dbm wrote:We are now pretty keen to do the Western Arthurs: would it be right to say it's like the hardest parts of the MT Anne circuit for days and days in a row?
Yes, that would be fair to say, although they are very different. The Western Arthur Range is more difficult in some ways (steep up and down EVERY day; greater exposure to weather), and less difficult in others (not as much scrub). The biggest difference you would notice would be the geology. The Anne Circuit is largely on dolerite, with big boulder fields and slabs of dolerite to negotiate. The W'Arthurs are largely quartzite, which is less predictable and more "gnarly" than dolerite, and very VERY tough. One other difference is the ease of access. For the Anne Circuit you leave the road and start onto the range. For the W'Arthurs, you have the Arthur plains (mud, heat, tedium) for many hours before you even start climbing.
Having said all that, I still rate the Arthurs the most incredible walking experience in my 34 years of Tasmanian bushwalking,
cheers
Peter