Two activities on the itinerary came with warnings: the entrance to Tunnel Creek (“quite challenging”) and the walk up to Emma Gorge waterfall (“medium level of fitness required”). In fact, my level of fitness, while it could and should be better for all sorts of reasons and occasions, was OK for this trip. People in my age bracket would be more likely to find difficulty with flexibility – or lack thereof! The rough terrain was the biggest problem. There were some pathways in Kakadu but in the Kimberley there were virtually none. The tramping of many feet caused earth to compact into a path if there was sufficient soil, but often there wasn't. Instead, what you had was indicators of best routes over stone, ranging from pebbles to boulders.
The steepest walk was quite short – up to the rim of the Wolfe Creek crater – and it did have a defined path, although rocky underfoot once you got to the climb.
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| Climb to the rim of Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater - steeper than this looks |
Both Tunnel Creek and Emma Gorge presented you with boulders for which I found “all fours” better than two feet and a walking pole. I didn't get exhausted anywhere but I was amongst the slowest, in fact the very last down from Emma Gorge.
After negotiating the entrance to Tunnel Creek it was down into the water, up to the top of my thighs – the one day I wore shorts! Dark too, literally a tunnel through the Napier Range with light midway where part of the hill had fallen in – a long time ago, we weren't in (much?) danger ... although you never can tell – there were warnings! On the way out my head torch (a great invention!) picked up the eyes of a crocodile resting on a ledge at water's edge. We didn't bother each other!! And I was too busy watching my footing to worry about the bats overhead. Back in daylight at the far end, the air wasn't thick with butterflies but there were still a few late-season ones about. It was a beautiful spot to have a picnic but you'd need to plan it well. Then back out again, stumbling along tentatively in the watery dark, over the entrance rocks again, and out. Magic!
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| Outside Tunnel Creek See Tunnel Creek photos here |
We camped one night at Windjana Gorge, getting in too late to see the gorge that evening. We nevertheless walked there and through the tunnel but stopped at that point because we couldn't see too much by torchlight. Funny that! So much better seeing it very early next morning instead – beautiful. Flat, easy access too. The short tunnel hid the beauty from you as you approached so that there was a gasp of delight when the gorge appeared. You can walk some distance but we only loitered close to the access point so didn't have to work too much for that treat. The hardest part was walking in the sand of the river bed, trying without much success to imagine floods of water rushing through.
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| Windjana Gorge See more photos here |
Bell Gorge wasn't even on the itinerary. That was one of the fabulous things about this trip .... doing so much more than expected. Another easy walk to what was obviously and understandably a popular swimming spot.
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| Bell Gorge More Bell Gorge photos here |
Our group didn't swim at Bell Gorge because we were heading for a swim at Manning Gorge later in the day, but in between we had a stop at Galvans Gorge (not exactly a difficult walk but you had to concentrate) where some, but not I, swam.
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| Swimmers at Galvans Gorge See more of Galvans Gorge here |
This is stunningly beautiful country!
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| Manning Gorge |
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| Manning Gorge riverbed at sunset |
