Collins Bonnet - from south, north or east?

[Stibb]

Hi all, new to the forum I'm also a recent import to this amazing island although I've spent many summers here, mostly on the Tasman Peninsula (love it). We now have a second base in Hobart. The last few weeks I've managed to pull my husband out on a few day hikes in the area (Russel/Horse Shoe/Lady Barron falls, Tarn Shelf circuit, Pelverata falls and last Sunday teh Mt Wello/Organ Pipes vi Junction Cabin). On our way to Pelverata I saw a beautiful scraggly peak which I figured out must be Collins Bonnet and decided it's a must do Just bought a map and a few searches around here and would like some advise from you guys. There seems to be (at least) 3 appoaches. The Mountain River seems to be the longest/hardest, yes? On the Myrtle Forest and from the Big bend, which one is nicest (best views, best trail, most diverse etc)? From Google earth it looks like the trail from the big bend is a big dirt road Is it really that bad/ugly? Is it fair to say the myrtle forest is faster/shorter but harder on your knees than from the big bend? The reason I'm asking is we're not super fit and my husband have a little bit of a knee/ancle issue and don't want too much up and down for too long. can't puch him too much or he wont go

Keen to go on Sunday and will appreciate all info and advise

Cheers

[stepbystep]

Hi Stibb,
Welcome to Hobart. The Bonnet was one of the first big walks I did when I arrived.
I haven't been from Mountain River so can't comment on that one.
It takes some time regardless of which of the other 2 options you choose. Myrtle Forest has less fire trail but can be turned into a circuit walk taking in Collins Cap also(mainly on fire trail ). There is also access to Mt Marion and Trestle Mountain from this side. The walk from Big Bend is quite interesting as you go through a high alpine moor and then sidle over/around Mt Connection, there is then a big valley between you and the bonnet. Much of a muchness, but from Big Bend you can choose to turn around at Mt Connection and it is still a nice walk.
Hope this helps.

[stepbystep]

Probably should have said, return from Myrtle Forest is quickest and goes through nice mixed forest, with a waterfall and all.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Mountain river is easily the hardest. More rewarding as it feels like a proper workout.

[Stibb]

Thanks for the replies. I think it looks like Myrtle forest this time and I'm sure it will feel like a real workout too . Apparently we walk quite slow (seems fast to us ) so the longer trips will have to wait till we get a few more trips under our feet. We have been behind all estimates from books and signs so far and we don't want to finnish after dark (again ).

Can't wait

(why do I keep getting logged out when I try to post and having to retype )

[MJD]

From Myrtle Forest is certainly the most interesting. It's also a popular starting point for a few other walks.

[weetbix456]

myrtle forest is also my favourite approach, and to be honest i find well trod walking tracks such as this to be easier on the knees than big rocky loose yo yo firetrails. you get some good views of other nearby peaks along the road if you make a circuit back to collins cap track too

[tas-man]

<Snip> (why do I keep getting logged out when I try to post and having to retype )

I had this problem too for many months until I decided to tick the box at loggin to "log me in automatically" and have not had any problems since then. I agree that it is an absolute PAIN in the B** to hit the "Submit" button and then be asked to log in, thus losing all you have written in your post.

[Stibb]

We made it Too bad it was the wrong peak well, there's nothing wrong with Collins Bonnet as such, quite the opposite. It's just that it was not the peak I saw from the road on our way to pelverata. Not sure which one it is exactly because when we were at the top it was a bit cloudy. I got a hazy picture of the peak, I'll upload later and maybe someone can recognise it. Anyway, great day! Left the car at 8.30 and got back to the car at 4.30pm I know were're slow but we lingered at the top and also took another way down. Beautiful weather all the way up but clouds were closing in a bit on the top. Still had some great views. Even had lunch up there though it was quite nippy and windy. As someone was winging a bit about the steepness on our way up (ok, we were both worried about our knees) we had two other alternatives down. we took the longer (but we thought easier ) by following the fire trail down until we got to the Myrtle Forest trail which was clearly marked on the map. well, the fire trail was ok and took us a fair way downhill the Myrtle forest trail was a real PAIN. Very overgrown, prickly scrub much worse than anything, mud, water and more mud and very slippery. Lots small trees and huge logs crossed the "trail" and no obvious way around. To slippery and too big to crawl over. We had to slither our way through. We were completely soaked up to our butts when we finally made it out with the bonus of a few leeches slowly sucking our blood dry. I'm sure most of you guys would think this would be a stroll in the park but we'll try to toughen up

