Week 41/52 - Bell Gorge - relaxing in the waterfall's sunlight

Hi everyone, and welcome to Week 41 of our 52 week tour around magnificent Western Australia.

This week we are moving steadily westward along the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley, and reach our next camping stop - Bell Gorge.

Bell Gorge and nearby Lennard Gorge (see week 40) are located in the King Leopold Range Conservation Park covering 392,100 hectares and protecting some of the remotest country in the Kimberley. There are some spectacular views driving through the Ranges.

The Dept of Environment & Conservation (DEC) campground at Silent Grove is a very popular spot so we picked our spot and pitched our tent before visiting the Gorge.

The first part of the walk into Bell Gorge is fairly easy (1km to the top of the waterfall), however the last part involves crossing the creek and scrambling down a steep rock wall leading to the water – stunning views and another beautiful Kimberley Gorge to swim in.

Looking across the top of the Gorge below which is the waterfall

From Western Australia

We walked out along a ledge to get this photo. You can see people down the bottom of the waterfall relaxing on the rocks. (pity about that little straggly plant clinging to life in the middle of this photo - however you can't change nature - and it is amazing that plants can grow on a rock face!) It is hard to show the scale in these photos, but I hope seeing people in the pic will help give you an idea of the size of the waterfall.

From Western Australia

Walking down to the bottom of the gorge....

From Western Australia

And time for a swim..... I swam out to the waterfall and sat under it. People were sunning themselves like lizards on a rock. It felt like the beach except we were in a gorge.

From Western Australia

This one is from the top of the gorge wall looking the other direction to the falls. From Western Australia Near the turn off from the GIbb River Road into Bell Gorge is one of only two places to buy supplies or organize tyre repairs along The Gibb River Road - Imintji Store. As it was around lunch time when we reached here we stopped for lunch in the shade and bought a few supplies from the well stocked store. From Western Australia You shouldn't travel the Gibb River Road without plenty of provisions, water, and spare tyres.....the road can be very rough depending on when the grader was through last. The photo below is of the tyre repairer at Imintji. From Western Australia I hope you have enjoyed this part of the trip. Next week we continue on to Windjana Gorge where there is the greatest concentration of fresh water crocodiles in the north. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing from you.