Looking for challenging day walks

[kurt]

hello bushwalkers!, been wondering around this forum for a while now just getting into bush walking lately did Roland again a few weeks ago, then part of the Higgs track on Aus day last week.
I'm looking for changeling day walks never seem to have enough time for an overnighter, although trying to work out a weekend with finds and equipment for the Walls of Jerusalem at some time.
Any suggestions? I live in the Devonport area, I was talking to someone yesterday who said something called cloyesters track (no idea on the spelling) is a good challenge because parks don't maintain it and you might have to get inventive to walk it which was kind of like a red flag to a bull for me.

[ILUVSWTAS]

try this link

http://www.hobartwalkingclub.org.au/htm ... walks.html

[taswegian]

Kurt welcome to the wonderland of day walks.
You don't need overnighters to see the Walls area. There are heaps of walking you can do (temper that in light of access since our floods) within the confines of the upper Mersey/ Fisher River / Arm River.
That said nothing beats the extras you miss out on when not there all day and night.

Fisher Bluff, Mersey Crag, Clumner Bluff. Mt Rogoona - depends on how fit you are as to what.

Was it Cloisters you heard of? Track off end of Mersey Road to Chapter Lake, Grail Falls, and on to Cloister Lagoon, then if you know where - over the 'ridge' to Lake Mytrle and back via lake Bill. That would be a 'is a good challenge '

I see others are posting while I type and yes - what is 'challenging'?

[kurt]

OK so some of you guys live on this forum I see.

Thanks for the examples am googleing now which leads to another question were can you get some descent maps online? Or should I just buy the TAS map for the area I go which is what I'm doing now.

as for "changeling" last time I did Ronald (back track) it wasn’t enough so I got a few mates together for this Sunday we're going up the front this time across to van dyke then Claude (leaving a car their to start) to see if that’s better.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hmm anyway just what is a Changeling walk?? A walk that changes half way through?

[doogs]

Being a Scot Kurt freaked me out a bit!

I'm looking for changeling day walks

In Celtic (predominantly Irish) mythology, a changeling is an evil spirit which removes a child from its cradle, then takes the child's place (in the form of the child, but with evil characteristics).

Are you sure your name isn't Kult!!!

[Thomas]

Hey Kurt,

I did Split Rock & Split Rock Falls (Meander) on the 3rd of January. Not an overly long walk, but required a little oomph in places & had some areas above Split Rock Falls that required a little scambling. Enjoyed it very much. Poked around there for about 4hrs. Could be done quicker, but was taking pics..!!!

I see you've completed some of Higgs Track.....how far did u go..?? I went in last Sunday (23rd Jan), right to the shores of Lake Nameless. Stay tuned for a full report on that.

Regards,
Thomas.

[taswegian]

Could do with a bit of rain though, very dry. Tanks almost empty.

no shortage north of that imaginary line.

But that line if moved north then includes parts of that uninhabited waste land.


Kurt - if you are still following this I forgot to mention Mt Pillinger, Mt Oakleigh, even a stroll into the Pelion Plains and beyond as far as you want in a day, any amount of walking if you start at Lake McKenzie, a good walk is the full length of Mt Roland 'range' from west end of Mt Claude up from Cethana, across Van Dyke and onto Roland and down the face track if your knees are up to that!!

were can you get some descent maps online?

Tasmap are experimenting with paper quality. I'd check with them in Hobart as you may now be able to access better maps than are currently available in Service Tas shops.
I was talking recently with a bloke down there and they are aware of the issues with use in the bush.

I think this post was kind of like a red flag to a bull

Last edited by taswegian on Mon 31 Jan, 2011 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[frenchy_84]

Drys bluff is more of a challenge than it's singular point would suggest

[sirius Tas]

Hi Kurt,
For maps try..
http://www.thelist.tas.gov.au/
free access...1:25000 mapping...easy to print.
Other day walks..
Mt Jerusalem...9hrs or so
Mt Pillinger and back via Lake McCoy.....will need good navigational experience
Bryans Beach and return(Freycinet).....via Hazards Beach...10 plus hrs or so
Mt Freycinet circuit...over Mt Graham then onto Mt Freycinet and back via Cookes Beach and around the shore past Pt Fleurieu to Coles Bay
Also quite extensive sections of the Penguin Cradle Trail that can be done with a vehicle or bike at one end.
Dooleys Heritage trail from Spellmans to Gentle Annie...with vehicle or bike at one end.
Cradle Mt
Barn Bluff
Ironstone Mt
Reynolds Falls.....etc etc.

