I am posting this from a little restaurant in the heart of the Grampians. We are on our way out after two days of tramping and climbing. Filthy, sunkissed and happy.
And working fast because I am almost out of battery and forgot my charger bag. Though in my defense I was not thinking of electronic gear when I was packing for a camping trip.
Miss C climbed the mountains. Straight up!
Summerday Valley.
Jack chose the appropriate hardwear and taking his life into his own hands (which we do every day anyway – I have never understood that expression) free climbed the rock face –
putting in nuts and cams which are little metal wedges…
that slot into a crack or feature in the wall that you then you clip your rope onto ..
Until the first nut is inserted my daughter the belayer, holds her hands up so if he falls before he is roped to the wall she will guide his falling head to safety ( that is the theory anyway). Safety first.
Once he has got the first bit of gear in the wall she will tighten the rope so if he does fall he will not hit the ground, in theory he is caught by the wedge shaped bit of gear he has inserted into the wall. And so he continues up to the top placing more gear at intervals. Then he repels down, and then my daughter climbs, and then I climbed straight up the rock face, with her as my belayer to keep me safe and direct me.
Running out of battery! My daughter helped me put all the gear on, double checking all the knots. 
Then up I went. And it was wonderful. Pictures now. 
More words when I am at the airport tomorrow with time to talk!
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
51 responses to “Australia: The Grampians”
Eeek! You’re amazing! The hairs are standing up on the back of my neck – I get vertigo three steps up on a ladder, so being attached to a skinny bit of string from skinny bits of metal on a sheer rock face is too much to contemplate. But this, of course, is the reward of all your arm-strengthening bucket carrying. I bet you scrambled up at speed….
like a rat up a drain pipe.. c
CELI ~ you are the cat’s MEOW!!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!! we want you to come back home!!!!! oh ~ no wonder you needed that insurance!!!!!!!!!!!
great pictures ~ BUT ~ stay safe!!!!
Wonderful, what a great adventure to finish your trip with 🙂
Yippee for the most wonderful photo essay of your Australian journey . . . and thanks so much for the photo of you and Sops together!!! It did not hurt, did it 😀 !! Even the Weather Gods obviously smiled!! What a happy end to a journey . . . now enjoy your trip home . . .
Wow, that’s great.
Rather you than me, but I am impressed!
It is easy to see the similarity in you and your daughter–your build, strength and likeness. Amazing adventure. Travel home safely.
I echo Mad above. Heights are not for me, so if ever I am presented with an opportunity to leave terra firma and trust little metal wedges with little blah blah blahs, I will give you a call and you can have my share! Lots of love, Gayle, getting ready for a trip to Washington state where I lived for six years.
Woot! Woot! for Miss C. As I saw you get higher and higher on that rock I had a vision of some pigs and some cows and some chickens and some cats, and of course two dogs all milling around at the base clucking and mooing and make various ruckus noises, admonishing you to be careful. I’m not sure the animals would have approved of your daring. I suspect that they want you back in one piece 😉
I did this in my youth, and particularly loved the belaying down part, but not any more for me! Good for you, Celi! It looks like a beautiful place. Safe travels home.
Go you…what great fun
Wow, Ms. C! I should be so lucky 🙂 So much to do so little time. Perhaps I’ll do some cliff climbing yet, though I’ve done much of it without ropes and pins during my lifetime – skittering down and then up canyons in NM and ‘mountains’ in Maine. Aloha! Fun!
Awesome! Way to go! Marvellous!
Better you than me! Enjoyed all the pics from your trip.
Totally exhilarating! Well done. Laura