Gunners Quoin

Tuesday 15th January 2019

Gunners Quoin

I knew it was going to be hot today but wasn't expecting it to get to 35 degrees, otherwise I would have walked somewhere by the water where it would have been cooler. Never mind it turned out okay but I was quite exhausted by the end of the walk. I choose to do a circuit walk to Gunners Quoin.
I started off at Risdon Brook Reservoir and walked along the eastern shore before branching off at the northern end and heading up various tracks to a line of ridges and saddles and plateau type country.

Some of the bush

Track heading up

An aggressive wallaby that decided to charge me

Walking across the plateau

As I was crossing the plateau a wallaby decided to have a go at me and charged hissing and snorting. I soon scared it off. The walking all along the ridges and plateau was very easy through open forest. The final climb up to Gunners Quoin was on another track and once up there I walked along the edge taking in the views, mostly of the Derwent.

After a quick lunch I headed down the marked track to meet up with the outward leg and then back to the car.

Risdon Brook Reservoir

Mount Direction

This was a good walk through some nice open forest and would have been better if it was cooler.
Distance:16.7 kms.
Time: 4'57"
Ascent: 670 metres
GPX file is here.

Bills Dribble

Wednesday 2nd January 2019

Bills Dribble

Bills Dribble occurred in July 2014 when a 50 tonne boulder was dislodged and tumbled down the slope on Mount Wellington. Read about it here and here. I had not checked it out before and as I only wanted a short walk for today it seemed an ideal walk. As it turned out the walk was reasonably strenuous, not up to where the boulder dislodged but further up while ascending to the Wellington Plateau.
I set off from The Springs up the Pinnacle Track to the point where the boulder crossed the track and settled just off the track. It is still easily accessible.

The Boulder

The Boulder

Path taken looking uphill from track

The path taken looking up to the dislodgement point

Dislodgement Point

The walk up to the dislodgement point was straightforward and the path was still relatively clear. I saw one tiger snake here. After this point I just kept ascending towards the plateau. It was a fine day and the views were okay although a little hazy.

Mount Wellington

Wellington Plateau

End of The Organ Pipes

The Ascent

Waratah

The ascent alternated between rock hopping and scrub bashing and towards the top it was a little difficult trying to find a way up and around the vertical columns. At one stage it was almost vertical and I was hanging on by my fingernails but with some perseverance I made it to the top where the South Wellington Track passes close to the edge.

Wellington Range

Wellington Range

Hobart

Wellington Plateau

Once I reached the plateau I walked along the South Wellington Track, Zig Zag Track and Pinnacle Track back to the car.
A short and scrubby walk with rock and boulder hopping.
Distance: 5.7 kms.
Time: 3'47"
Ascent: 530 metres
GPX file is here.