Day one July 20 Section 1 Classic Larapinta Treck & Ti Tree base Camp

Day One of the Classic Larapinta Diamond Valley Bushwalking Club and the adventure was about to begin.

Our guides, Nicole, Matilda and Brenton picked us up from our various accommodations and visitors to the club were met and welcomed by members.

We left the Alice Springs Telegraph Station at the start of the Larapinta Trailhead after making salad rolls for lunch. There was lots of chatter as we started walking through witchetty bush and mulga scrub, lots of stops for refreshments and at lunch some people had the added delight of unbeknowingly sitting in small spinifex prickles!!

We must have had a good head for heights because we all managed to walk along the very high, and what looked like a narrow Euro ridgeline.

After walking just over 13 kms, six people decided to walk the optional eight kilometres into Nick's Camp whilst the remaining nine people were transported into camp by the bus.

Walking an extra eight kilometres sounded fine at the time, but the last bit travelling up the red dusty road hoping (and willing) the camp might be around the next corner made it hard work for some. 

What was welcoming was the clean and refreshed faces greeting us and friends who had even made our beds. The semi permanent campsite consisted of a kitchen, lounge and dining shelter which was well set out on a raised platform and tents were custom built and had stretchers and swags to sleep in.

Both the composting toilets and hot showers worked well. The water from the shower was heated from a 'donkey' that was heated over a fire. Buckets of cold water were filled, tipped into the donkey and replaced with hot water; a system that continued to work well all week.

The perfect start to a perfect holiday was finished with a delicious meal of barramundi, mushroom risotto, asparagus and bean shoot salad and mini pavlovas for dessert.

Jenny

Left to right: Reg, Peter, Inge, Chris, Neil S., Dianne, Marianne, Karen, Kerry, Neil, Janet, Jenny, Felicia, Cathie, Ann

A very easing into what will become a very rocky trail!

Six intrepid walkers decided to walk the extra 8 km into camp: Kerry, Neil J., Peter, Felicia, Ann, Jenny