And there's no way we would have made it and back from the Big Bend!

Still, I loved it What's next? Most likely Hartz Peak. Yay

@ tas-man: I've tried that but i never get logged in automatically anyway so I just have to remember to copy what I write before hit submit, then log in again and paste, and THEN submit

[Son of a Beach]

(why do I keep getting logged out when I try to post and having to retype )

Could be a cookies problem. Please try deleting your browser's cookies (all cookies related to either bushwalk.com or tasmania.bushwalk.com ).

[Stibb]

(ok, didn't work to delete all cookies. I still have to log in again after hit submit)

This is the peak I think I saw from the road to Pelverata. It was very prominent from that side. Picture is taken from the top of Collins Bonnet and looking south-ish. Could it be Mt Montagu or Montagu Thumbs? Sorry about the bad pic, it's taken trough the haze/clouds but I've tried to tweak it a bit to show anything at all.

[ILUVSWTAS]

That would be Cathederal Rock

[ILUVSWTAS]

It's on the end of the Montagu Thumbs. There's a good track going up from the end of Betts road. Just make sure you dont miss the track to the top from the plateau of the fire trail.

[Stibb]

Ok, It's now on the to-do-list. Thanks ILUVSWTAS

Probably need to hone my navigational and map reading skills

[Vern]

I've been from all three directions and think that Big Bend is the best. I find the Myrtle forest direction good to start but it lacks the view further on. Mountain River is just a hard slog and not that pleasent. Big Bend has views, is probably the flatest, although it is a bit up and down. I would also say that if you found Myrtle River hard on the knees then Cathedral Rock will probably have the same effect. A great view from the top though!

[Stibb]

Just make sure you dont miss the track to the top from the plateau of the fire trail.

Would that be the fire trail right at the beginning? I thought maybe start just before the end of Betts Rd and follow the river as I don't find the fire trails very nice to walk on (too wide and ugly). Or is that track a bad choice considering we'd rather have a "proper" trail rather than struggle through over grown ex-trails? Also, is the track from Cathedral Rock to Montague Thumbs decent and easy to follow?

[weetbix456]

i think he means the foot track turn off from the firetrail on the right that heads up to the summit. if you start heading down hill you've probebly missed the junction. to the thumbs it'd be prettty hard to get lost as it follows a generally sharp ridgeline and it's quite well trod but theres quite a few ups and downs and scoots around some cliffs. if you make it up to cathederal i cant see why you wouldnt make it along to the thumbs. Great circuit with Mt Montague and wellington falls if you've got some robust calves. Heres a view looking back over the route, couldn't find one of the track itself...

[stepbystep]

There are many alternatives - from Big Bend via Thark Ridge and Montagu Thumbs, or from The Springs via Potato Fields/Wellington Falls/Montagu Thumbs.
There is a guide book for Wellington Park that you might want to invest in

[Stibb]

i think he means the foot track turn off from the firetrail on the right that heads up to the summit.

Oh, ok. On my map the only thing that looks like a fire trail is at the beginning.

There are many alternatives

Too many Some just seem to be too long for us to do in a day. We. are. slooow. Must check them out though

There is a guide book for Wellington Park that you might want to invest in

Just bought a map over Freycinet. Haven't been there for 15 years. Time for a revisit. So much to do...

Hopefully the weekend will bring good weather to Hartz, otherwise it looks like Cathedral Rock from somewhere