Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
McArdles disease is a rare genetic condition resulting in poor exercise tolerance due to inability to metabolise glycogen to create energy for muscles. It is something that I have struggled with all my life, but with the right information, it is a condition that can be managed. The Walk Over Wales is raising funds and awareness to assist with giving people that information. Donations toward the Walk Over Wales event will assist toward development of resources to help teachers and medical professionals recognise this rare condition earlier.
Although I wasn't able to join my fellow McArdles walkers in Wales, I did my own fortnight of walking in the Kimberleys and Bungle Bungles, a remote and beautiful part of Western Australia, between 14-28 July. While it was difficult to keep track of kilometres while traipsing through outback gorges, I kept a pedometer register and have estimated 1500 steps to a kilometre to allow me to add to the international 'virtual' Walk Over Wales. I hope you enjoy my brief blog and accompanying photos.
15/7 (4 kms) After flying into Broome on 14/7 and picking up the Pajero, today was mainly a travel day with some brief stops to visit the Boab prison tree and an aboriginal community and art gallery. Brief walk into Windjana gorge after setting up our tents and a beautiful sunset reflecting of the rock wall of the gorge.
16/7 (11 kms) Long walk in Windjana gorge where we were able to get up close and personal with some fresh water crocodiles, and bats. Continued onto Tunnel creek where a creek has carved out a tunnel through a limestone range of hills for over a kilometre. Quite eerie to walk through by torchlight and up to our waists in water at some points. Beautiful stalactites up high in the tunnel where the flood waters don't reach but my camera wasn't good enough to get photos of these. Apparently fresh water crocs in the tunnel but didn't see any.
17/7 (9 kms) Reasonably strenuous walk into Bells Gorge but so worth it when swimming in the pool at the end. Galvans gorge was a shorter easy walk, also with a refreshing pool at the end and some aboriginal rock art.
18/7 (7kms) Manning gorge had some more challenging rock climbing, but again a beautiful waterfall and large pool at the end. Also involved a short boat trip on a rope pulley system to cross the creek.
19/7 Rest day at Drysdale station
20/7 Travel day with lovely scenery but no significant walking
21/7 (8 kms) Emma gorge on Elquestro station involved a bit of rock scrambling but again a beautiful waterfall and pool at the end. Could appear to become repetitive but every walk, waterfall and rock pool was different and this one had thermal stream feeding into it for an added bonus at the end of a challenging walk. Also did a boat trip on Chamberlain gorge for something different.
22/7 (4kms) Morning visit to Zebedee springs, thermal pools - stayed there until we started looking like prunes. My travel companions planned to walk ElQuestro Gorge today but as it was rated challenging, I stayed near camp and walked along the river.
23/7 travel day into the Bungle Bungles.
24/7 (14 kms) Walk into Cathedral gorge, a stunning natural cathedral carved out of the sandstone by water cascading off of the Bungle Bungles in the wet season. Awe-inspiring place made all the more special when a vocalist and didgeridoo player gave a spontaneous performance that reverberated through the gorge supported by the natural acoustics of the cathedral. Added a walk to a fabulous lookout and a jaunt along Piccanniny creek and took in the sunset on the Bungle Bungles to end a great day.
25/7 (3kms) After an awesome helicopter flight over this unique park with its incredible beehive formations, we walked through Echidna Chasm, just in time to catch the midday sun lighting up the walls of the chasm. My photo doesn't capture how incredible this place is.
26/7 mainly a travel day with a trip along Geike Gorge but this was in a boat, so no significant walking added
27/7 travel back to Broome, ready to fly out the next day. fortunate to be in Broome for 'stairway to the moon'. The 12 m tides create a beautiful phenomenon of a 'stairway' of light rippling over the mudflats as the full moon rises each month. Unfortunately I didn't have tripod to stabilise my camera, so you'd have to google that to see a picture.
So my total kms for the trip amounted to 60kms. Although not in the same league as the incredible achievements of the McArdles walkers in Wales, it was great to feel a part of the event. Congratulations to Andrew, Stacey, Charlton, Dan and
