We have seen worlds that many will never discover on secret passageways and out of the way trails; glimpses of ancient societies and marvels of enduring architecture and art treasures; and the beauty of timeless views beyond words, Thank you!
Diana & Marion, New Zealand

The tour was even better than expected - the formula of staying in one place for a while is perfect. We will undoubtedly become serial Walkabout Gourmet Tourers. Many thanks for your "mountain" of information. Terry, Sydney Here is only one word I can think of that describes the holiday - MAGIC!!!
Sue, Gladstone, Australia

Another walk - the 4th. Didn't know how I'd handle it after so many years and no time to put in pre-walking. The enjoyment of starting out as strangers, gathering together, enjoying the atmosphere, food and walks under the reassuring hand of our guide will fill the mind in the months and years to come. Thank you Graeme. I do hope that I'll have the opportunity to walk in the company of one of the Clarke's again. It's about time we nominated you for one of the great Family Awards.
Yvonne, Cooma, NSW, Australia

Why does it have to end? Two weeks of wonderful variety and suprises with great people and the best of tour leaders - Merci beaucoup, Graeme. We'll be back. Thanks for the laughs, the experiences and the memories.
Judi, Sydney, Australia

This two weeks was an amazing experience with highlight after highlight. Thank you both for another amazing journey. Your research never fails to amaze me. You keep coming up with new treasures every year. No wonder we all keep coming back. Thank you Birgitta. She is a wonderful guide and helped make the journey great. It was also nice to have someone who likes to go up the hills at a slow pace. Many thanks.
Brian & Maureen, Geelong, Australia

Thanks for your inspirational cooking, Gabriela and finding such a great setting - Voltone is absolutely marvellous and we're very sad to be leaving. Birgitta has looked after us supurbly and been extremely efficient and flexible coping with our "sickies" and some unruly Aussies. The little surprise was great!.
Margaret & Keith, John & Di, Graeme & Lyn, Melbourne, Australia

I have truly experienced the full magic of Italy from top to bottom. Your remarkable organisation and experience opened up a box of treasure. Thank you both for your friendship, kindness, patience and expertise. See you again.
Sue, Sydney, Australia

Thank you for a wonderful trip - very well planned but allowing flexibility for the vagaries of weather and participants! Gabriela and Gilles are the perfect guides - they guide but do not 'lead'. They were wonderful companions to the group.
Susan, Canberra, Australia

We want to say how much we both enjoyed our walking tour with you. We hadn't done anything like that before and found it a most interesting way to 'feel' the countryside and enjoy a coffee at the picturesque hill towns etc. It was also a very nice touch at the end having lunch at your place and seeing how the 'locals' live. Again, many thanks for making our holiday so enjoyable.
Ailsa (and Dick Magee)

Walkabout is running like a well-oiled machine! We'll be back on the tracks with you next year. After this excellent fortnight, it is only an "Au Revoir" - a bientôt.
Bertrand et Marie France, Perpignan, France

Many thanks to Graeme and Martin for a wonderful and "therapeutic" holiday. I have been very impressed by your professionalism and the care you have both taken of our group. Great walking and safe driving! Hope to join you on another tour.
Bill, Sydney, Australia

Thank you for a most wonderful holiday. Your cheerfulness was a great help and your knowledge of the history of Italy inspirational. I certainly hope to see both of you again.
Dawn, Melbourne, Australia

For gently pushing me to go further than I thought I could, thank you. The rewards were well worth it - astonishing vistas, great company, amazing meals and a gracious, unforgettable afternoon near Lake Bolsena. Many thanks to you both.
Anne, Rosedale, Australia

Wonderful, varying walks, stunning scenery, delicious dinners and fine fellowship - this was all we had wished for. Especially, we liked the high trails, and the chamois, the little villages with their higgledy - piggledy rooves. More especially, all the great laughs along the way. Thanks, many thanks, to G&S for making it all happen, for finding these wonderful hotels and for putting up with us all with a smile.
Steve & Kay, Adelaide, Australia

