St James Walkway - Day 5

Well this is it, the last slog to the end....well its not that much of a slog but it sure as hell is going to feel good to get it done. The last day has greeted us with and absolutly beautiful day, the sun is beating down and the sandflies are swarming. We all decide to get going early morning, we say our last goodbyes to the family from the West Coast as we will well and truly beat them back. The walk today is in the trees a lot which makes for easier walking with the hot day, every swimming hole looks so good and I can just visualise jumping in there pack and all!. After only a short walk we make it to the Magdalen Hut swingbridge (Magdalen hut approx 20mins in the opposite direction to the way out) so we carry on to the Boyle Outdoor Education Centre as per plan. The walk is more like the first day in the forest, climbing over logs, crossing small streams. We stop on a log and have some scroggin overlooking the Boyle Valley and river, the view is so amazing, its going to be weird to get back to civilization again. We cant stop long as the sand flies are out in full force and dont seem to be bothered by insect repellant (or they are finding any tiny bit we have missed). We walk further until we reach the last swing bridge of the trip and decide now is a good time to have some lunch, a big feast to finish all the remaining food before the last push to the carpark and the end. The last part of the walk was fast as was mainly on a well graded track before emerging into a makeshift campground the the last stroll to the carpark and signage. Well thats it, we have done it!!!! YAY! I think this was such a fantastic trip and I would love to do it in the winter time with the snow everywhere :o)