Frenchmans Cap has the reputation of being a tough, challenging walk, particularly the last push to the summit. Having said that, the weather will often close in, making a summit push inadvisable and dangerous.
We were lucky enough to have perfect weather all the way.
The guides say to allow 3-5 days for this walk. We met a few people that did it in two and a couple that ran it in a day, but it is definitely worth taking the extra time to relax, enjoy the view and "smell the roses". We took four days to complete, which was plenty of time to do it comfortably and have a look around.
Day 1: Car park to Lake Vera, 15 kmStart at the car park - which was surprisingly empty - and cross the suspension bridge over the beautiful Franklin River. It must have been challenging and cold to wade across during the early days.
A gentle climb up beside a gorgeous creek gives rise to an amazing glimpse of Frenchmans Cap.
Following this was a walk through button grass and over the Loddon Plains. Realignment and upgrading of the track now make this trip easier as opposed to struggling through knee deep and often thigh deep mud of yesteryear. Thanks, Dick Smith, for the funding! After some more scenic walking, we arrived at the mighty Loddon River for lunch. A relatively simple traverse brought us down to Lake Vera where we spent the night. There is a hut here, but we decided to pitch tents nearby.
Day 2: Lake Vera, Frenchmans, Lake Tahune, 8 km A beautiful walk through temperate rainforest. We were clambering over old tree roots, through magical and mythical creeks, and waterfalls. You expect Frodo to jump out at any minute. Although this day is only about seven kilometres, it can take quite a while to navigate. Another climb brought us to Barron Pass, which has one of the best views of the walk. Make sure you spend a bit of time here to take it all in. We arrived at Lake Tahune just after lunch, and given the weather was clear, we decided to summit Frenchmans that
Rare stillness at Lake Vera
Bushwalk