What a fortnight! Walking, talking, eating, drinking, laughing. Italy in the mountains, Italy going to the soccer. Italy at the beach, Ancient Italy, modern Italy. Italy in the traffic. We've been very tired at the end of every day but very satisfied. We're both feeling relaxed and fit and we thank you both for your sense of fun, your sense of adventure and your sense of compassion.
Max & Lorna, Sydney, Australia

Scaling the slopes, slipping in snow, tiptoeing through fields of red poppies, lavender and wildflowers and journeying to 'food heaven' each night have been a very memorable experience. Thanks G&G&P and 'tasty' guides from Mercantour.
Margaret, Dale and Jill, Melbourne, Australia and Surrey, England

"Without Prejudice" - From the initial invitation to observe the "French etchings", to the Alps and the "sound of music" in the meadows, thru to the deepest gorge in Europe it has been a complete pleasure on every level. The "group dynamics" the wicked provocation and the fantastic food have combined to make a magnificent memory, which will be cherished. Absolutely!
Stuart, Byron Bay, Australia

You've got the combination right - well paced fascinating off the beaten track places and experiences balanced with leadership that is enthusiastic and a group that is managable in size. A fascinating Italy revealed.
Desley, Melbourne, Australia

My first walking and 'group' experience and what a group to experience! The walks were a delight, particularly loved the 'sleeps' in the meadow; somethings I was longing to do. Thank you G&G&P for "everything" you were wonderful to all of us - Thank you to the group for all your encouragement and laughter - happy trails to all - a pocketful of memories.
Jenni, Sydney, Australia

The combination of an amazing group of - dare I say it - Australians, guides, leaders, scenery & totally amazing food in endless abundance, has made this journey one that will never be forgotten.
Red & Kaye, New Zealand

Just the kind of relaxing holiday I needed - no thinking required - just enjoying the great walks, lovely food and wine, and terrific company. Definetely doing this again and recommending to friends - excellent organisation and hotel locations. Thanks for a very different experience of Italy.
Nicola W-M, Sydney, Australia

Every day was so magical - you got the balance right - wish everyone I know could experience this exceptional tour. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - great company, wonderful walks, superb consistent food.
Jenni, Adelaide, Australia

A truly fabulous experience in which I can't find one bad day experience. I loved the hotels, the food, the walks, the countryside, our wonderful groups, and the exceptional leadership of B&M. One of the peak experiences of my life and I will be back for more.
Alan, Melbourne, Australia

Another great memorable holiday. France has never looked better and the treasures that G & G found for us will be remembered forever. Many Thanks
Brian G., Geelong, Australia

This has been the best holiday I've ever had. The walking has been fabulous and the food divine. I've been especially impressed with our guides Gabriela and Adrian. They have always been supportive, cheerful and able to cope with every situation. My heartfelt thanks to you both for our Gourmet Walkabout tour. We are looking forward to our next trip with you.
Judith B., Melbourne, Australia

The "homework" you do before a trip like this is as "in depth" as possible, but after this trip, and after my eyes have been opened up to the charm and variety of the three areas visited, my reading will be "intense". Thanks for making this possible and for giving me the desire to return.
Pat H., Brisbane, Australia

What an amazing introduction to Provence! Thankyou for your guidance, and all the wonderful walks, meals and history lessons. We have loved every minute. We'll be back for more soon.
Rick and Jan F., Adelaide, Australia

We find it impossible to find the words to describe the beauty of the walks in the Pyrenees. Walkabout has organised yet another wonderful holiday experience for us. Sabine and Chris have ensured that every hour of the day will hold memories for us.
Robyn and David C., Brisbane, Australia

Gabriela and Birgitta you have both made our holiday an unforgettable one by your unfailing good humour, driving skills and knowledge of the most delightful walks "far from the madding crowds". We will never forget those flower strewn meadows on the top of Monte Subasio and the snowy mountainside at the Meta (despite the absence of bears!) The hotel and food have been really "gourmet" and we hope to do another trip with you before too long.
Susan and David C., Gisborne, NZ

