This was supposed to be one of our easier days but it turned out to be rather more strenuous than expected. Seventeen kilometres and 950m of ascent.
We had a false start as the trail has been wiped out by the road builders so we had to divert onto the newly slashed road. We quickly passed the culprit which was a Hyundai digger that clanked after us sounding like a tank chasing us up the trail. Then it stopped and set about it's day job of ripping a route through the forest. The spoil was sent crashing down the slope triggering more rockslides as it went. Thank goodness we weren't on the lower route!
The forests were full of monkeys and some threw fruit down onto our path. Mark blazed away with his long lens and I am sure the photographic record of this trip will be a work of art.
The morning wore on and the lunch was elusive.
After lunch we fired up sore muscles and stiff joints and plodded on anxious to arrive in daylight. Some were more agile than others and sped off up the valley. Others hobbled away clawing the path with ski poles and sucking hard on the thinning air.
Apart from bridges Neil is not all that fond of exposed paths so today's walk did not provide much respite after yesterday's bridge. The path was hewn out of the mountainside and in places was cantilevered out on poles so Neil's day was full of adventure!
The gorge narrowed and beehives clung to the cliffs on the opposite side of the river before hauling ourselves into the lodge and downing a Sprite upon arrival.