Kitty's Gorge Walk

The stats

• Distance - 14km circuit
• Grade - classed as 'medium'
• Estimated time to complete - 4hrs
• Actual time - 3-4 hrs (with stop for lunch)
• Cost - $11 national park entry fee
• Resources - WA Top Trails website and Jarrahdale Historical Society mudmap

The verdict

Calamity - the Fellowship is slightly diminished as my Dad battles (gasp!) a foot injury courtesy of a boot malfunction.  Ross has donated his spare pair of boots to my Dad while he slowly rehabilitates with regular visits to the podiatrist and progressively longer walks around Kings Park.

In the meantime the Coast to Coast remains on the horizon so Ross and I keep up with the training regime.  We went to see the ultimate walking movie, The Way and feel inspired!  

It's another glorious winter's day and I finally get another day off work.  We head out to Serpentine National Park and before we've even parked the car we've already seen kangaroos and a fox.  It's a day of brilliant sunshine, birds singing, waterfalls, beautiful woodland, and open country with butterflies sailing past.  And the best part of all?  It's a weekday and I'm not at work...loving it!

I don't have a guide book today so we're following trail markers and a mudmap from the local historical society.  There is ever so slightly confusing signage at some points.

Which arrow to follow?!

Needless to say we get a bit lost around the turnaround point and end up retracing our steps rather than risk wandering off the trail on the return loop but apart from that it's quite easy to navigate.

The walk commences up a steep incline although it then opens up into a riverside path which skirts the boundary of private properties.  All beautifully signed at this point so the path is easy to find.  

The start of the walk

The trail is varied and meanders through beautiful woodland as well as rocky outcrops which forces us to clamber over huge granite boulders.

The trail as it passes through woodland

Open countryside

There are some steep sections and challenging track but all the while Ross and I reassure ourselves that we won't be clambering over fallen trees and huge boulders in the Lake District (HA! Oh isn't hindsight hilarious - now of course I know better!).

One of the steeper descents

We feel good at the end of the walk and (could it possibly be?!) I think my fitness levels are improving as I'm not totally incapacitated after walks anymore.   Onwards!