Newbie Walker - Advice Needed

[ObtuseAngler]

Hi All,

I have been researching bushwalking for a few days now and found this site to be easily the biggest source of information.

My girlfriend and I recently completed a walk to wineglass bay (11km all up, returning via Hazards Beach) and had a ball. We love our island state and everything it has to offer, but until now most of our sightseeing has been done from the 4WD. After the enjoyment of our first walk we have decided to try and make it a regular event.

We are both of "moderate" fitness, in our mid 20s, we walk for 1 hr most nights of the week. I ride a bike 80 - 150 kms a week and she does various gym classes twice a week. However, we both started to doubt our fitness levels on the way up to the wineglass lookout! But, once we reached the top, all was well and we completed the rest of the walk quite easily in 4hrs with a 30 min break on the beach for lunch. We pulled up fine aside from some fairly sore calf muscles, a little sunburn, but a great sense of acheivment!

We are looking for some similar style day walks, maybe working up to 6-8hrs, relatively close to the Launceston area, with some well formed/marked tracks. This weekend we plan on walking through the gorge, up to duck reach, mainly because we have never done it. But after that I am out of ideas! since reading some forum topics I think Mt Arthur sounds promising, due mainly to its accesability. But I would appreciate some more ideas from some experianced walkers. I have heard things about some walks around Bridport and Bakers Beach areas, but would like at least a little challenge, as I don't fancy driving an hour just to stroll 30mins to a lookout, or what not.

This week I am going to try and find a copy of "Day Walks Tasmania" by John Chapman and possibly a new day pack, as well as starting to research hiking boots and gaitors. (spelling?) Before collecting some hiking gear for some overnight trips next summer, with the end goal being the overland track in the next few years.

Thanks for reading my essay style first post and look foward to seeing you all on the tracks some day.

OA

[bushrunner]

A really nice first walk, relatively close to Launceston, would be Higg's track (or is it the Higgs track?) to Lady Lake.
Basically it is a nice uphill walk through some pretty forest to the plateau and a nice hut and lake which is a great spot for lunch. Afterwards you could continue walking farther along the track, depending upon time and fitness, or could simply enjoy your lunch at Lady Lake and head back to the vehicle.
Enjoy and good luck.

[johnw]

This week I am going to try and find a copy of "Day Walks Tasmania" by John Chapman...

Welcome to the forum OA. This is a good resource as he/they give walk distance, grading, approx time, total climbing, best season, warnings/hazards, closest town to walk start/km away, walk features and notes for each walk includes a small topographic map of the walk and elevation profile. For example I've also done the Wineglass/Hazards Beach circuit that you completed which is listed as 12km, 4 1/2 hours, Medium Grade, 220m total climbing. I've used the book many times in Tassie. There are plenty of walks of reasonable length/effort without driving vast distances from the Launceston area. A few of those I've done and don't think they would be beyond your current fitness level (you sound pretty fit already, just don't overdo it as you build up experience likely using different muscles from your usual activities by walking over broken ground, steep up and down, rock scrambling etc):

Duck Reach (as you already planned) but you can extend it to a circuit including Trevallyn Dam (a bit of road walking at one point)
Archers Knob and Copper Cove at Narawntapu NP
Legges Tor from Carr Villa at Ben Lomond NP
Various walks on the Blue Tier (not in the Chapman Book)

If fitness is OK with those you could try:
Meander Falls
Quamby Bluff (quite a bit of climbing in both of these)

And I second Bushrunner's suggestion for Higgs Track to Lady Lake. It's a nice walk.

Also consider preparation/correct gear for conditions as some walks end up at alpine summits. There is plenty of info on the forums, and some in the Chapman book if you get it.

[sirius Tas]

Hi OA,
First..welcome aboard.
I take it you've read the topic....viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3546&start=0
with regards to walks close to Launnie.
Certainly agree with above suggestions...all great walks.....and yes...having just been up Quamby for the 2nd time...with Geopooch.....this is an easyish climb...but still quite challenging for beginners.
Other summits which are very speccy are...Mother Cummings Peak...accessed off Scotts Road for the easier option...though be careful across the plateau(as is the case for all of Tassies plateau areas...GPSr a very good idea taking wpts in case fog/clouds roll in)
Also the northern peak of Mother Cummings...accessed off Westrope Road(possibly best after more experience as it can be a little confusing with tracks on the plateau)
The walk into Whitelys Hut via the Western Creek Track is a very nice walk taking you past and over a set of falls.....tracks do continue to Lake Ironstone etc.....but would leave until more experience...unless you're confident with navigating.
The Meander Reserve is my favourite all time location for day walks...choice of Meander Falls, Split Rock Falls Track, Bastion Cascades, Chasm Falls and Smoko Falls.....all through superb rain forest with some really great rock features...overhangs, caves...etc.
Around Scottsdale....Mt Stronach has great views and around 2hrs return, Cuckoo Falls is a definite worth while walk.
I'm sure there are plenty of others too....as your experience grows you'll open the door for some great walks.

[ObtuseAngler]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Decided on Higgs Track next weekend (weather permitting) as it sounds very nice, then probaby Mt Arthur. We are also keen to check out Narawntapu NP as we love the coastline.

Once again, thanks everyone for your input, i'll keep you posted on our progress