Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Albert Einstein.
I left Lake Will early in the morning, somewhat damp from overnight rain. The clouds were lifting.
15 minutes later, I was back on the Overland Track and heading towards Lake Windermere. There is a new hut at Lake Windermere, but it looked pretty empty when I walked past. Lake Windermere itself, however, is a lovely setting.
From Lake Windermere, the track climbs to a plateau. There are side tracks where you can obtain views over the Mersey River. The sun was out, and I stopped for a break and to dry out my tent and clothing.
There are expansive views from this part of the track, taking in Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff to the south, as well as Mount Oakleigh to the east, and Pelion West, which looms ahead.
The track now enters a forest as it traverses around Pelion West. I met some other walkers in the forest and stopped for a cup of tea. As it would turn out, I met these walkers again on later days and we formed a good friendship. The track then descends across Frog Flats and climbs up again towards Pelion Hut.
Shortly after the climb is completed, there was a side track to Old Pelion Hut, about 10 minutes away. I went and visited the old hut, which is the second oldest on the Overland Track. Nearby was a creek and waterhole where quite a lot of people were swimming on the hot afternoon.
From Old Pelion Hut, it is less than 30 minutes walk at the New Pelion Hut. There were a lot of people at the hut, as it is possible to gain access from other tracks in addition to the Overland Track. I set up my tent and prepared to spend the evening.
