Cape to Cape Track
Day 01 – Cape Naturaliste to Yallingup
Day 02 – Yallingup to Moses Rock
Day 03 – Moses Rock to Ellensbrook
Day 04 – Ellensbrook to Conto’s Campsite
Top Trails of Western Australia
The Cape to Cape Track
The Cape to Cape Track is a 135-km-long trail that runs north-south along the west coast of the peninsula between Cape Naturaliste in the north, and Cape Leeuwin in the south. The trail itself mostly follows sweeping, windswept limestone ridges and long stretches of seemingly untouched, pristine beaches. It does, however, occasionally mix it up by looping inland through woodland and gorgeous karri forests.
I personally would rate the end-to-end hike of the Cape to Cape as 'Moderate' if you decide to make food drops. This is mainly because the terrain is almost entirely flat with almost no altitude gain, the trails tend to be clear and fairly wide, and there are dedicated campsites that have rain-catchment tanks that are less than a day's hike apart. There are also pine posts at fairly regular intervals that mark the way (although there does seem to be less in the south), and large signposts that indicate when beach sections join up to the trail. The trail can be a little exposed though, leaving you to the mercy of the blistering sun and the drenching rain, but as long as you turn up prepared this shouldn't be too much of an issue. The distances that you have to cover each day are fairly long however, perhaps a little too long for all but the experienced hiker (who is accustomed to carrying heavy backpacks). As such, carrying all your food for the entire hike increases the rating to 'Fairly Challenging'.
Difficulty Rating : 4.6 / 10.0 (Class 6 - Fairly Challenging)
Interactive Location Map
I completed the Cape to Cape in 2 half and 4 full days, traveling from the north (Cape Naturaliste) to the south (Cape Leeuwin). If you hover your mouse over the map below, it will highlight the sections of the trail that were hiked each day. Clicking on each section of the route will then bring you to their respective pages.
Things to bear in mind
1 - Make sure your footwear is well and truly broken in. You will be covering quite a distance and blisters are absolutely the last thing that you need. If you do happen to get a blister, treat it as soon as you can.
2 - I found that my light, minimalist cross-trainers worked quite well when traversing the beach sections. I did end up walking barefoot through the sand later on though but only because I wanted to get my feet out of my stifling boots and to let them breathe.
3 - Proper weight management could save you a lot of aches later on. Try and keep the weight of your bag to a minimum and make sure that it is loaded properly with the heavier items towards the middle and closer to your back. Please use your waist strap!
4 - Make sure you get adequate amounts of rest. Earplugs help with that more than you might expect!
5 - Keep yourself hydrated. Ensure that you drink enough water frequently throughout the hike. I found 4 litres a day to be just enough for me and I guzzle water. Don't forget to bring backup for your choice of water treatment.
6 - This is a long hike so you need to adjust your expectations accordingly. A lot of people may find themselves out of their comfort zone.
7 - If you are new to hiking, slowly ease in. Try out an overnight hiking and camping trip first.
8 - Learn how to fix the gear that you have with what you have. Bags, shoes, anything for that matter can break unexpectedly. Bring duct tape!
9 - Take a first aid course and bring along a first aid kit. You never know when it might be needed.
10 - Don't bring along your climbing gear for Wilyabrup or Bob's Hollow unless you have more than six days to spend there!
Next : Cape to Cape Day 01 – Cape Naturaliste to Yallingup
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