Gardner to Lake Maringup

The Hike - After a lovely first day between Northcliffe and Walpole I was keen to test out the new additions to my sleeping system. I had purchased over the summer a new Sea to Summit Insulated Sleeping Mat and a pair of Heat Holder socks with the aim of keeping me feeling toasty and warm during the Western Australian winter. While it wasn't exactly Collie in the middle of winter cold, I was warm and snug the whole night while wearing less clothes than I usually would. Yes, the mat squeaks and is noisy when you move but that is the case with most ultralight options these days. So a great success to begin the trip and it means I can take less on future trips. Another addition I was keen to try was my new GSI Outdoors Java Drip, the lightweight way of getting real coffee out on the trail. Having previously used coffee bags as an alternative, I decided that this year I would try and add a few creature comforts to my hiking and real coffee was at the top of the list.