Tasmania 2023 – week 4 Cradle Mountain
Part I – Day 26
Today is spent at Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain, walking the circuit. The bus takes you through a number of different stops before reaching the end of the line at the Dove Lake observation building. We arrived just after 10.30 and began our circuit, estimated to take 2-3 hours. We didn’t do too badly all considering.
The weather gods decided that they should tease us today. There were patches of blue, clouds reducing, then showers then clouds, showers, blue – all in all we were very blessed and the walk was quite pleasant.
The walk is easy/moderate – certainly by the time you get to the second half, it can be a bit more challenging but it is not onerous and there is path or boardwalk all the way around.
We don’t see any fauna today (except for a small potteroo or wallaby next to the cottage this morning) although we see evidence that wombats are around. We do see some fungi and my trustee spotter is on pointe.
The colours of autumn are here and we are especially keen to see the Fagus – and we do, not realising from one side of the lake that we are looking at the evidence of it. The colours it changes through are lovely (green, red, yellow, brown) and it is the only deciduous tree native to Australia. The leaf is about the size of my little-finger nail. The colours on the mountainside are glorious.
Overall, we travel nearly 27km today which includes the bus ride from the information centre to Dove Lake and back. The circuit is about 6 km plus we walk some more between where we are staying and a snoop around the neighbouring lodge.
We take about 3¼ hours to do that walk, and that includes stopping time to photograph fungi and a brief stop to have some lovely salmon from 41 Degrees Salmon and Ginseng Farm – delicious. We have some other snacks with us as well but this is particularly delightful. The backdrop makes it a very pleasant place for lunch.
Having completed the circuit, we debate whether we should explore other tracks today – ah, no. For 2 not so fit folks, we have had enough. Hopefully the weather will hold for tomorrow and we can do the walks close to Peppers Lodge like the Enchanted Walk, King Billy Walk and Rainforest Walk. If we are really energetic and the weather holds, we might do the walks from Ronny Creek but the day will determine this.
It’s been a while since we walked terrain like this and it wasn’t rough as terrain can be but we figure we have traumatised our muscles enough and we need to reward them with some more snacks and some Coffee Liqueur from Adams (mighty fine brew) and a red wine or 2, comfortably ensconced on the recliner and partaking of the heater whilst the weather battles between rain, mist and “I haven’t quite made up my mind”. We are not quite sure what temperature it is outside as the weather app’s one ach of our phones tell quite different stories. Mine says 8 degrees feels like 6, his says something somewhat colder. Either way, it is cool if you do not have suitable clothing on.
My spirit glass is emptying as I write this so that must mean I should bring my ramblings to a close. As with most of our meals while we are at Cradle Mountain, we are having simple fair – tonight is some gourmet sausages from Woolworths and salad, last night was some lovely steak and salad with truffle salt. Tasmania certainly has some good food and we have partaken of our fair share. Good thing to note, though, my jeans still fit me the same as they did before this escapade. Okay, enough, my glass is now empty and the heater calls.
Part II – Day 27
Today is our second day at Cradle Mountain. It is so nice not having to plan our route for the day (well that would have been done last night) or to be stacking the car and moving on (we have 3 nights here). We take our time rising, breakfasting then moseying to the Ranger Station where we park the car with good intentions of doing 3 maybe 4 walks…
At 9.20 it is 0 but according to my fungi spotter’s weather app, it feels like -6. No breeze means it is tolerable. We have sleet with big fat drops of water hitting the ground. Snow is forecast for the weekend and has been forecast for areas higher than we currently are.
Our first walk is the King Billy Walk. It is estimated at 40 minutes. Well, that is a guide. Ours took somewhat longer (about 4 times as long) as fungi was everywhere, or so it seemed. In the rainforest, the rain didn’t seem to be heavy and the air seemed a little warmer, although it was still cold. We are rugged up in heavy jacket, jumper, tshirt etc – hands become a little like icicles.
I guess my fungi spotter became quite bored as he began inventing names for the fungi – chocolate nipple, mocha, snowdrop, toffee top, parasol, tinkerbell, blue sailor, upside down, ghetto, chocolate mousse. The array of flora was quite something. The King Billy Pine was amazingly huge. One of the trees that had fallen over was enormous. There is a sign that says about staying on the path, the plants taking ages to grow, leaving only footprints. I might have bent the rules a time or two as we moved through the forest – trying to get a better look at the fungis that were growing. Nature is amazing. This trip has demonstrated that sentiment so many times.
Having wandered through King Billy and been lucky to see a paddymelon or similar, we then embark on the Enchanted Walk – and it was enchanting! We saw a wombat mosey out of its burrow, along beside the path, scratch around, then head off into the undergrowth. That kept us entertained for some time. It was amazing to see this creature just doing its thing. It is the only one we have seen since we arrived 2 afternoons ago. We were entranced. For the most part it was just us and the wombat. The paths were quiet and it was truly special to share this sight with only one other person who came along after wombat had stepped out for a stroll.
Today was majestic and beautiful, simple with fresh cold air, breathing out made for fog. We have been blessed with the weather throughout the trip but today and yesterday especially, particularly as the sun shines on only about 1 in 10 days. We didn’t have sunshine for the entirety of the days but we did have clearer weather with light misty rain.
We walked about 6km today. It was not hard walking. By the time we got to the Tavern at the Cradle Mountain Lodge, it was decided that this was enough walking so rehydration in the form of mulled wine and a hot toddy was required.
Today has been the coldest day. Even as I write this at nearly 5.30pm, it is colder than it was yesterday at this time. The heater has been cranked up a little bit over the last 2 nights – there is a definite chill in the air.
This afternoon we did the task I like least but know has to happen – sort our gear and repack the car for the journey home. Tonight is our last night in Tasmania, we sail to the mainland tomorrow night. Separately, I will compose some thoughts and observations as to our stay – in an overall way. For now, I will say it has been an amazing trip, the only creature I have not seen in the wild, and wanted to see (between this trip and the last) is a platypus. To see one of these is truly rare and would be an amazing experience. Does that mean a return trip? Not necessarily. Having had 2 fabulous trips to Tasmania, it might be time to explore another state in this amazing country of Australia.