Chris and Sabine have made our first 'Walkabout' a truly memorable experience. They have guided us safely through some wonderful scenery and have gone to enormous trouble to ensure our enjoyment. The tour has given us the opportunity to see places we would not otherwise have found and the company of 10 Australians and two enthusiastic Germans has been something else entirely! We have been fortunate to have seen eagles, vultures, chamois and assorted smaller fauna. We have enjoyed the whole fortnight and have very much valued our guides experience and assistance which has been so freely given.
Nick and Jan D., Kingston Ridge, England

Not being enthusiastic hikers, we came primarily for the food. To our surprise, the walking was for us the highlight, and it was enhenced by your attentive care and enthusiasm. We're thinking of Provence.
Mimi J. & Jerry E., San Francisco, USA

Walks, talks, laughs, cries(!), swears (!), blue skies, grey skies, log houses, castles, churches, new friends and memories. Thanks
Graeme and Adrian Sabine H., Edmonton, Canada

Our minds are so full of all the wonderful things we have seen in these two weeks that it is difficult to know what our strongest memory will be, but I think it will be the memory of the flowers. The high grassy meadows were full of blue and yellow violas, golden primroses and white daisies. Then there were all the pink and purple orchids and hyacinths near Voltone. I shall never forget the greens of the forest of Umbra, or those chamois playing in the snow or the silent beauty of Bicentina. Then there was all the good food and the fellowship and fun together. What a wonderful time we have had with so many happy memories to keep. Thankyou Birgitta and Gabriela for looking after us so well.
Margaret & John H., Adelaide, Australia

Our first experience with "Down Unders" has been great! !! Thanks to Fred and our guide Graeme. We hope to come back! The French "guinea pigs"
Marie-France and Bertrand Millot, Perpignan, France

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A Guest's Impression

Far from the Madding Crowd (2005) by Sophia Karatsinidis

Introduction

How to start? How does one describe the amazing and wonderful experience that is a Gourmet Walkabout Adventures (GWA) tour? Let me start by saying that this was not my first tour with GWA. I first travelled with them in 2004 when I did the Secrets of Provence and Pagnol’s Provence tours back to back. I instantly fell in love with this way of travel and I decided then and there that I would be back for more. I was so impressed; I booked my place on Far from the Madding Crowd for the following year (2005) while I was still on tour doing Pagnol’s Provence.

I had an entire year to plan and look forward to this walk. Just like the first two walks I did, Graeme, Gabriela and Gilles put together an itinerary to please all the senses. The tour was an amazing experience; it gave me an opportunity to enjoy and experience the variety of landscapes and cuisine that different parts of France had to offer as this tour took in four very distinct and unique regions of France; The Auvergne (in central France), The Loire Valley, Normandy and Brittany.

The Auvergne

Our first stop was the town of Salers in the Auvergne region of France. The Auvergne is a very green and fertile part of France and the walks we did took us through some beautiful wooded valleys and emerald covered mountains and forest. On one of our walks, we even came up close with the beautiful chestnut coloured Salers cattle just peacefully grazing on the hillsides, taking curious glances at us walkers making our way up to the summit of Puy Violent. We all took pleasure in the beautiful Auvergne countryside around us, stopping frequently to capture the beauty of this region and to admire the vast array of multi-coloured wildflowers blanketing the landscape.

Whilst in the Auvergne, we stayed in a wonderful hotel in the heart of the small town of Salers. This was a wonderful town to explore and everyone on our tour took advantage of our free day to take in the sights and marvel at the beautiful architecture throughout the town, not to mention a visit to many of Salers’ unique shops.

Most of our dinners were taken in the hotel restaurant and along with the wonderful wines, our meals never failed to disappoint. All meals consisted of four or five courses and of course included the very civilised cheese course after all our main meals and before our desserts.

During our stay here we were treated to wonderful dishes such as:

Confit of Duck,
Fois Gras (absolute heaven)
Wonderfully succulent lamb with white beans, and
Local beef served with the provincial Auvergnois specialty of truffade (a deliciously cheesy mash potato-type dish).

Those with a sweet tooth weren’t disappointed either. Just some of the desserts we were served throughout our stay here included:

Sponge layers filled with cream and fruit salad on berry coulis,
Rose ice-cream with strawberry tarts and
Rose crème brulee.

