On Easter Saturday, I went for a hike with a friend in Kalamunda National Park. We were looking for a relatively short hike given we both haven’t been hiking in a long while. We did some research on TrailsWA and Life of Pye (our go to hiking resource if you live in WA) to find a suitable hike and settled on Helena Pipehead Walk. It’s a relatively easy 5.3km loop. One of the things I enjoy about hiking is that almost everyone you meet on your hike will say hi or have a friendly chat. It was the same when I was in New Zealand and in Tasmania.
While I did take my Fujifilm X-T4 and the 23mm f2 lens with me, I really only took a handful of photos. I wanted to focus on the hike itself and spending time chatting to my friend, rather than photography. However the photographer in me couldn’t help but take some shots when we were at the top of the hill overlooking Helena Pipehead dam and river.
It was perfect autumn weather for a hike too. The day started in the high teens temperate and by mid morning it was relatively warm in the mid 20s. As with many WA trails, I didn’t find the path particularly well marked. The area is know for the many 4×4 tracks and mountain biking paths. We almost strayed from the main path a few times when we weren’t paying attention to the path ahead.
The trail is a mix of dirt roads, gravel, rocky and uneven surfaces. So good hiking or walking shoes are a must. I also got to try using Wandrd’s light weight day pack, the VEER Packable Bag. It was the perfect size for a short hike or day hike. Plenty of pockets to hold knick knacks, a key clip to keep your keys together, a side pocket for a tall waterbottle. The 18L bag give you plenty of interior storage space to keep things like your wallet, extra jacket, snacks, camera etc. The rust colour also stood out as well which I quite liked.
The bag is also weather resistant and is relatively comfortable to wear with it’s air mesh shoulder straps and breathable air mesh back panel. To add more comfort, Wandrd has also included an inflatable back panel that you can slot into the bag to give it both a bit more structure and comfort.
Hiking Helena Pipehead was a great way to spend an early morning with a friend. It helped that we treated ourselves to some brunch and coffee after our hike too.
Thanks for stopping by today, happy shooting
J.
Leave a Reply