Comments on 2 x day walks in Tas over Xmas period

[Onestepmore]

Hi - we plan on having a week long stay in Tassie to visit relatives in Hobart over Christmas. We'll be flying from Sydney to Launceston and hope to stay somewhere near Coles Bay for a couple of nights on our way south - is the NP walk ('60 day walks' # 56) in the Freycinet Peninsula titled 'Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach Circuit' a good choice for a day walk? It's classed as level 4 (steep and rough) and has an estimated time of 4 - 5 hours. How accurate is this description? We're a reasonably fit early 40's couple with a 11 and 15 year old children (who both do scouting and overnight bushwalking with us) There don't seem to be any (even basic) track maps accessible from the NP website.....

The other walk we plan on doing when we are based in Hobart on Boxing Day is either NP walk # 12 Lake Esperance (1.5 - 2 hour alpine) or # 13 Hartz peak (3 - 5 hours)
Are either of these 'doable' in this time frame - ie return trip to and from Hobart? Once again this is classed as level 4 walk - how much 'wintry' gear should we bring for midsummer?

Hubby and I then have 2 days guided fly fishing and lodge accommodation in the Central Highlands (we're parking the minions with my Mum overnight!)

Any comments or suggesitons would be much appreciated

[pazzar]

You should easily be able to complete those walks in those time frames. The Freycinet-Hazards Beach circuit has a very good track, a little rougher on the descent to Wineglass Bay, but is easy enough. Should only take an hour or so to get there, then 2-3 hours to get back to the car around the circuit. You may want to break the walk up with a swim though!

Hartz Peak and Lake Esperance can be visited on the same trip. Allow 4-6 hours for it. The track to Hartz is very good, but it gets a little bit steep at Hartz Pass. Make sure you pick a good day, it can get pretty wild up there. Some basic winter gear should be carried just in case (Jacket, beanie and gloves).

You can buy maps with all the tracks on them from several places down here, and I would be surprised if you couldn't get at least the Freycinet map in Sydney at an outdoors store.

Cheers,

Jared

[johnw]

+1 to what Jared said. We're doing similar again this Xmas break, in Hobart for about 9 days from Boxing day.
I've done those walks among numerous others, you shouldn't have any problems. Yes, expect anything with the weather up at Hartz. Last visit I went up to Emily Tarn (below Hartz peak) and it was cold and damp. Went back with my wife a few days later, just to Lake Esperance and it was cold, windy and raining. Weather elsewhere was fine. Up on the summit a number of years ago I descended just before it was completed whited out.

Paddy Pallin in Sydney CBD usually have Freycinet NP, Mt Field NP and most of the popular Tasmanian day walk area maps.
Some of the other outdoor shops on the Kent Street strip also have them. The walks specified are on well defined tracks. Freycinet in particular usually has hordes of people going to the lookout or down to Wineglass Bay. Fewer return via Hazards beach but it's a good track.

[Onestepmore]

Thanks Jared, thanks John. Looking forwards to our trip. I was adamant that I'd get in a few days walking amongst the Christmassy family stuff. Maybe next time we'll have more time for Cradle Mountain and Walls of Jerusalem. (The following Christmas is planned already - Patagonia)
I'll hop into the city one day and have a scout for the maps. Always something else I want there (="need")

[GD4Up]

Save your money on the Freycinet map - the track is well marked and doesn't require any navigation unless you're intending some side trips to the peaks. Watch the weather as it can get quite hot in amongst the granite - a novel change for Tassie, watching out for heat stroke rather than snow - and you need plenty of water. Last trip there we ended up assisting two people back out after one collapsed.

[Onestepmore]

Cheers!