Overall, we were based in Salers for 4 nights before moving on to our next destination in the Loire Valley.

The Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is one of my favourite places in France and I was looking forward to this part of the trip very much. The landscape was totally different to that in the Auvergne being for the most part quite flat. Much of the region is blanketed in vineyards and wheat fields and our walks certainly took advantage of this. A highlight of our walks in the Loire Valley was a visit to some wonderful chateaux:

The Chateau of Chenonceau – known as the ladies castle due to the numerous queens that have occupied it throughout history, Chateau Cheverney – a classically built chateau owned by the same family for more than six centuries, and Clos Luce – where Da Vinci enjoyed his twilight years and where you can see many of his designs for inventions and drawings which are displayed throughout the house and gardens.

Our hotel in the Loire Valley was right in the heart of the village of Chenonceau, just a short walk to the castle itself. We even started one of our walks one day with a short stroll to the castle to visit the chateau and it’s beautiful gardens. We also admired some amazing flower arrangements displayed throughout the various rooms of the chateau. Our walk then commenced via the back door of the chateau across the river Cher out into a beautiful forest setting where our walking route took us away from the chateau. We followed a path along the river on one side and the forest on the other before diverting away from the river to walk amongst wonderfully tended vineyards stretching as far as the eye could see.

The food served in this part of our tour continued on from the standard set in Salers. Our meals in the evening were taken in the courtyard of our hotel. The food served throughout our stay here was a work of art with quite a number of courses including a pre-dessert dessert. After a day out walking and taking in the amazing sights, there was no better way to relax than with a cool aperitif served with some delicious nibbles like salmon on toast, calamari crumble in a shell and cheese and pork pastry cases. This was just the beginning. Other delicious dishes we indulged in during our stay here included:

Julienne of zucchini in delicious dressing and spiced fish (pre-entrée),
Fois gras and artichoke (entrée),
Aubergine mousse with crabmeat (pre-entrée),
Succulent lamb with potatoes gratin and vegetables (main),
Pike in delicious butter-sauce with mushrooms and asparagus (main)
Tender steak medallions served with garden fresh vegetables (main)

Again, those with a sweet tooth were very well catered for, even spoilt with a pre-dessert served prior to the main dessert each night. Our sweet delights included:

Finely diced fruit salad in cider and crushed ice (a pre-dessert designed to cleanse the palate before the main dessert),
Whipped crème fraiche floating in a strawberry soup (dessert),
Chocolate praline slice served with bitter chocolate gelato (dessert),
Red fruit puree with vanilla cream (pre-dessert) and
Red fruit compote served with lightly whipped custard on a soft biscuit base (dessert).

Our stay in the Loire Valley was truly memorable. We stayed for 3 nights and quickly became accustomed to our lovely hotel and its surrounds, not to mention the gastronomic artistry that awaited us each evening.

Normandy

Our next stop was Normandy, famous for its cider, calvados and Camembert cheese. Our stay in Normandy coincided with the 14th July, France’s national holiday and we were very fortunate to celebrate the occasion by a visit to the walled harbour town of St. Malo. We arrived in St Malo after dinner one evening and immediately sensed the atmosphere created by more than 500,000 people gathering within the town walls, all there for the Bastille night fireworks display.

We enjoyed the warm summer’s evening by walking along the whole distance of the wall surrounding the old town and taking in the various activities and goings on in the town below us. There was certainly lots of music, lots of activity and definitely a warm buzz about the place as people moved to and fro and took in all that this beautiful seaside town has to offer whilst the sun set slowly over the English Channel. This was followed by a fantastic fireworks display and was a great way for our group to join in on the Bastille Day celebrations along with the locals.

Our main walk in Normandy was along the Bay of Mont St. Michel to the Mont itself. The Mont is a medieval abbey whose beginnings date back to the eighth century when the Bishop of Avranches founded the first chapel after the Archangel Michael appeared to him in a dream. Over the years, it was built as a fortification and when the tide comes in, is completely cut off from the rest of the mainland and became an island unto itself. These days, a causeway allows thousands of visitors a year to easily visit the medieval abbey.

