There are fabulous walks almost everywhere throughout the Great Southern region. Some right from our doorstep here in Porongurup and others nearby in the Stirling Range National Park, Albany, Denmark and Walpole.
We’ve selected 5 of our favourites to inspire you to get out and enjoy some of the best walks in the Great Southern region.
Each week we will share one of these walks with you.
5 BEST WALKS:
- Castle Rock & the Granite Skywalk, Porongurup National Park
- Nancy’s Peak, Porongurup National Park
- Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range National Park
- Point Possession Heritage Trail, Vancouver Peninsula
- Bald Head Walk Trail, Torndirrup National Park
Walk 5 – Bald Head Walk Trail
Trail starts: Off Murray Rd, Torndirrup National Park
Distance: 12.5 km return
Time: 5-7 hours
Just a short drive from Albany, the trail along the Flinders Peninsula offers absolutely stunning views of the Southern Ocean and King George Sound.
It’s a challenging 12.5 km hike, taking around 6-8 hours. The terrain is undulating, with some quite steep sections, but the views along the trail make it worth the effort. Our hiking poles certainly came in handy on the steep raised walkway sections.
What is striking about this walk, apart from the scenery and breathtaking views, is the narrow ridge line over Isthmus Hill, which is utterly fascinating.
National Geographic describes an isthmus as “a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and separates two bodies of water”.
The juxtaposition of the water on both sides of the isthmus was remarkable. On one side the wild wash and crashing waves against bare granite rock, compared to the quiet, lapping waves and turquoise patterned waters and silence on the other.
On our return journey we spotted some Snail Orchids (Greenhoods), Pterostylis aspera. Being so small, it is not difficult to see why we had missed them on the way out, but once we had our eyes peeled, we spotted quite a few clumps along the walk.
From July to early October it’s a great place to look out for Humpback and Southern Right Whales as they migrate along the coastline.
This walk was quite challenging, but it is worth making the time to enjoy the beautiful coastline of the Great Southern region.
Pack your hiking boots and add this to your list of things to do during your stay at The Sleeping Lady….and remember to ask to borrow our hiking poles!
