“Ling, I’ve been told to call you a Bogan”, my friend Ara said to me at Denpasar airport, eagerly waiting for my reaction. “What!?” I yelled, as the others around us began to giggle. After the laughter passed, Ara turned back to me and sheepishly asked, “What’s a...
Light to Light Camps – The best way to do the Light to Light Walk
Australia is a magnificent place. We have some of the most incredible and diverse landscapes filled with unspoilt beauty. It’s no wonder hiking and camping are a favourite past time for many of us. I love the outdoors, and even camping (to some degree), however I’ve never done an overnight hike to truly appreciate it. Why? Well, to be honest, the idea of lugging around heavy backpacks and tents for 30 kilometres only having to set up the tent after a day of walking is about as appealing as watching cricket and changing nappies.
Say hello to Light to Light Camps. Where you can enjoy the best of the Light to Light Walk on the Sapphire Coast, and have all the heavy work done for you. It’s pampered camping, or as I like to call it, Pamping.
What is the Light to Light Walk?
The Light to Light walk is a stunning 30km hike on the southern east coast of New South Wales, covering a diverse range of scenery, landscapes and nature. It’s often listed in the Top 10 Walks in Australia, and rightfully so, with pristine beaches, rugged bushland, open plains and rock formations estimated to be over 360 million years old!
The walk starts from Boyds Tower, overlooking the Eden coast. It is a brilliant spot for whale watching between September and November. In fact, if you are a fan of whale watching, Australian Geographic named Eden as the best whale watching destination in Australia. The hike is a great intro hike, with fairly light to moderate sections. Don’t get me wrong, 30kms is still 30kms (and my feet certainly felt it by the end!), but overall, it was a pretty carefree hike. The walk then ends at Green Cape Lighthouse, which was a sight for sore eyes, or more accurately, sore feet!
How long does does the Light to Light walk take?
The answer really is, how fast can you walk? The Light to Light walk is best done over a few days, so you can truly enjoy the scenery, and there are a number of campsites spotted along the journey to stop along the way. With Light to Light Camps, you can opt to do a 1, 2 or 3 night package, even with the option to stay at the Green Cape Lighthouse! Due to work commitments, we opted for the ‘Quickie’ tour, meaning we could knock the hike out in a weekend and not need to take time off work. The ‘Quickie’ tour is certainly doable, but if you like to stop for photos, take your time and look after your feet, then a 3-day option might be more suitable.
As we did stop to enjoy the scenery, have lunch breaks and take loads of photos, we were probably (most definitely!) a little slower than others. Here’s how our hikes went:
Day 1: 12.4kms = 6.5 hours
We made the mistake of thinking we were ahead of time (we weren’t) and stopped for longer breaks… oops! It pays to read the map!
Day 2: 17.6 kms = 6.25 hours
Paranoid we would have a repeat of Day 1, we walked a lot faster this day and took less breaks!
Feeling pinspired? Hover and click on the images to save them to your Pinterest boards!
What do you get with Light to Light Camps?
Ok, back to the Pamping. Whilst the Light to Light walk is relatively easy, it’s even more so when you don’t have to carry tents and camping gear like chumps. You simply carry the day pack provided by Jenny and Arthur from Light to Light Camps, filled with all the walking essentials, including an emergency beacon, maps with detailed notes, food and first aid kits.
Our trip starts off nice and early at Jenny & Arthur’s beautiful property, where we leave our car, hand over our overnight bags and get briefed in for the day. Jenny and Arthur are avid walkers and provide everything you need for the hike. We’re then driven to the starting point of the hike and given a great history lesson on Ben Boyd and Eden. Jenny and Arthur are passionate about sharing their love for the region and will happily share stories and local tips about what to see and do in the area. After some last-minute checks to make sure our gear is fitted properly, we say our goodbyes and off we go.
Words can’t accurately describe how impressive the scenery of this walk is, so we will rely on photos and videos…
As we made our way to the camp and meeting point (admittedly a couple of hours late!), we see Arther walking up towards us, walkie talkie in hand reassuring Jenny that we are, in fact, alive. That’s the thing about this couple, they genuinely care about their walkers and will do everything to make sure they are safe and have a great time. We sheepishly rock up to the campsite, and are welcomed with what every weary walker wants to see – comfy camp seats around a roaring fire, sturdy built tents and a platter of tasty nibblies from local suppliers, Sprout Eden and Eden Smokehouse. We stop for a pre-dinner snack, accompanied by drinks and good conversation before heading to the beach for some spectacular sunset shots. One of the things that is striking about this area is that it is untouched. We practically had the beach to ourselves, and it was as good as any Australian beach.
We returned to the campsite and had hot showers waiting for us, followed by a delicious dinner of salads and barbequed meat. To this day, Guy and I still go on about how it was the most tender chicken we’ve ever had and how nice the meal was – definitely the best camp meal we’ve ever had! We spent the rest of the evening chatting and laughing with Jenny and Arthur around the campsite. It felt like we were all old friends catching up. Like us, they are keen travellers and had plenty of stories to share. After a night full of travel tales and laughter, we retired to bed, ready for the big day ahead. Thankfully, breakfast and freshly brewed coffee was ready for us first thing!
How much does it cost?
The Light to Light Camps start from $650pp, which includes EVERYTHING you need (just bring your clothes, shoes and PJs!), including food, drinks and the campsite set-up. It’s the perfect option if you enjoy camping, but don’t have the gear, or prefer to travel light and have everything done for you.
So to recap, this is what you get with Light to Light Camps:
- Day packs, filled with essentials, and then some
- Walking poles
- Breathtaking scenery
- Maps with plenty of guided notes
- Drinks and nibblies on arrival
- Roaring campfire
- A HOT SHOWER!
- Pre-erected tents with comfy stretchers
- Home-cooked dinner & dessert
- Breakfast and freshly brewed coffee
- Transport back to your car
- Friends for life
Spending time at the campsite with Jenny and Arthur felt like spending time with family and friends. Not only were they great company, they were wonderful and gracious hosts, leaving us not wanting for anything. If you are thinking about doing the Light to Light walk, but don’t want the hassle of carrying and setting up tents and food, we highly recommend getting pampered by Jenny and Arthur from Light to Light Camps.
It’s a great weekend getaway for people located in Canberra who like to lead an active lifestyle and enjoy the outdoors. It’s less than a three hour drive to Eden, and if you are looking for somewhere to stay in Eden the night before, we recommend staying at Heritage House Eden, making the early start on Saturday easy. The location is great, offering stunning views of the ocean, the rooms are spacious and Michelle is a lovely and accommodating host.
If you are thinking of doing the Light to Light Walk and take on the ‘Pamping’ option, get in touch with Light to Light Camps. If you are after a trusty guide who knows all about the local wildlife and attractions, Jenny and Arther are the ones to see. They take groups of 2 – 4 people and also offer scenic kayak tours in the region. They will also be offering a special Light to Light Camp Whale Watch Walk during whale watching season, which will make the walk even more breathtaking.
Reckon ‘Pamping’ is the way to go, or do you prefer to ‘rough it’ and do the Light to Light on your own? Give us your hiking tips below!
We were spoilt guests of Light to Light Camps, but all opinions remain our own.
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