T+138   Atherton Tablelands

Prior to heading to the Outback we thought a few relaxing days would be in order so headed up the escarpment from Tully to the Atherton Tablelands. Within an hours drive and 1000m gained the temperature plumetted from 25℃ to what felt like 5℃. And it rained and rained and rained.

For the next 5 days it rained. Not heavy rain, but a steady, drenching, chilling Manchester drizzle.

So, repleat with raincoats and looking like an ad for Kathmandu, we trudged from waterfall to waterfall, pretty little village to even prettier little village. They say theres no such thing as bad weather, only soft people. No comment.

Day by day as we became more demoralised we consoled ourselves with the folowing day's forecast of 50% chance of 1mm or less. Wrong.

There were a few brief breaks in the weather and we did enjoy Milla Milla Falls and Yungaburra.  There's a great little walk from Yungaburra along Petersen Creek with guaranteed Platypus and rare Mabo Rainforest which is very dense and easy to get lost in, which we did. Somehow a 45 minute loop-walk turned into a 3 hour panic and a slog back along the main road to get back to Yungaburra.

So far we've enjoyed the majoriy of the caravan parks we have stayed at but not the one at Malanda. First, the Beast had to negotiate a nasty steep entry before going on a crash diet in order to fit in its allocated site which appeared to be on a black level ski slope. The amenities were Dickensian and covered with large notices promising horrible consequences if we failed to clean the showers after use.

We'd intended to stay a couple of nights but managed to obtain a refund and flee the next morning.  It was still raining but by this time we were beyond caring and headed for the Misty Mountains, which turned out to be the highlight for us. Turn left at Ravenshoe and 20km uphill is a magical land of eh, misty mountains.  Towering rainforest, muddy impenetrable trails, countless blood-sucking leeches, completely isolated and all a great adventure.

By the time we returned from our trek, saturated and anemic, it was getting late and we took the decision to stay overnight where we'd parked in the rain forest.  Creepy but nice.  

Nobody bothered us, presumably because it poured down all night and the next morning we sneaked away down the hill to Ravenshoe and final planning for the next leg - the Savannah Way.

Difficult one to call in terms of balls ratings. In dryer times I'm sure we would have thoroughly enjoyed the Tablelands. If you can avoid the more touristy atractions and spend your time in the magnificent rainforests then go for it - preferably though when the weather forecast is not fake news.

⚽⚽⚽. Would have been 3.5 if not for our insatiable namesakes.