Need advice: Not too challenging 2-3 Day Trips

[Blanko]

Hi everyone,

First of all: this board is fantastic! Already spent many hours reading through various topics and learning a lot while planing our trip to Tasmania. I'll be flying in with my wife in early October for some days of hiking during our 3 weeks trip to australia. I'd be keen to do the overland track, but my wife isn't really looking forward to such a long hike, as she's not sure about the challenging wheather conditions said to be found there. So we decided to go for other alternative hikes. An overnighter Freycinet hike seems to be a good (slow) start - as I've read here that many people would do the tour in 1 day. So let's say we go for Freycinet at first - do you have any suggestions for one or two nice 2-3 days trails? We're not looking for any extremes and just walking without any climbing involved would be the best, i guess. We'll have a car to travel to the starting points of the tracks, and we're well enough equipped for all weather conditions except deep snow (no snowshoes).

I absolutely do not know my way around Tasmania yet, so if you could please indicate roughly where (e.g North, very South) to find the tracks you might suggest?

THANKS A LOT in advance for any hints and tips!

Cheers,

Blanko

[tasadam]

Couple of quick points - the Overland Track weather isn't much worse than anywhere else in Tassie can be. It's not that it is always bad, just that it can be, and if you're not ready for it you can be in a bit of bother.
The east coast / Freycinet is a good option and very nice... And the weather is usually better...
You can walk in to the bottom of Wineglass Bay and camp there, or you can go further up & over Mt Graham and down to Cooks Beach. Or you can get to Cooks Beach via the eastern side, a close look at a map will show you where I mean. You can do a circuit - down to Wineglass Beach, then over Mt Graham to Cooks beach, then back along the coast / Hazards Beach to the carpark.

Only a short distance in, but Shadow Lake is very nice, and from here you can climb Little Hugel without too much bother. Or a day walk around to Mt Rufus from Cynthia Bay (Lake St Clair) is pleasant.

Or take the early ferry across Lake St Clair to Narcissus, then up to Pine Valley and from here you can either take a day trip up to the Labyrinth if the weather is good (pretty exposed up there), or maybe climb the Acropolis. And you could walk back to Echo Point from Pine Valley in a comfortable day, and another comfortable day back to Cynthia Bay, taking your time appreciating the forest along the shores of the lake.

No doubt you will get other suggestions.

If you start HERE you can zoom in, drag around, and see a lot of places.

[walkinTas]

...and if you're not ready for it you can be in a bit of bother.

Some good advice there tasadam.

Blanko, I notice you are not an Australia. "A bit of bother" is classic Australian understatement. People have been caught out and have died in the Tasmanian highlands. You could end up in brilliant sunshine, or it could be very wet or you could even end up in a blizzard. The problem is the weather can change very quickly. As tasadam says, you just need be ready.

[Blanko]

...and if you're not ready for it you can be in a bit of bother.

Some good advice there tasadam.

Blanko, I notice you are not an Australia. "A bit of bother" is classic Australian understatement.

Heh, thanks guys I appreciate the advice - i terms of gear, we should be ready to face all kinds of weather conditions - and whether or not it will be the OT in the end - we will take everything with us, so I'm not worried.

@Tasadam: Thanks a lot for the tips! Much appreciated! Would be really great if we could gather a few more of that kind from the others - and then i think we might be able to plan the perfect trip around this beatiful island!

[tastrax]

Hi Blanco,
If you are only in Australia for three weeks, how long will you be in Tasmania? You may find that you can get a great overview of Tasmania by doing daywalks. Check out this site for a few of the "Great Short walks" - these range from about 15 minutes to longer day walks and provide a real variety of environments and locations.

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=1315

You can also download the full brochure

[Blanko]

Hi Phil,

thanks a lot for the link - this is very helpful! We haven't booked our domestic flights yet, but we planned on staying at least 10 days in Tasmania. We were thinking of at least one longer track (hence the ask for any tips besides the overland track) and 1-2 daytrips. Since my wife is now showing more and more interest in actually going for the OT (thanks to some of the awesome pictures and posts in this forum), our current planning stands as follows: Arrival in Tas on the 6th, departure on the 17th. So we could start the OT on the 7th I guess. Considering 2 extra days (due to weather or side trips), we should arrive at Lake St. Clair on the 14th latest. That leaves the 15th and 16th for either an overnighter or another one day trip. Does this sound reasonable - or am I making a big miskate here?

Again, thanks to everyone helping me out!

Cheers,

Blanko

[tasadam]

3 weeks in Australia? Problem solved - 3 weeks in Tasmania!