Leaving the ever popular Sid’s Camping, I first stop at the Hollowbut Cafe for a bacon 🥓 and egg 🍳 bap, and one for the journey too! You can’t have enough bacon and egg baps!

The first 10 kms or so is rolling tar (road). Pleasant way to head off with a stable surface under foot. Then, I’m turning right, straight onto soft sand! 

Sir Issac Newton’s third law of physics: for every action has an equal and opposite reaction! – Delightful rolling tar, soft 🏖️ sand!

Selfie time on the River Road Bridge. As with any selfie, it takes forever … set camera up, run to bike, wobble towards camera, repeat! The night is spent on a slightly raised ledge next to the trail. We appreciate that! Again peace and quiet prevails!

In the morning I pass a couple maintaining the trail. They’re from Perth. So a few hours to drive to get here. But in Oz, a few hours is like popping down the road compared to the UK. My lunch spot is in the refreshing shade of Quinnup school. There’s power 🔌 points abound and I make use of their generosity, along with the stand-pipe too!

Before my impeding nights wild camping I need to secure water. I stop by a river a few kilometers out from where I expect to camp. Perfect snake 🐍 country by the river as fairly overgrown. I go in firm and boisterous. Stout stick bashing away! Wild camping at a haunt I used last year, next to a corral and Blue Gum trees. A dozer has been through here recently, so I needed to level myself a spot just off a dirt track.

After one of many peaceful nights, the next day, a Racing Goanna spans my path. It’s a fair size and obliges so I can take a photograph 📷

Entering Manjimup is easy, as a new cycle path has been constructed on the old railway 🛤️ line. This path runs straight through the town. The new skate park that has also been built, is, well, awesome 👍 It’s competition grade and a beauty too. I want a go! There’s even a section for toddlers to keep safe away from the bigger kids or adults like me (big kid really!). Manjimup is not a sizable town by any means, but the money spent for the community is a credit to the countries 🇦🇺 ethos of an active community and keeping kids active … FREE WiFi in town!

I stock up with supplies at Coles (supermarket) then head back onto the trail for the 20 or so kilometers to the excellent Karta Burnu hut.