Advertisement
Published: January 6th 2008
Melbourne Airport
You can see the twin prop in the back. Small plane flight across the Tasman to Devonport.We started on the 24th and arrived in Devonport. A nice little city you can walk around in about 20 minutes. We needed to buy fuel for the stove and there is this Snowgum shop right in the city centre where we enquired. They did not have any Shellite, but we were directed to the local supermarket. Snowgum also rents out gear for people who might want to rent it, rather than invest in it. Suitably stocked with fuel and our "backpacker pass" for the National Park, we decided to indulge in our last proper meal before we retired for the night.
On the 25th, Simon from "Tiger Wilderness Tours" picked us up from the hotel for a lift to Cradle Mountain visitor centre. Charged us $140. Not bad for a X-mas day transfer. We arrived 10:30 am and registered for the walk. The weather was fine and warm in Devonport, but it was cold and raining in Cradle Mountain. Not such a great start. Infact, 24th night, it had snowed in the area, so we were really apprehensive.
Now the important stuff:
Gear Total pack weight 24 Kg
*Waterproof boots (extremely important since you are walking
Ronny Creek
Start of the hike, Ronny Creek. Its cold and overcast. Its been snowing in Summer here!! up/down rivers almost all the time)
*Gaiters (same reason as above)
*Waterproof jacket
*Thermals
*Just one set of clothes to wear, a change of clothes and a dry set to sleep in is enough
*2 meals each day and snacks for lunch
*Pack liner/cover
*Stove and fuel
*Tent
*Sleeping Bag
*Water filter (not absolutely necessary if you are comfortable drinking rain water from tanks)
Once you have registered and got your pass, maps etc. (just get the book titled 'Overland track', that is enough, you dont need and other maps or books) the shuttle drops you off at Ronny Creek which is the start of the Overland Track. You need to sign the book there saying you are heading off.
Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley 10 km
The sight is great and there were small streams running across under the boardwalk. With a fully loaded pack, we set off towards cradle mountain. Its cold and there is a slight drizzle. After about 1 km I am sweating like a pig, breathing hard and we are climbing up steep steps up the mountain. I was already starting to have doubts. A little while later we
Sherpa Training
All the gear with max weight as we have just started, about 25 kgs... suddenly clear some bush and reach Dove lake. Its a beautiful sight and this is the first stop we make. We have a little snack (lunch) and take a few pictures.
When that is out of the way we continue on and the going gets really tough. We are climbing up this steep mountain and we can see people climbing to the top of Cradle mountain, which is much higher. We need to stop every 10 mins and have not made much ground. Our thigh muscles are already complaing. Inspite of the cold I am soaking wet with sweat. We somehow clamber over the top and skirt around cradle mountain. The going is very wet, there is water everywhere, each step is through atleast 2cm deep running water. Good idea to invest in great boots like we did. We have come up on 2 groups of people by now and passed them. These are families with parents in their late 40's so no great achievement passing them. We too have been passed by another couple by now.
Since the weather is terrible we can barely see the top of Cradle mountain when we reach Kitchen hut. We decide
Dove Lake
First great lake, lots of tourists around here as they have easy access upto here. to plod on, since we have just done about 4 kms till then, and its already about 12:30. The going is easier now, pretty level and funnily after a while the weather is actually clear. Looking back, Cradle mountain is the same, but seems to be blocking the clouds. Well good enough for us, we actually lose one layer of clothing, since the sun is quite bright. After walking along a ridge and getting behind cradle mountain we see a sign, indicating that we had another hour to get to Waterfall. This is our second stop for another snack.
The going is quite easy here on, and we are looking forward to getting to the hut as we are really tired. Half way there, the going is all downhill, and we are climbing down this steep hill, at the bottom of which we can see the huts. Its started to rain again and the clouds are coming in low. We get to the hut and meet our first ranger, who checks our passes and leaves us to it. There are a few people already there, but we find a spot to sleep easily. As time goes on though, it
Cradle Mountain
Not much of the mountain visible from below. Wonder how it was on the top. starts to get crowded. Everybody finds a spot, some camp, some sleep in the old hut. Surprisingly, the hut has gas heating !! So after a nice hot dinner, we crawl into our sleeping bags at about 19:00 to rest our sore muscles. Sun sets very late, almost @ 21:00.
Waterfall Valley to Windermere 8 km
The morning is not looking so good. Rain and fog everywhere, can't see a thing around us. According to the Ranger, it is going to stay like that, and rain heavier later in the day. So its best to get moving... We leave after a quick meal.
There is a short sidewalk to Lake Will on the way, which is worth it. 1 hr return, and there is a platform to leave your packs behind. We had a light snack at the lake and continued on to Windermere. Todays walk is easy and quite short, just about 3 hrs. This is the shortest day of all. The going is easy as well, with boardwalks most of the way and not much climbing.
The hut is right next to lake Windermere and we are one of the first to arrive. As promised, the
Lake Will
As we sat on the shore, the clouds closed in on us. But is was beautiful. rain gets heavier and it is quite cold. Luckily, this hut is also heated. We have a lot of time to kill and as people arrvie there are various card games being played around the hut. Wildlife is all around us, with Wallabies coming very close. No birds or insects though. The day was not very interesting since we could not see much around.
