Frenchman Peak
Cape Le Grand National Park
Directions - Located east of Esperance in Cape Le Grand National Park, Frenchman Peak is about a 40 minute drive from the centre of town. From Esperance, drive east along Fisheries Road until you come to the Merivale Road turn. Continue along Merivale Road, turning right at Cape Le Grand Road, entering the park and then turning left at Lucky Bay Road. After 2.5km, turn left onto Frenchmans Peak Road, where you'll find a small car park at the end. The trail head is located on the eastern side of the car park.
The Hike - Cape Le Grand National Park is full of iconic locations, from Lucky Bay to Thistle Cove to Hellfire Bay, and Frenchman Peak is easily the most recognisable hike in the area. I first hiked this trail back in 2018, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of walking straight up the granite rock face, exploring the cave, and the amazing 360 degree views from the summit. Back in the area as part of a three week road trip, I thought it would be nice to hike this one as a refresher for my aging noggin.
The main course for my hiking today would be a long-awaited expedition on the Le Grand Coastal Trail, but having watched the weather app on my phone like a hawk in the past few days, I knew there was some cloudy weather hanging around the morning. Wanting to photograph that trail in the best possible conditions, I decided that a quick trip up Frenchman Peak on the way to dropping off my bike at Le Grand Beach would be the perfect appetiser. The Frenchman Peak name comes from the iconic side profile of the peak looking like hats worn by French troops back when this area was surveyed (the local name for the peak is Mandooboornup). Packing up my tent and all my sleeping gear after taking in the muted sunrise at Lucky Bay, I enjoyed a nutritious rehydrated breakfast before heading off along Lucky Bay Road. Arriving at the car park to find only one other car there, I was happy to have the trail mostly to myself, especially given the popularity it's experienced in recent years.
The weather forecast was spot on, with a mass of grey clouds hanging around, but I was hopeful they would pass eventually. Staring up at the bulky mass of Frenchman Peak is quite daunting but having done this a couple of times before, I knew that the start was a gentle amble along the base, where I could relax and enjoy a spot of wildflower observing. Being a few weeks past peak wildflower season, and a spate of hot weather having swept through the region in the past couple of weeks, I wasn't expecting much in relative terms. I say relative terms because this is still the South Coast in October, and this area is a botanical paradise that is home to hundreds of different species. Walking along I spotted Pink Starflower, Chittick, Barrel Coneflower and lots of Crab Claws, a veritable explosion of colour on the edge of the trail. Peering up every now and then to admire the views looking south towards the coastline, the elevated position of this section provides the best of both worlds, thick vegetation for wildflowers and great views.
Crossing a wooden bridge over a seasonal creek, you soon arrive at a bend in the trail, taking you up a granite platform to reach the start of the climb. Enjoying the last of the wildflowers, I was scanning the undergrowth and managed to see a Southwestern Crevice Skink that was missing it's tail, most likely jettisoned during danger. Rounding the corner further, I came across the slanted wooden sign that points you to the left, and directly up the rocky slope. From here it's time to buckle up, engage the core and get those legs pumping. Following the white trail markers that are bolted directly onto the granite, the uneven surface can make it tricky, so you need to plan almost every step to make sure you don't step awkwardly and injure yourself. It's not a race of course, and with gradients reaching well over 30% in places, it certainly takes the wind out of you if you're not prepared.
Thankfully this was the end of a three week trip where I did not much else but hike, eat and sleep, so the legs were feeling good when I reached the top, where you'll find the hollowed out rock formation that I think looks more like a Hippo's Yawn than the one found at Wave Rock. Although not quite at the summit, the bulk of the climbing is over, and you can take a breather while you soak in the views over the park looking to the south and east. Not far from the top of the climb is the famous Frenchman Peak cave, created by wind and wave action from when sea levels were much higher, and this area was the edge of the coast. Now 200m above sea level, it forms a pretty cool cave that you can climb down into and take in the majestic views, framed by the outline of the cave. The large cavern is home to a few bird species, with Welcome Swallows the most common ones you'll see swooping around from point to point.
A couple of other people arrived while I was having a look around, so I decided to leave them in peace, and climbed back out to continue along the trail leading to the summit. Picking up the white markers again, you head along the northern slope, before turning to the left to begin the final climb to the summit. With excellent views looking off towards Esperance and Woody Island, on a clear day you can make out the port and all the ships waiting in the bay. The final push up to the summit is much shorter than the main climb, and waiting at the top is a small summit area but some flatter patches below, where you'll get the best views. Putting my pack down, I was delighted to see blue skies looking to the south, and I could trace my imminent journey from Lucky Bay to Thistle Cove, around the slopes of Mount Le Grand, and finishing at Le Grand Beach.
Excited to be starting that hike, I took my time up here photographing the rest of the views, and enjoying being up here. Looking down at the car park, it seems closer than what you think it would be after all that climbing, but I could see that there were a few more cars there. The same people from before soon arrived at the summit, and again, I left them in peace, ready to head off to my next adventure on the Le Grand Coastal Trail. Spotting another Southwestern Crevice Skink, I decided to pop into the cave again for more photos, given the clearer skies, before beginning the descent down the steep granite slopes. There were a couple of groups of people finishing the climb as I started heading down, and we exchanged the knowing look that hikers do, to acknowledge that I understood that was tough. Back at the car, my legs were a little jelly from the descent but I was happy that I added that to my morning itinerary.
Final Thoughts - Returning to trails after having such a great time the first time you hike them is always a bit odd. Will it be as good as I remember, or did I romanticise the experience too much?
Thankfully Frenchman Peak was one of those hikes were it was every bit as good as I remember it. The combination of excellent spring wildflowers, the steep climb up the bare granite, expansive cave to explore, and the great summit views all combine to earn this trail all the hype it gets.
A popular addition to any stay at Lucky Bay Campground, Frenchman Peak is a fantastic experience that everyone should be adding you their Cape Le Grand itinerary.
Get out there and experience it!
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