Grampians advice for newbie
Posted: Tue 12 Sep, 2017 12:32 pm
Hello all,
I have 2 1/2 weeks leave starting this Friday. I'm heading to Melbourne to visit my daughter, and have scheduled in a few days on the way down there to hike the Grampians.
I haven't hiked seriously before, just the odd tourist trail when traveling around Aus and OS, but am very keen to get involved and experience more of our country up close. I'm 50yo male, not overly fit but not overweight or a couch potato (81kg, 180cm), reasonably active generally.
My problem (this one anyway) is I've been planning this for a while, buying light (expensive) gear in preparation for 3-4 days in the Grampians, then for some reason that no-one can explain to me got hit with gout in my big toe and haven't been able to do the training I was planning for the past 3 weeks. Just getting better now so I got in 2 x 10km loaded pack walks on the weekend (very flat easy ground, avg 10:00-10:30 min/km, 11kg pack incl. food and water), including a 3km hill session (not many mountains in Mildura). Recovered fine from that but I certainly don't feel prepared for the Grampians Peaks Trail that I was planning on.
Can I get some suggestions for good day walks? I'll be in Halls Gap either Monday or Tuesday afternoon and have until Friday night, heading to Melb Saturday morning. I don't think I want to stay in Halls Gap all week, so suggestions of other camp sites would also be appreciated.
How hard is the GPT really? It looks easy enough on the computer screen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OynKbfEGV_A which instantly makes me think I'd be headed for trouble (ignorance is not bliss). I'll be on my own and not in any hurry.
I have 2 1/2 weeks leave starting this Friday. I'm heading to Melbourne to visit my daughter, and have scheduled in a few days on the way down there to hike the Grampians.
I haven't hiked seriously before, just the odd tourist trail when traveling around Aus and OS, but am very keen to get involved and experience more of our country up close. I'm 50yo male, not overly fit but not overweight or a couch potato (81kg, 180cm), reasonably active generally.
My problem (this one anyway) is I've been planning this for a while, buying light (expensive) gear in preparation for 3-4 days in the Grampians, then for some reason that no-one can explain to me got hit with gout in my big toe and haven't been able to do the training I was planning for the past 3 weeks. Just getting better now so I got in 2 x 10km loaded pack walks on the weekend (very flat easy ground, avg 10:00-10:30 min/km, 11kg pack incl. food and water), including a 3km hill session (not many mountains in Mildura). Recovered fine from that but I certainly don't feel prepared for the Grampians Peaks Trail that I was planning on.
Can I get some suggestions for good day walks? I'll be in Halls Gap either Monday or Tuesday afternoon and have until Friday night, heading to Melb Saturday morning. I don't think I want to stay in Halls Gap all week, so suggestions of other camp sites would also be appreciated.
How hard is the GPT really? It looks easy enough on the computer screen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OynKbfEGV_A which instantly makes me think I'd be headed for trouble (ignorance is not bliss). I'll be on my own and not in any hurry.