Menu
  • Home
  • Expeditions
      • Fat Outback – East – West across Australia

        • FAT OUTBACK

          • An East - West crossing of Australia from Byron Bay NSW to Steep Point WA. To be completed in two stages
          • Part 1: 2019 Alice Springs NT to Steep Point WA
          • Part 2: 2021 (planned) Byron Bay NSW to Uluru NT
          • The route includes the Simpson Desert, Alice Springs, Uluru, The Gunbarrel Hwy
          • fob_IMG_4397Part1: Looking down the gunbarrel – Alice Springs to Steep Point WA
        • The Americas – Alaska to Patagonia

          • THE AMERICAS

            • Alaska to Ushuaia
            • 2016-2018
            • 15 countries in 22 months covering 38,000km
            • Anchorage, north to the top of Alaska(Prudhoe Bay) then south through Canada, USA, Central America and South America finishing at the southern most point in Ushuaia(Patagonia)
            • Alaska Canada
              • Americas_2000x900_IMG_6447The Americas – Overview
              • Alaska_2000x900_0990Alaska, you go alright
              • Alaska_2000x900_2365Denali, the tall one
              • IMG_2733sVideo: To the Arctic (Dalton Hwy)
              • Alaska_2000x900_1523Down and dirty on the Dalton
              • IMG_3974_bannerVideo: Alaska – thank you and farewell ….
              • Canada_2000x900_3544Canada – Searching for a silver lining
              • IMG_3481Video: Canada – just add maple syrup
            • North America
              • Cascades_2000x900_3517All the Volcanos – The Cascade Mountains
              • Cascade Mountains videoVideo: USA – The Cascade Mountains
              • sequoia forestVideo: USA – Sierra Nevadas
              • Death ValleyCycling the Sierras
              • img_5863Utah & Arizona – Canyon Country
              • Canyon CountryVideo: Utah & Arizona – Seeing Red
              • IMG_6847_bannerMexico – A very Baja Christmas
              • IMG_8496featureMexico: the full enchilada
            • Central America
              • IMG_7331featureCuba: Pedalling the Revolution
              • IMG_7865_featureGuatemala, Honduras & El Salvador – Central America’s ‘Northern Triangle’
              • IMG_0092featureVideo: Southern Mexico and Central America
              • IMG_0938featureNicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama – The Fatigue Factor
              • IMG_8729_featureVideo: Costa Rica and Panama
            • Sth America Pt1
              • Americas_Columbia_8988Colombia: Feeding the addiction
              • IMG_1397featureVideo: Colombia
              • IMG_2189featureVideo: Ecuador – land of volcanoes
              • Americas_Ecuador_9833Ecuador: the only way is up
              • IMG_9926Peru: Part 1 – river deep, mountain high
              • IMG_0320Video: Peru part 1 – Ain’t no mountain high enough
              • IMG_1135Peru: criss-crossing the Cordillera Blanca
              • Peru: the hills are alive with the sound of GRRIINGO!
              • IMG_1197Video: Peru Part 2 – The road to ruin(s)
              • Bolivia_2000x900_3364Bolivia: with a sprinkle of salt and a dash of Chile
              • IMG_1575Video: Bolivia – Blown away
            • Sth America Pt 2
              • Argentina2000x900_5820Mendoza to Salta (Northern Argentina)
              • Argentina/Chile: From mountains to sea
              • IMG_2393Chile: Oh, hello Patagonia
              • IMG_2754Chile: The Carretera Austral
              • IMG_3127Southern Patagonia: Ice is nice
              • IMG_4423featureVideo: Carretera Austral – A watery world
              • TBWA5136_featureTierra del Fuego: El Fin del Mundo (the End of the World)
              • IMG_2911featureVideo: Fin del Mundo – Patagonia
        • Long Way Home – London to Melbourne

