Last weekend, October 5,6 &7, we stayed at the Ridgetop Retreats B&B at Deep Creek Conservation Park new Cape Jervis on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula.
We planned to do a number of the walks around the park and we had both bought new boots for walking.
We set off on Friday from home, both having taken a day off. We drove to Willunga first to have lunch at a favourite restaurant, Fino. It’s a fabulous place with great food.
We arrived at the B&Bs in the late afternoon and that night David cooked – fish in an almond bread sauce.
The next morning David cooked bacon and eggs and we set off in the car to the place where we’d start our first walk. The walk was to take us from a car park a few kilometres from the coast down a big, big hill to the spot where deep Creek meets the sea. It was quite a steep walk and was rated as difficult and for some of the time it drizzled. We had wet weather gear.
On the second walk we left from the same car park and headed toward a waterfall. During this walk for some reason David’s knee decided to cause him shooting pains. To avoid this he developed a stiff legged walk, a la Captain Peg Leg, to avoid the pains. This is where the stick, much maligned in a previous entry, came to the rescue. It helped him to get to the waterfall and finish the walk. Later that afternoon we sat out on the forecourt of the B&B and watched the birdlife.
David cooked steak with mushroom ragout and sauteed potatoes for dinner.
After packing up on Sunday, we went for a walk around a flat loop near the rangers station.
After that we decided to do the walk down to Blowhole Beach near the outskirts of the park. Again it was very steep and David had to use his Peg Leg walk to negotiate the steep terrain. Dozens of lazing kangaroos could be seen near the car park at the start of the walk. After getting down to the beach we had a feast of potato chips and fruit all the time watched by eager red beaked and footed gulls.
On the way back we met a sleepy lizard and saw the kangaroos again, who hadn’t moved in all that time.
After this walk we drove off to Cape Jervis and saw the Kangaroo Island Ferry dock and then we went to have a look at the Starfish Hill wind farm. A drink at a local pub and then we drove home.
The life-saving stick. Here it is enjoying a quiet break near a waterfall.
The Ridgetop Retreats where we stayed.
A sparkling red after a hard day's walk.
Deep Creek's rugged coastline.
The waterfall, lunch stop on one of the walks.
David in one of his birthday-present T-shirts.
There were native orchids everywhere.
Kangas at the start of the blowhole Beach walk.
The echidna I annoyed by taking lots of photos of him.
Dead tree near the start of the Blowhole Beach walk.
The Mini in Deep Creek.