Windermere to Pelion 17 km
The third day is the longest distance. We were dreading this day and most of the people around us. We planned to leave really early since the expected time to complete was 5 - 6 hrs. We usually took an hour longer hence it was important to start early. It was cold, wet, and foggy, nothing to see around us. We left at 7:00 surprising and scaring most people in the hut. But we intended to take it nice and easy. Walking for an hour in the rain, with nothing to see, we were not too excited. The lookout on the way just stared into white clouds, so nothing to look at even there. Then we reached Pine Forest Moor, and as the name suggests, we were expecting to
Alpine yellow gum
Nature is truly beautiful, what colours!! see some hobbits in there. But nothing unfortunately. We had a quick bite to eat (Tuna and bread, AGAIN) and as we came out of the forest, SURPRISE, the sky cleared miraculously and the sun came out. It was as if we had just walked out of hell itself. Great vistas to gaze upon, and great weather. We cross a couple of streams, on the banks of which we stop to rest and relax.
As we come to the frog flats, we were expecting to see frogs everywhere (you wish) but nothing. It was swampy and we just walked past. Then the big climb. We needed to climb this hill which seemed never ending. We had walked about 12-13 kms already and were quite exhausted. With burning thighs and sweat soaked clothes we made it to the top.
Here we start seeing people walking north. Apparently, you can access Pelion Hut even if you are not doing the overland track and stay there while doing walks in the region. i.e Mt Ossa (highest mountain in Tassie) and Mt. Oakleigh which are a few hours from the hut.
The Pelion hut is huge and has a great view from the verandah.
Windermere hut
As you can see, the hut got quite crowded as it was raining quite heavily. When we get there, we throw our stuff onto the bunks and just lay in the sun on the verandah, looking onto Mt.Oakleigh. Since all our gear was caked with mud by now, we washed everything and layed it out in the sun too. Some people who started on the 25th from Cradle mountain catch up to us here, since they walked 24 kms, from waterfall valley all the way to Pelion hut, since all they got was rain on the first 2 days. After a hearty meal (Tuna again) we went to a well earned sleep.
Pelion to Kia Ora 9 km
We decided to leave late today as the distance was not too much and there was not much of a gradient either. The side walk to Mt. Ossa was tempting, but Poonam was too buggered to bother. Its 6 km and adds about 4 hrs to the walk. so we just head to Kia Ora, and one again find a spot with a great view of the mountains. We decide to camp as the weather is great and the hut is not too big. The camping site is close to a small river and I
Pine Forest Moor
I am buggered with the climbing and the rain and the cold... Look for hobbits if you can spot any. decide to brave the cold and take my first shower of the (w)eek !! So I jump into the river, and survive for about 30 secs while I scrub myself and then bask on a rock in the sun. Feels so good !! Some guy spotted an Echidna, but by the time we got there it was gone.
After a nice meal we head into the tent to relax and sleep. The night sky is great too, with a triillion stars to look at. Its is very windy at night and quite noisy as the wind whistles through all the trees around us, so sleeping is difficult.
Kia Ora to Windy Ridge 10 km
We leave late again, about 10:00 and its a mistake. The sun is hot, burning down on our necks and just drinking water seems to not be enough. We are not feeling so hungry either and hence feeling weak as we were not eating. We are scrambling over roots of all these trees and have to concentrate as it is easy to trip. There are 2 side walks today, both to some waterfalls. We decide to go to Hartnett Falls which is great. The
Sun finally
This is what we saw when we emerged from the forest, what a sight after 2 days of nothing... river was flowing well, and the fall was high. Great place to sit on the banks of and have lunch, which is what we did. We take our time getting to Windy Ridge since its the last day of any real walking up a hill. Besides the waterfall, the walk is pretty unspectacular as it thorugh forests and you cant really see much other than trees. Its easy to get lost here, as everything looks the same.
At Windy Ridge we decide to camp again as the weather is fine, and the hut is not great.
Once we are in bed, I hear someone going through our bag. I turn on the torch and head out and there is this huge possum perched on top of Poonam's bag. He clears out when he sees me, and we keep the bags in the tent vestibule. About 1/2hr later, we hear some rummaging again, and this time it is sitting right beside our heads. When we try to shoo it away, it crawls into the backpack. I am really pissed off as its midnight and I kick the possum to no avail. So I get out of the tent, find a stick
Mt Oakleigh
View from the verandah at Pelion hut. We could get used to this :) and whack it real good. It just bares its fangs and growls at poonam as she is still in the tent. Finally it leaves, and we lose our bags in the hut. When we return the Possum is sitting right there looking around, but then goes away, into the next tent !! The remaining night is uneventful.
Windy Ridge to Narcissus 9 km
The last day we leave early as we intend to catch the 13:00 ferry from Narcissus. The walk is easy and we get to Narcissus in about 3 hrs. The lake is huge and beautiful. The walk was not so interesting though, just through eucalypt forests. From Narcissus hut, we need to use the radio (first time experience) to confirm our booking on the boat. The boat is pretty quick and takes us across to Lake St Clair visitor centre where we needed to make bookings on the bus to Hobart. The restaurant at the visitor centre serves some ok food but great beer. On such a hot day, a cold beer is perfect to end our hike !!
We could not wait for the bus to take us back to civilization and a hot
Mt Ossa
The highest mountain in Tasmania shower. Some people aong us, decided to camp or stay at the backpackers at the visitor centre.
Lastly, the spoilers:
There is no easy way to get from Lake St Clair back to Cradle Mountain, so parking your car there is not a great idea.
Tassielink buses run at different times on different days, so it is a good idea to plan your hike to end on an appropriate day.
Doing the hike over X-mas break is worse as everything is closed and making transport arrangements might be a pain.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.095s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 9; qc: 49; dbt: 0.0343s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