Our group actually walked across the bay itself at low tide. Some even walked barefoot and bravely tested the pockets of quicksand dotted throughout the bay. As we walked across the bay, the silhouette of the abbey in the distance slowly became more and more distinct, and what we originally thought was a mirage of sticks sticking out of the ground in the distance, turned out to be other groups of walkers also enjoying the beauty of the bay as they were making their way to the Mont as well.

On the day that we visited Mont St. Michel, we had dinner at a local restaurant not too far from the abbey after our walk and then returned to the abbey after dark to see the Mont all lit up standing strong and solitary in the vast Bay of Mont St. Michel. Our guides Gilles and Gabriela took the group for a night tour of the abbey and it was a great opportunity to peacefully enjoy the splendour of this wonderful landmark without the masses of tourists that descend upon it during the day.

Whilst in Normandy, we stayed at the Chateau de Bonaban, an actual real life chateau that had been converted into a hotel. It was a wonderfully roomy and elegant hotel with and we took pre-dinner drinks each evening in the comfortable bar before moving into the dining room for more of the wonderful food to which we had, by now, become very much accustomed.
This included:
Delicious lamb fillets with vegetables (main),
Smoked salmon with herbed crème fraiche (entrée)
Smoked duck breast with cantaloupe and cheese infused with tomato (entrée)
Fois Gras with salad (entrée) - Red mullet in endive salad (starter)
John Dory with tender vegetables in butter sauce
Raspberry tart with meringue ice cream and sorbet (dessert), and
A wonderful selection of local cheeses for which this region is renowned

We stayed in Normandy for 3 nights before moving on to our final destination in Brittany.

Brittany

I had never visited this part of France before and so it was a first for me. I can honestly say that I was more than pleasantly surprised. We stayed in the coastal town of Morgat in a hotel right on the beach. Just a step down from the terrace and your feet are immediately immersed in the Atlantic Ocean. At high tide, the water comes right up to the first couple of steps leading off the hotel terrace. At low tide, you can enjoy a wonderful walk along the soft expanse of sand that a couple of hours ago was immersed in metres of water. Brittany is the only place in Europe it is said, where the difference between high tide and low tide can vary by as much as 15 metres.

Our coastal walks here were amazing with paths along the rugged cliffs and crystal clear turquoise waters below. The cliff sides covered with purple heather just added to the palette of beautiful colours provided by the marriage of landscape, ocean and sky.

Our walks took in coastal tracks known as customs officers’ pathways. These were created during the French Revolution by the customs authorities for surveillance of the coast and to combat smuggling and the pillaging of shipwrecks. Thanks to customs, we had some wonderful tracks to explore which took us into some of the most dramatic scenery I’ve had ever seen. Another walk, which began in the gorgeous town of Pont-Aven, allowed us to spend a bit of time in the town itself and to explore the wonderful galleries and art museum for which the town is renowned. The walk from Pont-Aven was along a beautiful tributary with the river on one side and the cool green forest on the other. Intermittently, the sun would break through and would create a wonderful effect of light coming through the trees and leaves; a very special walk and one of my favourite of the whole trip.

We also had a free day during our stay here and many of us took the opportunity to share a taxi and visit the beautiful medieval town of Quimper. I was amazed at the pride the French took in how their towns look. Every single bridge and footbridge in Quimper was totally covered in flowers and was an absolute feast for the eyes. The old town itself was a beautiful place to explore with its cobbled streets and cathedral right in the centre of town. We also took the opportunity to visit the faience factory and browse through some of the unique pottery made in this part of the world.

