Time to finish this epic adventure I started 6 years ago!! It was a surreal feeling drifting off to sleep knowing that tomorrow was the final day of trail, and I would be crossing the finish line I had been dreaming of for years. I was starting to feel quite emotional about it. The morning was absolutely freezing. We woke up with major condensation and damp feeling sleeping bags but with actual frost on the tents. We feel it got below 0*C overnight and it was awful having to pack down the tents, resulting in numb, red fingers and heavy packs carrying a soaking wet snd muddy tent. Thank goodness we didn’t have to put it up again! Tonight we would be in a warm bed in a hotel. Getting moving was hard due to the cold but it was feast to start hiking to warm up. The morning was pleasant and the sun soon came out. The track was easy and gently heading uphill until we reached Taringa Saddle where the downhill all the way to the finish line started. If we were expecting an easy trail though, we were mistaken. Undulations and….you guessed it! Creek walking ensued. Slowly the kms passed as we enjoyed our last few hours of this trail, the views, the clean air and mountain ranges. As the trailhead became visible I became a bit choked up; I could see firstly my parents’ car snd caravan, and as we walked closer to the trailhead I could see my parents waiting for us. We have a “coo-eee!” as arranged to let them know we’re nearly there, and I could see my folks filming our last few metres to the end, as we walked up the steps and passed through the finish archway. I was laughing and crying equally I think! I did it! I completed every kilometre of the Heysen Trail, in 60 days of hiking over 6 years. What an amazing feeling it was! And made all the better for having my daughter by my side as I walked over the finish line. I am so proud of myself.

Hiking/Backpacking

Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia

time : Jun 11, 2025 8:15 AM

duration : 5h 37m 55s

distance : 17.8 km

total_ascent : 325 m

highest_point : 576 m

avg_speed : 3.7 km/h

user_id : sarahc

user_firstname : Sarah

user_lastname : C

Time to finish this epic adventure I started 6 years ago!! It was a surreal feeling drifting off to sleep knowing that tomorrow was the final day of trail, and I would be crossing the finish line I had been dreaming of for years. I was starting to feel quite emotional about it. The morning was absolutely freezing. We woke up with major condensation and damp feeling sleeping bags but with actual frost on the tents. We feel it got below 0*C overnight and it was awful having to pack down the tents, resulting in numb, red fingers and heavy packs carrying a soaking wet snd muddy tent. Thank goodness we didn’t have to put it up again! Tonight we would be in a warm bed in a hotel. Getting moving was hard due to the cold but it was feast to start hiking to warm up. The morning was pleasant and the sun soon came out. The track was easy and gently heading uphill until we reached Taringa Saddle where the downhill all the way to the finish line started. If we were expecting an easy trail though, we were mistaken. Undulations and….you guessed it! Creek walking ensued. Slowly the kms passed as we enjoyed our last few hours of this trail, the views, the clean air and mountain ranges. As the trailhead became visible I became a bit choked up; I could see firstly my parents’ car snd caravan, and as we walked closer to the trailhead I could see my parents waiting for us. We have a “coo-eee!” as arranged to let them know we’re nearly there, and I could see my folks filming our last few metres to the end, as we walked up the steps and passed through the finish archway. I was laughing and crying equally I think! I did it! I completed every kilometre of the Heysen Trail, in 60 days of hiking over 6 years. What an amazing feeling it was! And made all the better for having my daughter by my side as I walked over the finish line. I am so proud of myself.