The weather looked more promising this morning so we decided to tackle the trip to Ben Lomond. It was cloudy but we had high hopes of it clearing as we would be ascending to over 1400m. as we drove higher and higher the mist and cloud seems to be rising and we were treated to spectacular vertical columns of dolerite reaching high above us from the roadside with their tops just disappearing into the mist. We drove up Jacob's Ladder, a series of very tight and steep switchbacks up the mountainside giving us extraordinary vistas down the mountain and out to the valleys beyond. At the top a viewing platform perched out over the cliff and one could see the whole road just driven.

At the top, the vegetation turned from the tall trees of lower down to Alpine vegetation, low scrubby shrubs but with the wonderful colours of their spring flowers. The colours of their leaves too, deep, dark greens and greyish tones contrasted with the pale lichen-covered rocks which were tumbled about amongst the boggy ground. A creek ran tumbling down and down and soon disappeared into a deep gorge lost from sight but not from hearing.

A small alpine ski village of dull lodges surrounded the end of the road and we turned around to go back down. By the time we reached the lookout where we had seen such a great view of the road, the cloud had come down and we just looked down into cloud. What timing!

A detour to walk to see Liffey Falls came unstuck. When we reached the road in to the falls, a notice announced that the road was dangerous and under repair and the only way to the falls was a 2 hour walk in. Well, not today for us, we had another visit to make.

Russ's first cousin, Allison, moved to Deloraine a while ago. He remembers her from growing up in Coffs harbour but paths had not crossed since. So it was lovely to meet her and her husband Tom who have a little rural plot just out of town and get to know them a little after all the years. We had a delightful afternoon with two very welcoming and friendly people - thank you Allison and Tom.

So that we could get as far along the way to Cradle Mountain, we kept heading west and camped for the night at the back of the Mole Creek Pub. We have now come full circle and closed the loop - this is where we spent the first night after getting off the ferry nearly 6 weeks ago.