Small steps …

Last Saturday, which was a gorgeous Tasmanian winters day, we walked the Echo Sugarloaf Track near Randalls Bay close to the mouth of the Huon River. This was my first attempt at bush walking since the shenanigans of late April.  I recalled how in `All Things Wise and Wonderful’ James Herriot describes a fellow who, after making the trip from the countryside into London, complained about how difficult it was to walk in the city:

“There were that many people about,” he explained,

“I ’ad to take big steps and little ’uns, then big steps and little ’uns again.”

 

Well, there were no people to disturb the rhythm of the walk but metaphorically it felt like the first very little steps back to normality.

 

The Echo Sugarloaf Walk is part of a collection of Tasmanian walks known as the Poimenas. These walks are companions to the Abels which are mountains over 1100 metres in elevation, Tasmania’s equivalent to the Scottish Munros. In contrast, the Poimenas have modest elevation but are chosen instead for their views or historical significance. The walk starts from Randall’s Bay beach and follows a circular track that is usually tackled in a clockwise direction. At first the path rises gradually through a beautiful white peppermint gum forest before opening out to reveal a panoramic vista of the mountains of south-west Tasmania, particularly Adamsons Peak and the Hartz Mountains.

 

 

 Adamsons Peak - cow and calf

 

 

 Mount Snowy and Hartz Peak

 

From the trig beacon at the summit, the path descends rapidly via a series of 18 switchback turns back to the start. On the way down you are rewarded with lovely views over Randalls Bay beach and the mouth of the Huon.  The 4.5km to and from the car took 1 hour 11 minutes to complete and I felt completely comfortable both during and after the walk. 

 

Randalls Bay and the mouth of the Huon River

In other news, we have a new family member. Last weekend we went down to an adopt-a-kitten event in Huonville, ostensibly `just to have a look'. We met a small delightful kitten who had been abandoned near a rubbish bin in late March.  Needless to say we couldn't resist her charms and we adopted her on the spot. She is a beautiful tabby, although her markings are significantly different to our previous cat Gracie, and she has some gorgeous flecks of brown in her coat.  It took her a day or two to get used to us - not surprising given her rather brutal introduction to the world - but she is now establishing her dominion over interior of the house.  We have named her Vesper. 

 

 Vesper

 

 As yet Vesper has not had the pleasure of meeting either Pepper or Knut but watch this space ...