Don’t feel like climbing a mountain? Go around it instead! The Caldyanup Trail, located in Walpole WA, goes around Mt Frankland and is the perfect way to take in the serene views of the forest without the steep incline.

Highlights

  • Towering Karri trees
  • Amazing wildflowers
  • Views without having to climb a mountain!
  • Other walks nearby if you’re feeling energetic
  • Bird watching

How To Get Around

Being greatly in need of some outdoor nourishment my husband and I headed deep into the forest for the day. An hour and 45-minute drive from our home in Albany makes for a decent day trip to Walpole and is quite a nice drive (we didn’t even need to get up early and made it home by mid-afternoon).

 

Around The Mountain On The Caldyanup Trail // Walpole(WA), Megan Warner, gum trees, fern, forest, rain

 

We arrived at Mount Frankland mid-morning, just as the drizzling rain started to set in. Equipped with only softshell jackets, we decided not to try to conquer Mount Frankland itself, but after driving all the way we weren’t ready for defeat.

Instead, we wandered to the picnic area and found a small sign inviting us down a track. It may have said ‘trail’ or ‘circuit’ and ‘one point something km’, neither of us could remember.

Either way, it didn’t disappoint! The canopy of towering Karri trees let only some drops of rain though. While I stopped to admire the spring wildflowers, my husband remained ahead, pausing occasionally to try and spot the birds he could hear singing in the rain.

 

Around The Mountain On The Caldyanup Trail // Walpole(WA), Megan Warner, man, gum trees, forest, ferns

Caldyanup Trail

The track follows around the granite mound that is Mount Frankland and you end up walking along the edge of the mountain with amazing views of the forest (well, probably… we couldn’t see very far in the rain).

The trees growing up out of the granite boulders are to be admired!

If taken slowly (to soak in the goodness of the forest) this walk is pretty easy, but there are a couple of scrambles up areas of the rocky path, so a decent level of fitness would still be required.

But definitely not the heart-pounding sort of walk that climbing the mountain would be!

 

Around The Mountain On The Caldyanup Trail // Walpole(WA), Megan Warner, gum trees, mountain, rock, cliff, rain

 

The circuit joins the main track up the summit so if you’re still feeling fit and well, you can carry on up, or just head back down past the picnic area to the car park.

Once we arrived back at the car park we found the sign that listed the walks and we had just walked the Caldyanup Trail. Caldyanupis the Aboriginal name for Mount Frankland.

The circuit joins the main track up the summit so if you’re still feeling fit and well, you can carry on up, or just head back down past the picnic area to the car park.

Once we arrived back at the car park we found the sign that listed the walks and we had just walked the Caldyanup Trail. Caldyanupis the Aboriginal name for Mount Frankland.

Essential Gear

  • Shoes
  • Picnic lunch
  • Water
  • Snacks

How to Get There

From Albany: head west along South Coast Highway and turn right onto North Walpole Road just after the townsite. Follow North Walpole Road until you see the signs to Mount Frankland which is another right turn onto Mount Frankland Road.

Coming from the west? If you’re coming via South Western Highway, you can cut through Beardmore Road which will take you to North Walpole Road then Mount Frankland Road.

Activities

  • Picnics
  • Photography
  • Hiking
  • Birdwatching
  • Wildflower hunting

Skill Level

Beginner-Intermediate

Some rocky scrambles along the trail

Distance Covered / Time Taken

1.6 km / 40 minutes