Adamsons Peak

Saturday 21st December 2013

Adamsons Peak

The weather forecast for today looked promising so I decided on Adamsons Peak because I did not want to walk up there and have no views. As it turned out it was a perfect day.
To get to the start of the walk, drive down to Strathblane and just south of there turn right into either Creekton road or a little further on Darcy Link Road and drive to the start point which is clearly signed.
I set off walking just after 0700 on duck boards until the end of the Tramway track and then onto the walk proper. Basically, the walk is a steady climb from 160 metres to 1230 metres, mostly ascending all the time and there are no views until about 800 metres.

Walking Track

The first section of track follows the path that was used as a tramway for hauling logs and many of the large logs are still in existence and form part of the walking track. The track has had no recent maintenance and there are a few logs to climb over or under and some trees have come down across the track but nothing too bad.
After climbing for about 2 kms. I reached Manuka Flat where it was boggy in places and then carried on to about the 800 metre level where the first views appeared. This was a good place to stop for a bite to eat and a welcomed rest stop. This was just before the turn to the hut and my intention was to bypass the hut on the way up and visit it on the way down. I did this and followed a pad across the moor until it seemed to disappear and then scrub bashed back to the main track. It was quite wet in this area and I consequently ended up with very muddy boots and gaiters. After crossing the moor the track climbed steadily up the ridge and then around the side of it before coming out on a rocky crest.

Small tarns seen from the ascent ridge

There were some small tarns on the moor that would be a good source of water. The track crossed the crest and then went down slightly before the final ascent to the summit. This last part of the walk was mainly rock hopping and following the occasional cairns, but the route was obvious.
It took me 4 hours to reach the summit(probably quite slow really, but then again, I am not as young as I once was.) The views were great and I hung around at the summit for about 25 minutes just looking all around. The mountains one can see are too numerous to mention and the views to the coast were also grand. While I was here I had some lunch and then began the descent. I walked back via the "hut", which consists mainly of a stone wall and no roof, which would provide some shelter from the wind, but that is all.
I finally arrived back at the car after three and a half hours and was rather glad to finally get there.
Overall, a good walk although I found it quite tiring.
Distance: 14.9 kms.
Time: 7'59""
Ascent: 1150 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

Interesting Fungi

The final ascent

From the summit

From the summit

From the summit

From the summit

From the summit

Summit Cairn

The "Hut" with Adamsons Peak in background

High Yellow Bluff

Saturday 14th December 2013

High Yellow Bluff

I had heard that the walk to High Yellow Bluff was not that spectacular and with limited views, but I chose to do it anyway. To make it a little more different I opted to make a circuit walk out of it, thus making it a little more interesting, although I could be stretching the truth somewhat in saying that. Really, it was not too bad.
To reach the start, I drove down to Murdunna and turned off onto Hylands Road and followed this until turning onto Richardsons Road and travelling along this for about 2.7 kms. to a bit of a car park. I chose to park here as I was doing the circuit walk, but if one wanted to walk up to High Yellow Bluff and back the same way, then continue driving down Richardsons Road towards the coast for another 2.5 kms. and park here if in a 2WD car or continue on to almost the end of the road if in 4WD. I say this because there are large water filled holes to negotiate and an ordinary car would not make it.

Cape Surville from end of road

I headed off at 0750 and the 3 kilometre walk along the road to the coast was nothing startling and there had been a fire through the area so it was not too impressive. Just before reaching the end of the road a locked gate was encountered and just after this used to be a sign indicating the track to Cape Surville and also High Yellow Bluff. It had been burnt and was now in pieces on the ground and totally unreadable. I continued on to the end of the road and a small roundabout where the track began.
The first section of track was becoming overgrown from lack of use and required a bit of pushing to get through. It was mainly very tall bracken fern, so it was not too bad. The track had the occasionally tape, but generally, it was not too hard to pick up in the scrub. After a time I crossed Chasm Creek which was only a trickle and then start climbing.

Nice Cabin Cruiser

About halfway up the climb was a good lookout with great views of the sea and Cape Surville. There was a good looking boat cruising around and the sea was quite flat as the photo indicates.
I had a stop here to take in the views as I knew there were no more to be had on the walk. The track climbed steadily from here and fairly soon became very rocky. There were so many logs down across the track that progress was quite slow but after about 2.5 hours from the start I finally reached the ridge that runs along the top of High Yellow Bluff. From here I just made my own track along the ridge. There was the occasionally tape or cairn but not enough to be really useful.

The "Walking Track"

After reaching what I determined was the summit I walked in a north westerly direction down from the top through some scrub(not too bad) and came out into an area that had been burnt which made progress somewhat easier. My aim was to reach an old vehicle track which was shown on the map and fairly soon I came across it. The track had been abandoned but was easy to follow while crossing over the occasional downed tree. Soon the track met a better road and I kept following this down. I came across 3 4WDS that had obviously been mud bashing but they were quite friendly so I carried on and reached the car at 1235.
Overall not a bad walk, even though a lot of it is on road or vehicle track and the views are limited.
Distance: 11.8 kms.
Time: 4'45"
Ascent: 550 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

