save the Murray" I suspect!

On Sat 2rd July the E2E3âs walked 23k over Mt Remarkable to Alligator Gorge Road, noted as the 2nd most difficult day walk on the Trail. Over 70 celebrated arriving safely after 8hrs of ups and downs. A chilly 7am Melrose start gave us the sunâs warm glow and first rays as we trekked up My Remarkable. A lovely sunny day provided wonderful views of this Remarkable country, so green, with the cool air making walking enjoyable. Sunday John Potter completed his 1,200km trek with the Murray Town to Melrose 16k leg. All joined in with John to celebrate. John walked with E2E3, E2E2 and E2E4 weekend walks to complete the trail in 3 years. Congratulations John.

Check out the links page for links to photo sites.

As of Monday 21st June 2010, any walks involving buses must be paid for at the time of registration.
There will be no Cash on the Day.
You can pay on line either using

• PayPal account-very easy to set up and very secure
  PayPal using a credit card-must be done for each booking, however still secure
• Through the office. Phone booking using your Credit Card – fiddly, however it’s secure
• In person at the office -either cash or credit card-like any purchase.

Too easy!!

NOTE The Friends pay for the buses regardless of how many walkers turn up. Often it is the Cash on the Day walkers who fail to show up. This then leaves the Friends to cover the cost and often denies another walker a seat, particularly if it’s a limited numbers walk.