Now for the food: there is only one way to describe the food in this part of the tour, absolutely magnificent. I thought that the food we had had up until now had really spoilt us and certainly was of a standard I had never experienced before. However, the last five nights of the tour which we spent in Morgat took us all into gastronomic heaven. Our dinners were taken in the hotel restaurant and the chefs here presented us with some of the most amazing dinners I have ever tasted. The list below just doesn’t do the experience justice and this tour is worth doing just for the food of the last five nights alone:

Creamed goat’s cheese and small-diced tomato in olive oil and pesto (Pre-entrée)
Lobster in a crispy pastry case with greens on a bed of sliced nectarine in a cantaloupe sauce (entrée)
Succulent fillet of beef with blanched garden fresh vegetables (main)
Red berry fruit salad with a light sorbet (dessert)
Crabmeat between avocado cream and flavoured mayonnaise (pre-entrée)
Succulent and lightly seared scallops in a delicious sauce with chicory (entrée)
Sea Bass in a plum sauce with julienne vegetables and light mini spring roll (main)
Warm chocolate pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and homemade caramel wafers (dessert)
Lobster claw appetiser (pre-entrée)
Scampi with buckwheat crepe and soft warm orange segments (entrée) - Black tea crème brulee with ice cream and homemade caramel snaps
Foie Gras with fig relish (entrée)
Fillet of Canard with Foie Gras (entrée), and
Pigeon with lightly sautéed vegetables on a sweetbread base with a smooth mash of potato, eggplant and bacon on a bed of cabbage (main).

I’ve gone overboard on the food here simply because it deserves the rave. And being right next to the sea ensured that the seafood that was served, was as fresh and fresh can be all prepared to perfection by the wonderful chefs of our hotel restaurant.

In finishing up, the only thing left to be said is that Graeme and Gabriela’s company is known as Gourmet Walkabout Adventures for good very reason. It more than lives up to its name with wonderful walks in some of the most amazingly beautiful parts of France combined with delicious mouth-watering gastronomic delights all washed down with fantastic local wines. It just doesn’t get better than this.

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PATHS OF GLORY

A Taste of Europe (1991) by Lynn Cole

Wanted personable your couple to go bush walking, canoeing, cycling and horseriding in a variety of beautiful locations. Must enjoy fabulous food and a relaxed, healthy lifestyle. Apply, box 2001, Utopia.

Such an ad doesn’t appear often, so Graeme and Gabriela Clarke decided they had to make the life they wanted happen for themselves. They had met in 1980 on a 23-day safari to the interior of Australia, and after German-born Gabriela returned home, the romance blossomed during Graeme’s travels in Europe.

In 1984, they settled in Victoria, where Graeme had grown up on a dairy farm. The idea of organizing small-group walking tours hit them while on holiday in Germany. “Our slides of Wilson’s Promontory had everyone gasping,” said Graeme, “but at that time, access was difficult without private transport, so few of our interstate or overseas visitors got to see the area, one of the most beautiful in the country”. Graeme was then working as an accountant with a travel agent, so the idea soon germinated and developed.

They took the first group away in September 1986, calling themselves Walkabout Adventure Tours. “Although the food was always of great concern to us, we didn’t emphasize it in our brochures,” said Gabriela. “But people were so surprised and delighted by it that we soon realised its importance, and changed the name to Walkabout Gourmet Adventures”.

It’s easy to understand both the surprise and delight after you sample some of Gabriela’s cooking. Our first opportunity to do so came when we stopped for elevenses in Colac Botanic Gardens on our way from Melbourne to do the Great Ocean Road walk. From the back of the Mazda minibus appeared a luscious blackberry and custard flan made with fruit picked the previous day on Graeme’s parent’s farm, and a chocolate-nut loaf called convent cake – nobody knew why, but it was heavenly. Thermoses of boiling water were quickly transmuted into tea a freshly dripped coffee.

They’re setting a high standard, I thought, wondering how it could be maintained far from their home base. But it was. Every meal for the next three days was a triumph of presentation, imagination and,, not least, nutrition. Although she’s had no professional training as a chef, Gabriela had a grandmother who was a fantastic cook, and the family always had fresh herbs and vegetable from the garden. Both Gabriela and Graeme believe in the importance of healthy eating, and what they don’t grow themselves, they get from Greens & Grains in Prahan, where all the produce is biodynamic or organically grown.

