Getting ahead at St. Patricks

[iandsmith]

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH
“St. Patricks Head” – the sign out the corner of my eye set my curiosity streak in motion. Never heard of it, only 2 kms in, might as well go and have a look. I was near St. Marys, a town with a good pie shop and not all that much else.
As I slowly travelled up the dirt road I was unsure of which road to take at an intersection and naturally chose the wrong one but was soon back and heading up the right road; this time to a dead end and small turnaround that’s actually 4.17 kms in from the sign.
While driving up and down it was hard not to notice the spectacular outcrop that was obviously the aforementioned head. Now, I never met or have seen pictures of St. Patrick, he having passed away just before I was born.....actually, hundreds of years before; but if his head looked like that outcrop he must have been ridiculed during his early years.
There was a sign there that said “St Patricks Head Track – 2 hours return”. How could I refuse? I saddled up and headed out, figuring two things correctly before I left – it would be steep (very) and the views from the top should be something to behold.
The first ten minutes were across open paddocks before reaching lush ferns and underbrush that totally obscured the trail. Only bits of pink plastic that someone had tied indicated where to go. Once through that it was onto the rocky trail for at least another ten minutes and then it really started to rise. It was just a few degrees short of climbing and the track was badly worn in some places and a scree slope in others.
I stopped several times until I saw the outcrop just ahead and within five arduous minutes I had reached the base. Clambering around, up and over I finally reached the summit.
I’ve been to many summits in Australia, including Kosciuszko, and I cannot recall seeing a more magnificent 360 degree panorama than here. The distant beaches looked stunning and the inland was attractive as well. When I later checked on the internet, this is what someone had to say, “Few tourists come this way, so add this one to your list if you’re an aficionado of the obscure and want to get away from the increasing numbers of people travelling to Tassie these days. Great coastal views from the summit and a vigorous short climb combine to make St Patrick’s an undiscovered little gem”. Amen to that.
I scrambled back to motorhome and checked that it had taken me 1 hour 40 minutes and two thirds of that almost was going up but wow, was it worth it!