High Yellow Bluff

Cape Surville

Sisters Rocks

High Yellow Bluff from Cape Surville 2011

Mount Riveaux

Saturday 7th December 2013

Today I was tossing up whether to walk to Mount Riveaux or to walk along the Huon Track to Blakes Opening. It was going to depend on the weather, because if Mount Riveaux was in cloud , then I would choose the latter option. As it turned out the mountain was cloud free when I arrived at the starting point, so up I went.
To reach the start of the walk, drive out from Geeveston to almost Tahune and then turn left into Picton Road and right into Riveaux Road. Drive to a locked gate on Riveaux Road and park here.
I set off walking just after 0800.The first section of the walk was along Riveaux Road which sloped gently downwards for about 3 kms. before reaching another locked gate. Just after this were some tapes on the left denoting the start of the "track". The track went steeply uphill at first before becoming more gentle but still climbing all the way. There were countless logs to clamber over or under and some were quite large. After a time a steeper section was reached and just above this was a small creek with a subsequent muddy area and some cutting grass. Beyond this section was an area of Bauera which has taken over the track. The track is almost nonexistent in this area, and, but for the tapes, it would be not easy to follow. The Bauera seemed to go on and on, but after battling through I finally reached the rocks for the final climb to the summit. There was some misty rain falling at this stage, but nothing to damping the spirits. There were good views from the top and after a short break I headed back down.
I only ended up with one leech today which was quite surprising really, due to the dampness of the forest.
Distance: 13.8 kms.
Time: 7'41"
Ascent: 837 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

                                                             Various views from the summit

Mount Cygnet

Tuesday 26th November 2013

Mount Cygnet

I had been planning to do this walk for some time, but had no information on it, as I guess no one ever goes there. This was fairly evident from the route that I walked as nobody had been that way for a very long time.
I drove past the last house on Garden Island Creek Road and found a place to park the car just inside the State Forest boundary. I was expecting to come across a locked gate but there was none.
After kitting up I headed off just after 0800. The first obstacle was Garden Island Creek, but that was quite easily forded whilst keeping my boots dry.
After that it was a short steep climb up a ridge to find an old forestry track. When I say track, I mean it was a track maybe 10 or 20 years ago, but any resemblance to a track now was in one's imagination.

Forestry "Track"-the good bit

The track did start out okay, but soon became a mess of tangled foliage, downed trees and further up cutting grass. There were many large trees down across the track which had to be climbed over or under and the track disappeared in places requiring a scrub bash to pick it up again. I lost it many times but just kept heading up the ridge where I would occasionally find it again.
It took a little over 2 hours to finally reach the top of the ridge where Mount Cygnet was situated. This was now a highway compared to where I had been walking and in about 20 minutes I reached the small cairn that denoted the summit. There were no views at all along the ridgetop but I had anticipated that would be the case. The plan was to keep walking along the ridge top and to then return via either of 2 tracks shown on the map, thus completing a small circuit. These tracks did not exist which I find quite common and I was more or less expecting that to be the case.

Highway along the ridgetop

I then had to walk back uphill and return to the car via the way I had come. The track seemed to be a little harder to follow going back down and I continually lost it and had to refer to my GPS quite a few times. It was pleasing to finally hear Garden Island Creek as I neared the car. I did end up with a couple of leeches on me which is a rarity down here, unlike in north Queensland where they are numerous and ferocious.
Overall not a great walk, mainly because of the scrub bashing and lack of views, but it was rather pleasant walking along the ridgetop through nice forest.

Distance: 9.9 kms.
Time: 5'30"
Ascent: 660 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

Tangle of branches

Log across track

Garden Island Creek

Garden Island Creek

Another log across track

Summit Cairn

Hellfire Bluff

Saturday 16th November 2013

Start of Hellfire Bluff

 Note: Please see the comment below regarding a log blocking the access to the walk start.

To get to the start of today's walk I had to drive out almost to Copping and turn off onto the road that passes through Kellevie and then onto Wielangta Road. At 568767/5269139 I turned right into a forestry road and followed this for 7.4 kms. to arrive at a quarry where I parked. This road was okay for 2WD with care but I did have to drive under a large gum tree which was leaning across the road. There was only enough space for my vehicle to pass under and all day I was hoping that it remained where it was because if it had come down I don't know how I would have been able to get out. I had a few different routes planned for this walk but when I checked a couple out I was not impressed with the steepness and scrubiness of a couple, so I decided to stick with the original route that I had planned.

Cockle Bay Track

I started walking at 0845 and the first 500 metres was a scrub bash downhill to meet up with a very overgrown pad through the bush.This was followed for a further 500 metres before encountering an old overgrown road which I walked for a short distance before arriving at an open area which had obviously been cleared in the past. I could see the Cockle Bay Track in the distance so I walked down to it and turned left and started walking uphill. Just a note here that from the start of the walk to the Cockle Bay Track is on private property but I saw no evidence of buildings, fences, stock or people and I am sure that other people have walked this way, although not too many, gauging by the state of the track through the bush.

Looking south from Cockle Bay Track

The track went uphill for some distance and at 4.3 kms. from the start and at 574094/5268202 I turned right onto a 4WD track that went uphill. This was followed until it petered out and then the track was just a walking pad along the cliff tops. At some places the track went within centimetres of the edge so some care needed to be taken. The views along here were spectacular and the water was like glass. I would guess that is why there were so many boats out fishing. There were quite a fews ups and downs along the way and just when you thought you were reaching the end another hill loomed up. Most of the time there was no real track to follow but it was just a matter of following the top of the ridge along. At some points the track was over 200 metres above the water and that was a long way down.
I finally reached the trig point at Hellfire Bluff at about 1100 where I had an early lunch and then headed back to the car. Overall a good walk with great views.
Distance: 13.8 kms.
Time: 5'01"
Ascent: 800 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

Marion Bay

Bluff Beach, Pine Creek Beach, Eagles Beach, Marion Beach

Blowhole Point

Looking south

From Hellfire Bluff

Hellfire Bluff Trig

Looking north from Hellfire Bluff