We stopped for lunch at a pretty picnic area on the beach at Port Campbell. While we browsed through the small but very interesting museum, our hosts set out an array of salads, quiches, cold meats, wonderful bread, cheese and fruit. (They cook all the previous day before a tour, with the help of a third person. Our group was smaller than the maximum of 10 guests, but there would have been a lot of preparation. )

Port Campbell National Park runs in a strip of varying width along a coastline of spectacular milestone formations. “London Bridge” (which has fallen down since my visit), and the Twelve Apostles, which stand like sentinels on guard against the relentless attack of the ocean, are well known. The coast is in constant retreat but in the end, the sea is bound to win. On a pleasant sunny day, such as we enjoyed, it’s not easy to imagine the wilder moods of the area, but tales of shipwrecks from last century make a fascinating counterpoint to enjoyment of the scenery. Graeme has a good background knowledge of the areas they walk in and was able to answer most of our questions.

After we had explored the coast a little more, Gabriela took the minibus and drove to the farmhouse at Johanna, where we were to sleep for the next two nights. The rest of us made our way there on foot, tramping the windy swept shore. The beaches along this stretch of coast are pristine and beautiful, many qu??? deserted because they’re either dangerous or inaccessible. Bell’s Beach has become a Mecca for surfies from all around the world.

By the time we reached the farmhouse, Gabriela had dinner well underway – just time for a quick dip in the heated indoor pool, a shower, and a drink. From the “bar”, a large crate they brought with them, Graeme produced a very presentable choice of aperitifs. “Obviously, we can’t carry everything, but we can satisfy most requests. I like to feature good Victorian wines and there’s always beer. If anyone has a special preference, they’ve only to let us know and we’ll include it. Packing for each trip is different, and checklists ensures that nothing is overlooked – right down to taped music to suit every occasion.

Meanwhile, wonderful aromas of roasting pork were wafting from the oven and Gabiela was constructing salads that were almost too pretty to eat. She uses platters rather than bowls for these works of art. She plans the menus carefully and keeps records so that when people go on their next walk, the dishes are always different. Diabetics of anyone on a special regimen such as Pritikin need only to say so. Gabriela simply adjusts the menus.

Sharing both the chores and cooking, she and Graeme are a very well organized duo. In fact, the running of the whole venture is impressive. When no one else is around they chatter away in German so that Graeme keeps in practice. During the winter here, they transfer their operation to Europe, conducting walking trips for small groups in France, Italy, Switzerland, Australia and Germany, and taking charge of meals and accommodation.

“It’s a little different from what we do in Australia” says Gabriela. “We don’t cook, but we order the meals in advance, because many people find foreign menus intimidating and stick to things they recognize. This way, they get to try regional specialties that tourist don’t always know about.

Travel is in a hired minibus – Gabriela leads the walks while Graeme transports the luggage so that, when the group arrives, the bags are in the rooms and everyone can relax before the evening meal. “The walking there is different, too”. Gabriela continues, “and although there are a few mountains, it’s not really strenuous.

“The tracks are so good that you don’t have to concentrate on you feet”, explain Graeme. “We actually walk farther but you don’t notice. We have taken people who weren’t particularily fit, and never had any problems. It’s amasing how quickly their level of fitness improves”. Guests include people from all around the world, some who have done walks with them in Australia, or heard about the tours from friends. “This year, we have had to increase the number, and we are already taking bookings for 1991. We’re now including trips to Munich and Venice, which we know will continue to be popular.”

Next morning, after a splendid breakfast that began with homemade muesli, we drove to Melba Gully State Pak to walk Madsens Track, an hour’s easy ramble that loops through cool forest glades. The 48ha park is a tiny pocket of rainforest with totally different plantlife from the coast only a short distance away. Glow worms live in the damp mossy banks along parts of the track, Graeme informed us. Our itinerary promised a look at them that night – they’re only visible in velvety darkness.

No one in our party had ever seen a glow worm, and we began eagerly to question our host, who sheepishly admitted that he hadn’t either.

So far, he admitted, no group had been able to rise to the occasion after the evening meal. On the spot, we vowed to be the first.

A short drive took us toward the coast, and then on foot again for an hour or so to a picnic spot high on a headland overlooking Melanesian beach. For walking, we were each issued with a small backpack containing a refreshing lemony drink, an emergency muesli bar, and light rain gear, just in case. Graeme carried the lunch, which centred on a simple chicken curry dish that drew raves all round. Gabriela served it with a saffron-flavored rice pilau, salads, fruit, and more of the wonderful bread that she gets from Natural Tucker Bakery in Ripponlea. Both the setting and the meal were perfection.

