In this part of south-west WA the trees are on serious steroids and no matter how much time we spend in their tall company, we can’t really come to terms with the sheer size of the enormous Tingles and Karris that grow up to 80 metres high, live for up to 500 years, and can be found nowhere else in the world.
We spend two days in Walpole, and a night in Shannon National Park. Time enough to enjoy the views from the Treetop Walk in the Valley of the Giants, cycle 3km of the famous Bibbulmun trail (that stretches 965km from Albany to Perth), walk the 35 metre circumference of the Giant Tingle Tree, fish off an inlet pier (where we catch all the colours – BLUE swimmer crab, King George WHITEing, BLACK Bream… all too small to keep but at least we know the rods are working), introduce the kids to the simple pleasure of racing leaves down the rapids at Circular Pools, and even get a start on two novels (Sam finishing hers, a full 446 pages, in less than 48 hours).
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| Starting out on the Treetop Walk, another example of engineering mastery. Already all three kids have sprinted ahead, unimpressed by the trees that they have no way of putting into any sort of context... and their loud squabbles can be heard echoing across the valley as we amble our way, ever so slowly, to rejoin them. |
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Further into the Treetop Walk, which gets more and more magnificent with every step.
(As compared to the children's voices, which get louder.. and louder..) |
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| Our tiny tingles at the base of the giant tingle. |
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| Now inside the Giant Tingle and still feeling tiny as ever. |
