A Lovely Catchup & The Grampians

Well folks as hard as I try and cull the photos I still end up with a stack so once again this post is very photo heavy and I make no apologies as "The Grampians" are worth every shot.
Most importantly I was very excited to meet up with my long time blogging friend Cheryl from Cheryl's Stitching's . We became friends before Cheryl even had a blog (and she has just had her 1 year blogaversary). Cheryl and her hubby are lucky enough to live around this gorgeous area and so they very kindly came to meet us and we went to the local pub for dinner complete with toasty open fire. We had the best night with lots of laughter and travel tales and Cheryl was even my gorgeous than I thought she would be in real time. Of course as we all know...photo opportunity!!

Cheryl was very naughty and had a surprise Birthday pressie for me. Look at this gorgeousness.

That's a choccy little frosty fellow in there! Yum! Now I am going to keep you in suspenders about what is in the package because the photo I took is a shocker and all blurry and I want to show you how beautiful it is.
Thank you so much Cheryl for being so naughty and nice and so clever.
Earlier in the day we achieved one of our holiday goals and that was to walk to "The Pinnacle" via the Grand Canyon track which takes you through beautiful rock formations and water is either trickling or flowing around you or beneath you and it is so wonderful.

Being a rock fancier I was in awe of these cliffs and boulders. Mr R. on the way up (much more respectable in his Queensland cap)

The walk had many steps and much clambering over rocks leading us forever upwards..

And I was not allowed to say "are we there yet???" There were a couple of flatter bits..very few though.

and as a reward of more climbing you come to another little waterfall called "The Bridal Veil Falls"

Everywhere you turned was magnificent...

This was our prize at the top. What a view!!! (side note: we missed the arrow and ended up out on a little cliff facey thingy that was extremely scary. Plus another couple followed us out. Better signs folks please)

and did you notice in the shot above the very brave and young at heart perched on the edge having a snack..eek! That's what being young is all about!!

and can you see the lake to the right (Lake Bellfield)...that is where our campsite is, on the left hand bottom end ....beautiful! Lots of kangaroos, even some deer, corellas, cockatoos, currawongs and crimson rosella. Recommended to us by Cheryl I might add Thanks Cheryl!

Here is Mr R. at the top being very brave as he is actually terrified of heights...and it is a very long way down! I am not showing my photo as I was so red in the face I could have lit up a darkened street.

Now you may say well done! Job done! But I have to say the walk down was even more harrowing and a few too many Tim Tams and I wouldn't have made it through some of those rock crevices..

This part of the track was so gorgeous...

But then someone always has to ruin it...

More stairs....going down!

By now I was getting a little weary with more than a few hurty bits I can tell you...but almost there!

and then the beautiful end arrives...

If you ever get the opportunity to visit the Grampians National Park you should seize it with both hands.

Beauty surrounds you at every turn. It has far exceeded our expectations and they were pretty high.
Well as they say "Thats all Folks"! If you are still with me I thank you.
Blessings Michelle xxx