[kurt]

Hey Kurt,

I did Split Rock & Split Rock Falls (Meander) on the 3rd of January. Not an overly long walk, but required a little oomph in places & had some areas above Split Rock Falls that required a little scambling. Enjoyed it very much. Poked around there for about 4hrs. Could be done quicker, but was taking pics..!!!

I see you've completed some of Higgs Track.....how far did u go..?? I went in last Sunday (23rd Jan), right to the shores of Lake Nameless. Stay tuned for a full report on that.

Regards,
Thomas.

I'll add that to my list of research thanks, I kind of just ended up going to Higgs track I was board on aus day couldn’t find anyone who wanted to walk so I through stuff it I'll just go see where I end up! so through together a quick day pack and ended up in Mole Creek, went into the information centre ran into an old teacher from Latrobe High started asking him were I should go? he then spent the next 30min talking about some dude named Keith Lancaster which his diaries are kinda cool, finally got out of him that the Higgs track was a good walk and not flooded out spent the next hr or so driving around finding it why they didn’t have a map I just don’t know! Finally found it and started walking at 12:00 stuffed around at the first hut and Lady Lake for a while decided to keep going got close to lake Lucy long at about 3:30 wasn’t sure how much further the track went and I was really unprepared forgot the golden rule of Tassie which is pack for all sessions and turned around. I sent 2 friends up there Yesterday I would have joined them but was away all weekend, they went all the way to nameless and really enjoyed it.

Yes my spelling is *&%$#! I apologise.

[sthughes]

I reckon we've just found a new "bagging" list. We can call it the Sthughes's - walks that are too far for Sthughes to be bothered walking but he knows they can be done. C'mon, I'm sure there is a pretty extensive list you could give us. Creepy crawly nature trail?

Hmm could do if I could be bothered What I meant is that I'd rather just stop for a night (or two!) on those walks, it's just more fun to me. But my masochistic tendencies are pretty limited I must admit.

Yeah the Roland/Van Dyke/Claude thing isn't bad, good views (or so I'm told. The weather always cracks up for me when I do Claude & Van Dyke).

For something close to home the Dial range starting near the old Tip and taking in Montgomery, Dial, Gnomon (optionally the slightly out of the way Duncan) and then back via the creek to the east is a pretty long day walk. Duncan is the best one though and requires some time on a fire trail.

Parts of the Penguin Cradle trail can be done as day walks as well. Have a look at the North West Walking club site for details on that one.

Higgs track is a doddle, but for a bit more challenge (assuming you are adequately equipped and with good navigation skills) you can get off that track pretty much anywhere on the plateau and explore off track towards Lake McKenzie and the Walls. A GPS is handy though if the weather closes in.

Stacks Bluff and Drys Bluff are two others in the harder category as is Mt Jerusalem or even King Solomons Throne etc.

That post took ages between starting and finishing, looks like a few suggestions are already covered.

[stu]

To do Federation in under 24 hours is a good goal
Lots of very big, very hard day walks in the south of the state, on & off track...
eg.
Mt Weld
Anne Circuit in a day (or just Anne herself)
Mt Bobs
Adamsons / The Calf / Mesa
Leillateah
Clear Hill & The Thumbs (or just the Thumbs)
The Coronets
etc.
These I have done as day walks & can attest to their difficulty.

The world (or state) is your oyster really & the definition of 'day walk' is up to the individual, there are 24 hours to play with.
Have fun & stay safe...
Stu.

[JamesMc]

Hazards Traverse. For a real challenge, include Mt Mayson

JamesMc

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hazards Traverse. For a real challenge, include Mt Mayson

JamesMc

Agree with that!! Amos and Dove are VERY easy walks in compasion to Mayson.

[ollster]

MJD, ILUV and I were up pillaging the NW on this past weekend. I believe we found your hard day walk. It only took us 3h 40m, but it was about 95% horizontal scrub. The name was Loongana Range. You can get within 1.2kms, then there is about 150m of open forest before the horrie starts. It's not tracked, so navigational equipment is required.

Have fun!

[ILUVSWTAS]

MJD, ILUV and I were up pillaging the NW on this past weekend. I believe we found your hard day walk. It only took us 3h 40m, but it was about 95% horizontal scrub. The name was Loongana Range. You can get within 1.2kms, then there is about 150m of open forest before the horrie starts. It's not tracked, so navigational equipment is required.

Have fun!

1.04 k's actually my friend.

[kurt]

MJD, ILUV and I were up pillaging the NW on this past weekend. I believe we found your hard day walk. It only took us 3h 40m, but it was about 95% horizontal scrub. The name was Loongana Range. You can get within 1.2kms, then there is about 150m of open forest before the horrie starts. It's not tracked, so navigational equipment is required.

