Ben Lomond on the Radio Today

[tastrekker]

Hi Everyone,

Earlier this week I heard Errol Williams interviewed on ABC radio. While I commend Errol for his phenomenal service to that mountain over 50 years, he made the claim that "There is not a single walking track in the whole Ben Lomond National Park." This was part of a discussion about the lack of visitors outside the ski season.

I wrote in to ABC North Tas to briefly set the record straight by listing the Carr Villa and Stacks Bluff tracks as examples of wonderful year-round bushwalking tracks on the mountain.

Elaine Harris from ABC North Tas is going to call me this afternoon and have a chat about bushwalking on Ben Lomond which is outside my normal area of expertise. Anyone have any suggestions to make before 3pm this arvo?

Regards,
Clinton

[tasadam]

Yes. Direct her to this forum!
Maybe give the Parks office responsible a call and ask what walks are in the area... Also check the Parks website.
Sorry, not personally familiar with the area. I must rectify that!
Best of luck!

[tasadam]

I just did a google search and came up with this...
Don't know whether that gives you too much to do in an hour and a half...

[Son of a Beach]

I was going to suggest Ragged Jack (small easy mountain), but I checked, and it's just outside of the park boundary.

From all accounts there's some good walking up there - apparently similar to the Walls of Jerusalem in some ways, but with fewer lakes/tarns and without all the peaks rising above the plateau. Haven't actually walked there yet, but have meant to do so for a few years.

[GerryDuke]

I might be a bit late but you might like to look at my site Clinton.

http://www.touringtasmania.info/ben_lomond.htm

I have tried to summarize many of the accessible walks throughout the island!

The Little Hell walk is superb. Follows the cross country skiing route. As good as the Carr Villa walk.


Gerry

[sthughes]

Good interview and nice plug for the forum Tastrekker

[Nuts]

Yeah, well done!

[tastrekker]

Thanks for the quick responses everyone. As a result, I had a myriad of web pages and images splashed all over my computer screen while I chatted. It helped make up for the fact that I'm stuck in an office rather than 'out there'!

[tasadam]

Yeah, I was lucky enough to be in the car so I got to hear it all, well done!

[ILUVSWTAS]

Oh wow, im dissapointed I missed that TT!!
Thats a crazy statement, there are loads of walking tracks up there! I guess they may have meant theres nothing like there is on the other popular touristy areas like Mt Field or Hartz IE All boardwalked and clearly marked.

[tasadam]

I guess they may have meant theres nothing like there is on the other popular touristy areas like Mt Field or Hartz IE All boardwalked and clearly marked.

That's what Clinton alluded to on the radio, you figured it out.

[north-north-west]

This was part of a discussion about the lack of visitors outside the ski season.

Frankly, the lack of visitors outside the ski season is one of the best things about Ben Lomond, in my opinion.

[ILUVSWTAS]

I guess they may have meant theres nothing like there is on the other popular touristy areas like Mt Field or Hartz IE All boardwalked and clearly marked.

That's what Clinton alluded to on the radio, you figured it out.

first time for anything i spose

[Nuts]

What about winter walking, its gotta be a better snowshoe destination than its ever going to provide decent ski runs. Ive only been up there a couple of times but the last time i swore never again. slaloming through rocks and eventually taking a dive over a boulder wasnt on my idea of fun!

[north-north-west]

I've never thought of Ben Lomond as a downhill destination. It's great for cross-country*, but that's it.

*or snow-shoeing

[GerryDuke]

TT - was Errol (or is it Eryl) complaining about opposition to grooming the ski slopes.

I tried to google the issue with a couple of results.
http://forums.ski.com.au/forums/ubbthre ... Post945983
http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/n ... torypage=1

Does anyone have any current information on the issue. Personally I think it would be a very good idea. The ski fields have been there a long time. Safety should certainly be a priority.

Gerry

[tastrekker]

TT - was Errol (or is it Eryl) complaining about opposition to grooming the ski slopes.

He certainly talked about the benefits of slope grooming and about the temperature, humidity and water supply conditions being suitable. He did not explicitly complain about opposition to it.

[Son of a Beach]

I'll have to buy a radio one of these days.

By all accounts you included a good plug for this site, TT, so thanks heaps for that.

[GerryDuke]

Thanks TT. I have some friends who ski. I have been interested in the issue. It has been discussed many times before. When I was googling the subject there was one comment where Parks wanted to pull down most of the buildings in the Park (edit: in the 1980's) when in was proclaimed a National Park in 1943 from memory!
http://stsa.webbed.com.au/history2.html
Incidently I love your blog site. I'm always looking it up. Is there anywhere you haven't been?.

I have been in the South for a few months and the program was not on here. Not on the net either. Like you Nik I missed it.

Gerry

[Beeper]

Errol, was having a whinge about the delay in getting a site plan up for the ski field, there is a link from here;

http://forums.ski.com.au/forums/ubbthre ... ost1012408

There have been several plans in the past, but they have never actually been signed off on. This one should, it was written by Parks.