Mt Barrow

[naturelover]

Today we accidentally climbed Mt Barrow – that is, we didn’t get to the top and say “Oh no. This is not Ben Lomond after all”; rather, we climbed it as a mistake in our interpretation of the weather. The forecast was for rain and there were big clouds around. For this reason, we hadn’t gone further afield than the gorge in the morning, but I had not had enough exercise, so suggested during lunch that we walk up Barrow after a bit of a read. We packed our anoraks, our new toy umbrella (to protect my camera lens whilst taking photos in the rain), tripod, some muesli bars etc and drove off. It is rather embarrassing to admit, but although we have lived in Launceston for 25 years, and although we quite often (or so it seems) drive 4-5 hours to climb mountains down south, Ben has never been up Mt Barrow, either in a car or on foot. I’ve run up it twice, so am not quite so renegade.

We parked at a kind of picnic hut thing, and set out walking. I didn’t have a clue how long walking would take, but it was a rarely used road, so we could descend in the dark if necessary. Ben was most unimpressed to be walking up a road, but I assured him we’d have it to ourselves, and we were there for the exercise, not so much for the scenery – it was only Barrow, after all. A car and a motorbike farted by after about 12 mins. That did not augur so very well. Fortunately, after that my grand prophecy was correct. Normally my husband has to watch his feet carefully. I also promised him that on this walk he could be like me and look at the scenery, as it was impossible to trip. That one was correct too. He enjoyed it.
The higher we climbed, the lower dropped the sun, the more spectacular the landscape became in the golden light. Whilst waiting for him at the top, I sussed out how I would get to that alluring summit trig. All the space-age towers with huge circular ear-muffs or robot eyes looked like something from a sci-fi horror movie and quite spooked me, actually. In the end I did the rocky bit solo. The rocks were very slippery, the moon equipment foreboding. The promised clouds and nightfall were approaching too quickly.
Our descent was absolutely magic. An imposing cloud mass had built up, but remained in a narrowish strip, and firey rays of light projected in streams above and below the banks of louring grey to the west. An eastern hump of dolerite cliffs (which faced west) took on an orange mantel for long enough for me to photograph it before it donned its dull night jacket. The ocean was clearly visible in the evening light, and the mass of mountains to east, north and west made wonderful silhouettes.
My cute new umbrella stayed in the pack. We plotted our next visit as we drove home.

[biggbird]

So where are the photos then?! Mt Barrow was a great drive to the top, loved that road. Evidently you walked it instead

[north-north-west]

It's a short easy walk, and gets you loosened up nicely for the rock-hopping to the trig, which is more fun if you avoid the towers and go straight up from the gully on the southern side.

Then you can amble along the ridge, climb over a couple of bits of fence, and go down the stairs. All very civilised.

[naturelover]

Yeah, the walk is wonderful, and you can gaze all around the magnificent view while you're at it.
I eyed up that gully for next time, nnw. The very high route I took was too space-age for me on the way out. I was more used to it by the return.
Re photos, bigbird, I have yet to decide which ones to use. I'll have another check on your behalf.

[naturelover]

Photos: Big bird, I see I promised you photos and never produced them. If you go to my blogspot you can find them: natureloverswalks.blogspot.com

[agistachys]

I am wondering whether Mt Barrow has any tracks on it other than the short ones from the road end near the towers.
Anything longer coming up from below? Or is it surrounded by private property?
It seems a bit strange if a big mountain so close to Launceston had no longer tracks on it.

[naturelover]

I understand your implicit astonishment that there is nothing more on offer on Barrow, and the question checking that what appears to be the case, in fact is. There is a lamentable paucity of tracks and a lack of imagination in ways to use this beautiful mountain with its awesome views. We should offer the tourist (and locals) something more than a drive to the top. Wellington has a marvellous network of tracks all over it, and this mountain could -- but doesn't, to the best of my knowledge. That makes finding the actual summit far more fun, but there is still so much more that could be done for people who want tracks and who want to engage with the mountain in a way that is more meaningful than sitting in a car. For example, there's an interesting looking route directly from the last hairpin up to the summit which one can see from there. That would make a great marked route. There is also clamouring to be done from where one parks the car to several mounds of rock to the east - quite fun stuff. There could also be a grand route going from where you ditch the car at the bottom, kind of directly up to the car park. My husband and I did this for a while one time until the bush got too thick and we went for speed rather than directness and walked the road for the rest, but a track that just went straight up would be easily possible, but we certainly failed to find one on our journeys. Given that most tourists (well, the sort I mix with) don't want to just drive somewhere, but want to DO something, this is a lost opportunity, matched by the equally unused potential that Ben Nevis offers for a multiplicity of marked pads out to viewpoints. There, however, you're negotiating scoparia; on Barrow you're just playing with harmless scree.
All that said,the walk up the road, as per the report, is very, very pleasant as there is next to no traffic and the views are extraordinary - and one can stay until sunset at the top and have a perfectly safe descent still staring at the silhouettes and fiery skies as one goes without worrying about where one is putting one's feet - or without watching the ground at all.

[naturelover]

By the way, I forgot to add that my blogsite natureloverswalks.blogspot.com has two different reports / stories on Barrow (with photos). You might like to check it out. I have been getting very positive feedback (thanks everyone !!!!!).