Steph Backhouse

Completed: 8 July, 2022

Start date: 16 May, 2022
Age When Completed: 57
Direction Walked: Southbound

Track Towns and Supplies

Did you have any issues finding food/supplies? Yes
I dehydrated all my food beforehand. A few food drops and posted the rest to Visitor Centres. A serious toss up between carrying more weight or going a bit hungry ... A lighter pack won out and I ended up losing 10kgs over 8 weeks.

Your Story or Advice for Others

General Comments
A wonderful experience: the serenity and solitude of walking in nature which gets under your skin. So much so that I intend to walk the other way next year.

Your Best Equipment
My walking poles. Remember the relationship between Tom Hanks and Wilson (the volleyball) in Castaway? I felt much the same about Rightie and Leftie, my loyal and constant track companions.

Your Worst Equipment
Waterproof trousers. I abandoned these early in the piece and walked in shorts.

Advice for Others
Do the BTF E2E workshop beforehand. I found it invaluable. And trust yourself. Danger lies in the fear of an action, not in the action itself.

Trip Details

How you completed the Bibbulmun Track:

All at once

Who did you complete the Track with? Solo (primarily)
Was undertaking your hike the PRIMARY/MAIN purpose of your TRAVEL from where you currently live? No

Your Experience

Favourite Section
I came up that steep sand track from the Pingerup Plains and the sun burst out from behind the clouds. The inundation was behind me and I could hear the roar of the waves as I followed the long white sand ribbon to the edge of the cliff. Then WHAM! the exhilaration of popping out over Mandalay Beach and the realisation that I had walked all the way to the southern ocean!

Highlight of your trip
As above. Plus the sunrises and sunsets which happen every day but up until the Bibb, I hadn't fully appreciated.