          • LONG WAY HOME

            • London to Melbourne
            • 2005-2006
            • 30,000km and 19 countries over 15 months
            • Starting in London and finished in Melbourne, Australia.
            • Europe
              • bannerKyrgystan1London to Melbourne – Overview
              • England_2000x900_0584England
              • LWH_France_0734France
              • LWH_Switzerland_0915Switzerland
              • LWH_Italy_1327Italy
              • LWH_Greece_1890Greece
            • Central Asia
              • LWH_Turkey_2302Turkey
              • LWH_Iran_4082Iran
              • LWH_Turkmenistan_4831Turkmenistan
              • LWH_Uzbekistan_5051Uzbekistan
              • LWH_Kyrgyzstan_5589Kyrgyzstan
              • LWH_Kazakstan_6015Kazakhstan
              • LWH_2000x900_IMG_7362China
            • Sth East Asia & Oz
              • LWH_Laos_8840Laos
              • LWH_Vietnam_0155Vietnam
              • LWH_Cambodia_1147Cambodia
              • LWH_Thailand_1752Thailand
              • LWH_Malaysia_2122Malaysia
              • LWH_Singapore_2231Singapore
              • Australia_Alice_2000x900_2634Australia
              • LWH_Australia_P7150082Epilogue
        • Around Australia – Cairns, Top End, Kimberley, Nullabor

          • AROUND AUSTRALIA

            • 2000-2001
            • 23,000 km (inc 8000km of dirt)
            • The journey covers 23,000km (8000km on dirt) over 18 months and includes Cairns, the gulf country, Top End, Kimberley, Karijini and Nullabor Plain
            • bannerOzGulfAround Australia (Overview)
            • s1_edgaye_nsw_borderMelbourne to Brisbane
            • s2_hinchinbrook_viewBrisbane to Cairns
            • Around_Oz_15Cairns to Darwin
            • s4_gaye_canoeDarwin to Broome
            • s5_gorge_karajini1Broome to Carnarvon
            • s6_ed_kalbarriCarnarvon to Perth
            • s7_gaye_cliffsPerth to Adelaide
            • s8_pushingAdelaide to Melbourne
          • Spain Morocco – Spain, Morocco, Portugal loop

            • SPAIN, MOROCCO, PORTUGAL, FRANCE

              • June – Sept 2012
              • Starting Barcelona and heading south, this ride takes us through Spain, Morocco, Portugal and a bit of France.
              • Approx distance 6000km with 80,000 meters of climbing.
              • Spain_2000x900_0758Spain Morocco Portugal – Overview
              • spain_calesparra_IMG_5247Barcelona to Calasparra
              • spain_riff_IMG_8529Calasparra to Chefchaouen
              • spain_morocco2_IMG_9445Morocco 2
              • spain_backin_IMG_0110Back in Spain
              • IMG_1124widePortugal
              • P1000031bannerNorth West Spain
            • Cape York – Cairns to Cape York, Australia

              • CAPE YORK

                • August – September 2007
                • Cairns to Cape York and back.
                • 2400km
                • Highlights included various national parks, rivers, lagoons, wildlife(crocs), rainforest, tropical coastline. The route followed mostly minor tracks and roads with many creek crossings and lots of great swimming spots.
                • CapeYork_2000x900_1012Cape York (Australia)
                • CapeYork_2000x900_P1090133Daintree
                • CapeYork_2000x900_P1090331Cape Melville and Lakefield
                • CapeYork_2000x900_0517Main Road North
                • CapeYork_2000x900_0761Iron Range National Park
                • CapeYork_2000x900_1078Overland Telegraph Track
                • CapeYork_2000x900_P1090819Seisia and Pajinka
              • Argentina – Argentina, Chile, Uruguay loop

