Our second morning at Bradys Lake was even more peaceful than the first. The water was so still you could hardly tell where the surface ended and the reflection of the sky began. We sat there with our cups of tea, watching two pairs of black swans glide across the water. They moved with such effortless grace; we could have watched them all morning if the kettle didn't need another boil. Lisa found them incredibly elegant.

It wasn't long before we met one of the local residents, a lovely man named Rodger. He represents everything we love about the people in these parts. He popped over and asked if we had any rubbish he could take away for us. We gave him a bag and thanked him profusely, thinking that was the end of his kindness. But then he asked if we’d like some firewood. We told him we’d certainly appreciate it if it wasn't too much trouble.

While we were out for a bit of a drive to find enough phone reception to check in with the family, Rodger was busy being a legend. We returned to find a generous stack of wood waiting for us right by our spot. We were so grateful for the gesture; it really warmed our hearts before the fire even started.

A bowl full of the fresh, dark blackberries we gathered from the bushes along the lake’s edge.
A bowl full of the fresh, dark blackberries we gathered from the bushes along the lake’s edge.

We’ve been making the most of the wild blackberries we found around here. There’s something special about a bowl of fruit we’ve gathered ourselves; they’re sweet, a little tart, and the perfect snack while we sit and watch the light change on the hills. The grandkids would have had purple fingers and faces within minutes if they were here with us.

We spent the afternoon getting the fire sorted using Rodger's wood. Steve felt like a proper bush cook getting the coals just right. We had our camp oven sitting right in the heat and some spuds wrapped in foil tucked into the glowing embers.

Our highland kitchen in action, with the camp oven on the coals and the ladder doing double duty as a pantry shelf.
Our highland kitchen in action, with the camp oven on the coals and the ladder doing double duty as a pantry shelf.

We even used our little ladder as a makeshift shelf for the pots and the morning's tea mug—it worked a treat and kept everything off the grass. Looking out over the water with the smoke curling up into the blue sky and the mountains standing tall in the background, we couldn't help but feel that life doesn't get much better than this. It’s the simple things, like the smell of woodsmoke and the unexpected kindness of a stranger, that make this trip so special.