Well it took nearly 3 weeks but we have had our first warm night and didn’t require thermal jammies (hoorah). We woke to the most beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky and got ourselves organised for a walk into Palm Valley proper. The 4wd track into the valley is sign posted as severe and as it’s only 4km from the campground we decided to walk and then do the 5km walking track loop. Now we have been a bit Blasé about 4wd roads and found them to be rough but generally quite manageable, however after walking approx 1.5km along the road we were glad we left the truck back at the campground. The road followed the river bed in places which had some interesting rocks and ledges to negotiate and after the last river crossing it was very sandy followed by some interesting jump ups and big rocks. The truck would have made it but it would have rolled the camper around too much, there were plenty of landcruisers, patrols and one huge 4wd tour bus that looked like it could drive over anything it wanted!

On the way back out a Mitsubishi Outlander was attempting and failing to get very far at all, it was trying to get over quite a small rock which it did but he stopped and got out to inspect what lay ahead. We hope he stopped because he hadn’t got anywhere near the tough stuff, the Outlander was just to low to the ground and he had normal highway tires, he obviously didn’t see the warning signs or just thought he would do it anyway. So now we know what a severe 4wd track is we will actually believe it. So “High Clearance” is fine, “Severe” if fine but with possible trouble sections and maybe damage and “Extreme” is take a buddy and get a suspension lift or don’t bother.

Doesn’t look that bad really does it?

The walk in took us past Cycad Gorge where MacDonnell Ranges Cycads grow in the shade of the rocky red cliffs. They only grow in the central Australian ranges and some of them are between 200 and 300 years old. A short distance further on we arrived at Palm Valley and what a gorgeous place it was! You don’t expect to find tropical palms in this area. They are Red Cabbage Palms and grow here because there is permanent water and no raging floods. The walk we did wound it’s way up to the ridge top, across the top and then back down to another valley of palms before winding it’s way back along Palm Valley to the car park.

I have a thing for ghost gums at the moment, they are the most beautiful tree with lovely white bark. They grow in the cliffs where they are quite stunted and at strange angles due to lack of water or on the ground where they can get quite big. These are my favs from today.

The walk back to the campground was most unpleasant as it was after midday and it was very, very warm! Although we have been complaining about it being cold it was way too hot for walking on a dusty, sandy road. Feeling a tad dehydrated this evening.

This campsite is my favourite so far we are over 150kms form Alice yet have a lovely shady site by a creek with water in it, an amenities block with HOT showers, clean toilets, gas barbie and hotplates all for $6.60 each a night. The ranger comes by everyday to clean and check things out, very civilized really. The only issue has been a dingo that will take your food the minute you take your eyes off it, she slinks around and is not easily scared away and is here because idiots feed her!!