                • ARGENTINA-CHILE-URUGUAY

                  • Date: Sept – Dec 2010
                  • Started and finished in Buenos Aires
                  • Visited Argentina, Chile and Uruguay
                  • Distance ridden approx 6000km (not including about 1300k of busing)
                  • Argentina_2000x900_5278Overview and map
                  • Argentina_2000x900_4942Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa
                  • Argentina_2000x900_5025Santa Rosa to Nequen
                  • Argentina_2000x900_5196Neuquen to San Martin de Los Andes
                  • Argentina_2000x900_5512Bariloche and across to Chile
                  • Argentina2000x900_5820Mendoza to Salta (Northern Argentina)
                  • Argentina_2000x900_6749Salta to Buenos Aires
            • Trips
                • Events
                  • edgaye_birdsville_hotelSimpson Desert Bike Challenge 1999
                  • 1995-rock_ride_28The Bourke and Wheels Story
                  • simpsondesertsunriseA Day in the Life
                  • gaye_bannerAudax Sydney – Melbourne Alpine 1200k
                  • Gaye on the roadThe Everesting Experience
                  • IMG_1110cutAudax Snowies 600
                  • epic_bannerAudax Alpine Classic Ultimate 320
                  • donnablog1Ride Like a Girl: A Mass Everesting Event
                  • easter_bannerNo Place Like Home – Hells 500 Epic
                  • IMG_3257wideSo long Canberra – it’s been epic
                • Hells 500
                  • Gaye on the roadThe Everesting Experience
                  • donnablog1Ride Like a Girl: A Mass Everesting Event
                  • easter_bannerNo Place Like Home – Hells 500 Epic
                  • IMG_3257wideSo long Canberra – it’s been epic
                • Weekenders
                  • IMG_1229Long Weekends are CXy – in the Snowy Mountains
                  • IMG_1273aRide to the Coast – A Canberra Classic
                  • IMG_3257wideSo long Canberra – it’s been epic
                  • IMG_5786Attack of the (Easter) Buns
                • Hikes
                  • Banner_308Mont Blanc Hike
                  • 1998-pakistan_072Trekking in the Karakoram Ranges
            • Blog & Latest
              • blog_everythingFull Blog
              • Banner_308Mont Blanc Hike
              • IMG_5786Attack of the (Easter) Buns
              • 1998-pakistan_072Trekking in the Karakoram Ranges
              • 1995-rock_ride_28The Bourke and Wheels Story
            • About Us
            PREV Daintree
            NEXT Main Road North
            Date: August 18, 2007September 7, 2019Section: Cape York

            Cape Melville & Lakefield

            Cape York

            Chapter 3

            Cooktown to Musgrave

            Cape Melville is a remote and tough section with some sandy tracks. We found it fairly tough and hot as our fitness wasn’t yet up to the workload required.

            Great bush type scenery and very quiet. Water was an issue this late in the season(August). Probably best in June or July.

            Cape Melville and Lakefield National Parks (Cooktown to Musgrave)
            p1090238-endevour-river-out-of-cooktown
            img_0278
            img_0280
            The road looks good heading into Cape Melville NP
            img_0300
            img_0302
            img_0309
            img_0313
            Ed and Mark, second day into Cape Melville NP. The track is getting sandy.
            img_0330
            Starke River. One of the few flowing streams in Cape Melville NP in Septemberr
            img_0334
            img_0341
            img_0350
            img_0368
            img_0369
            Gaye contemplating another dry creekbed. Leaving late in the dry season meant less water around. This was more of a problem in Cape Melville than in later parts of the trip.
            While tough going, Cape Melville NP is a picturesque, quiet and relaxing environment to be in.
            Gaye exhausted with the heavy going and heat at Cape Melville NP. Our fitness levels weren\'t that great at this stage. This was the \'pain before the gain\' period.
            Tackling bulldust near Starke Outstation. Cape Melville NP
            img_0419
            p1090275-isabella-falls-to-starke-outstation
            Taking a break near Wakooka in Cape Melville NP. A minimum of traffic through here made for relaxing travelling.
            Sandy track in northern area of Cape Melville NP. It was often easier to ride off the track meandering through the trees
            p1090294-starke-outstation-to-wakooka
            p1090334-wakooka-outstation-to-kalpower
            Leaving Cape Melville NP and heading for Lakefield National Park. The improved roads gave us a break and chance to recover from a tough 4 days in Cape Melville NP. We\'d like to come back to explore Cape Melville in more detail at a later date. It\'s a lovely place and we didn\'t have the time to stay longer. We would visit earlier in the dry season when it\'s greener and has more water around.
            Ed crossing the Hann River. Nice fresh cooling water to drink and flop into. A good spot for camping too although we went on to Saltwater Creek.
            Kalpower Crossing, Lakefield NP. The concrete ford was only a few inches deep so crossing was easy. Would have had a swim but crocs inhabit these waters.
            img_0455
            Kalpower Crossing Camp Area. Very large campsites (this space was all ours) A nice relaxed campsite right next to the crossing.
            Huge Mango trees flowering profusely. Breeza Plains. Lakefield NP
            Ed entering Nifold Plain. Lakefield NP. This is a 10km stretch of open country featuring multitudes of termite mounds.
            Ed and Gaye. Camping at Saltwater Creek
            img_0503
            Epic Rides Blog Expeditions Cape York Cape Melville and Lakefield

            Copyright Ed & Gaye Bourke 2000 – 2020 ©