Dinner on Sunday evening is always the gala affair of the weekend, and guests are asked to dress for it. Not everyone takes this too seriously – one group who have been away with the Clarkes seven times, once dressed impeccably from the waist up, but kelp on their shorts and walking shoes. Graeme took photos above and below the table for the record. For our party, this meal turned out to be the hit of the trip. Three small raclette ovens were placed strategically along the long table with plates of cheese, including the correct raclette for this operation, chopped ham, and waxy yellow-fleshed steamed potatoes.

Gorgeous-looking salads completed the spread, and we were invited to toast our own little treats topped with melting cheese in the glowing ovens, which were about the size of a cake tin. They have tiny pans that slide in under the heating element. As if this were not enough, dessert soon followed - profiteroles with chocolate and cream.

It took all our resolve to change clothes and set off to see the glow worms. It was quite different walking the track at night, with even the moon’s beams excluded by the dense canopy.

With the aid of torchlight, we reached a likely spot near Anne’s Cascade, and switched off. Gradually, as our eyes became accustomed to the inky blackness, pinpoints of light began to appear in clusters along the banks. Glow worms are the larvae of a species of small fly – their light attracts minut insects to a sticky trap where they meet their doom. The longer we gazed, the more we could see of the shadowy world these fascinating little beasts.

On Monday morning, I woke to a view like a Hans Heysen painting through my window. The valley was shrouded in silvery mist, pierced by shafts of pink from the rising sun. Cows were strung out along the crest of a slight rise. Quickly, I flung on some jeans, grabbed my camera, and rushed outside, but already the scene had lost some of its magic in the fast-changing light. After another astonishing breakfast, millet porridge with plum compote, platters of prosciutto, ham, hot rolls, fruit, and more, we filled our mater bottles and set off to walk through Otway national Park toward Dinosaur Cove, now attracting the attention of fossil-hunters from all around the world.

We returned in time for a barbecue lunch, and then, with planes to catch, it wasn’t possible to linger any longer. The drive back to Melbourne took us along the spectacular Great Ocean Road, which swoops and climbs, mostly within sight of the sea, through Lorne, with its faint air of remembering its more genteel past, to Anglesea, Geelong, and eventually, the city for the flight home.

This is a class act – nobody does it better. The walks are all to beautiful areas, and vary in length from one to 14 days. This year, they will also include some cross-country skiing. One itinerary takes the Clarkes to Dinner Plain, a burgeoning storybook village that has so captivated them they’ve bought land there and plan to build. “It will be wonderful to have our own lodge”, say Gabriela, “and not have to compromise on the little extra touches, such as having the right glasses.”

Four years down the track, they both agree that the best thing has been the wonderful people they’ve met from all walks of life. “Some have become almost like family, “adds Gabriela. “It’s been hard work… there’s always a lot of preparation, but we have a lifestyle we both really love.”

For my fellow guests, what most amazed them, apart from the glow worms, was the standard of the meals. One summed it up, “I never realised that healthy food could look and taste so wonderful.”

Gabriela’s Muesli
100g almonds
100g pecans
100g hazelnuts
200g green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
5 tablespoons pinenuts
500g biodynamic rolled oats
250g barley flakes
250g oat bran
200g raw wheat germ
300g sultanas
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
5 tablespoons linseeds

Chop nut and pumpkin seeds coarsely in a food processor, and mix thoroughly with the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Store in large screw-top jars for use as required. Make about 2.5kg.

Convent Cake
100g unsalted butter at room temperat.
200g sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
4 eggs separated
½ cup cream
100g hazelnuts, coarsely ground
100g almonds, coarsely ground
150g cooking chocolate, coarsely grated
200g flour
1 table spoon baking powder

Grease a 24 x 12 x 6cm loaf pan and line base with greased baking paper. Cream butter and sugars, and beat in egg volks, one at a time. Stir in cream, nuts and chocolate. Sift flour with baking powder. Whisk egg whites until stiff.

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