Have fun!

Sounds interesting will add it to the list. I ended up walking from Lake Mckenzie to Lake Nameless on Saturday, then Mt Roland to Claude via Van Dyke on Sunday, I have some GPS maps will post a bit later.

[ollster]

Sounds interesting will add it to the list. I ended up walking from Lake Mckenzie to Lake Nameless on Saturday, then Mt Roland to Claude via Van Dyke on Sunday, I have some GPS maps will post a bit later.

It's a good guide to what life is like in the dark depths of SW Tas. It will be a orders of magnitude harder than walking out to Lake Nameless or up Roland, and you should not really go alone. Still, there is a road that runs around the base of it, so you probably can't get too lost without being able to descend and pick up a road. If you haven't done any off-track through forest before it would probably be a good idea to do some before attempting this.

I'd suggest taking a proper walking GPS (for backtracking), a compass (for orientation, it's very easy to get disoriented in the scrub) and probably quite a bit of route marking tape (for backtracking, just be sure to try and remove it on the way out). Remember, if you're not comfortable about being able to get back, don't keep going.

[ILUVSWTAS]

And it's much easier to do without a pack. Many many times we were on hands and knees trying to squeeze underneath the scrub. There were very few times on the walk we were in an upright standing position.

[Crum]

Drys Bluff, Black Bluff and Mt Pillinger are all really good day walks and are definitely not just a stroll in the park

[ILUVSWTAS]

I have only done Drys out of those 3, and although it is kinda of uphill, it's really not a difficult walk surely???

And what makes Pillinger or B.Bluff hard? It's not far on a decent track unless im mistaken??

[doogs]

Drys Bluff, Black Bluff and Mt Pillinger are all really good day walks and are definitely not just a stroll in the park

I've only been up Pillinger which was a 1/2 day walk. Worth the trip though for the views into the middle of the national park.

[doogs]

nothing can beat the mighty array of peaks in the NE - Byatts Razorback, "The Dome", Mt Henry, Snow Hill, Mt Morriston etc

[Liamy77]

nothing can beat the mighty array of peaks in the NE - Byatts Razorback, "The Dome", Mt Henry, Snow Hill, Mt Morriston etc

true i have heard that they are so mighty you need a chairlift up one


..... so long as no one sees me sweatin my butt off later heading up some of these northern bumps i'll get away with giving em stick....

[walkinTas]

True! And it doesn't have to be tall to be hard, as ILuv found out when he climbed that little hill out near Black Bluff.

[ollster]

True! And it doesn't have to be tall to be hard, as ILuv found out when he climbed that little hill out near Black Bluff.

We already knew that... just surprised to find a "SW Experience" so far north. It was interesting, down south we tend to have big horrie forests that are old, bigger branches, and generally you can find yourself up to 5-6 metres off the ground sometimes. The stuff on Loongana was much younger, with more-but-thinner branches and more tangle at times.

It was fun, I must admit.

And here's a picture by MJD of the less thick stuff down lower. The stuff that made up the middle 70% of the walk was generally much thicker branched. There were some trees we found on the way down that were reaching down the hill like giant squid with dozens of arms. Was quite cool!

Attachments

NW horrie.jpg (600.3 KiB) Viewed 5849 times

[Taurë-rana]

Drys Bluff, Black Bluff and Mt Pillinger are all really good day walks and are definitely not just a stroll in the park

Dry's Bluff and Black Bluff are reasonably long and steep, but IMO Pillinger is a walk in the park, and a very pleasant one. I'm inclined to agree with the southerners, in general the walks up here are not as challenging as some of the walks to be found down south, but then there are many walks down there that are very easy too. YI can imagine that you can always make walks up here more challenging by linking a couple together. Many of the walks up here are very scenic though - if you're not pushing through thick scrub, you tend to have a better view!

[Taurë-rana]

Which other peaks did you do that were so umm unmemorable?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Riana and Lorymer were a disgrace!! They were logging the top of Lorymer and we had to clamber over fallen trees and piles of Forestry crap to find the highpoint. and all that for no views!! Drove to within 60m of the high point
The Dial Range was OK, but only OK. Mt Duncan probably the best of the 3, but seriously do they need that rope section up the top??? It was like a 6 foot ledge that barely required the use of your hands let alone a rope!!
Loyetea peak was a nice peak, but had a road to withing 100m of the summit.

Housetop was also ok. but only ok. The lower Western Summit had some pretty nice views.


St Valentines peak was definately the highlight, but was alot shorter than expected taking just under 3 hrs return. Also the towers and helipad on top takes away some of the majestic.