Andyheather's travel blogs:
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Kepler Track Day 1
Entry 97 of 113 | show all | print this entry |
On paper, today would be the toughest: climbing from 200m at the lake up to Luxmore Hut at 1085m over 8.2km and a total distance of 19.2km from the hostel door, not to mention carrying all the food for the next four 4 days.
As we walked around the lake on the flat, smooth track, it soon became clear that the extra weight over our usual day packs would be the biggest challenge to be overcome. Thankfully, the sun was shining and it was a nice temperature for walking. The track was very well maintained and climbed up through the beech woodland which became more and more covered in moss and lichen the higher we got. In time, we both got used to carrying the extra weight.
The tree line came very suddenly due to a fungus that the beech trees need on their roots not being able to grow below a certain temperature, and hence above a set altitude -- there, you learn something every day! Coming out of the trees seemed to give us renewed energy; the track flatten a bit and magnificent views opened up on all sides -- very Lord of the Rings.
After another 30 minutes or so we had the welcome sight of Luxmore Hut, nestled in a valley below Mount Luxmore. Following a well deserved cuppa and a 'nature walk' with the warden, we went to explore Luxmore Cave. Head torches at the ready we descended into the darkness. After a bit of initial squeezing, the cave opened up into a long limestone corridor, full of stalagmites and stalactites, with an underground river running through it. It was strange to be in such a place without a guide, concreted floor and flood lights. Having walked about 200m underground and turning off our torches to see just how dark it was (answer: pitch black, obviously) we decided it was probably best to get back above ground.
Back at the hut we enjoyed a delicious pasta based meal and enjoyed the view until the sun eventually set.
Andrew's step count: 27670
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