Walk Number 27 .......Mt Fortescue 15/1/2012

The beginning of another new year is upon us....2012, wow!!  When I was a kid the year 2012 brought up images of flying saucers, living on other planets and everything done by robots....well obviously that hasn't eventuated (must have been well before my time!) but one thing that is assured is that we can still hike to magnificent places!  Today's trek is a visit to Mt Fortescue.....an 8 hour walk, which includes refreshment & photo breaks. 


The Mount Fortescue walk is over one of the more recently established tracks on the Peninsula and takes in the previously unaccessed coastline of Fortescue Bay.  The walk traverses a wide variety of country including rugged clifftops, rainforest and the summit of Mt Fortescue which rises to 490 metres almost directly from the sea.....what more could you ask for??


Accessing the track is as per all other walks originating at Fortescue Bay.  Once at the camping grounds follow the sign indicating the Cape Hauy track and you are on your way. After a fairly arduous hours walk a sign marked "Mount Fortescue" pointing to the right is reached.  Follow the track marked with orange pointers up the rocky spur to the south.  A short climb through stunted Eucalypts emerges onto the clifftops at Monument Lookout.  There is a sheer drop of 200 metres with no protective barriers, so take care.  The urge to creep close to the edge is tantalising as the views from this spot are incredible.  Hippolyte Rock and Cape Hauy beckon in the Northeast and Munro Bight  and Cape Pillar evident in the south.  The Tasman Island Lighthouse is just visible above the Cape.

The track follows the cliffs for a short distance, passing several other viewpoints before descending slightly to cross the head of a small valley where the vegetation is low coastal heath with some stunted Eucalypts.  

This low vegetation allows the first clear view of your destination, Mount Fortescue, rising out of the sea to the southwest, and also, by turning north, the tops of Tatnell Hill and Clemes Peak....both of which have already been conquered!

The track eventually returns to the coastline and there are some spectacular rock formations below, including a sea cave and a natural arch where the sea has carved a tunnel through the base of the 200 metre cliff.....really this is just so magnificent, these scenes always leave me breathless!

The track climbs to a point of 230 metres above sea level, and I've got to tell you, I felt every metre of it!  While the track is easy to follow and pretty well maintained the constant up up is really a deal buster....be prepared for a good cardio workout!  Both Jane & I used walking poles and I really suggest if you don't have any make the investment....really worth it.

The track now descends into the Mill Creek catchment....a very welcome relief from the uphill ascent.  From here on the forest is of differing types and having left the dry sclerophyll and coastal heath behind, you now enter the first of the areas of wet forest.  There are Tea-tree, Banksia and the endemic Grass Tree with some quite large Stringybarks growing in the valley.

The route now climbs quite steeply, again!  It emerges onto a lookout some 300 metres above sea level where there are views to Maria Island through a saddle in the hills to the north.  From here the track re-enters the forest and climbs up the northeast spur of Mount Fortescue, where the forest becomes wetter with increasing altitude, and there is the occasional sample of rainforest species to give you a taste of things to come.

The track climbs (again!) almost to the top of the spur before descending a little onto the eastern slopes and into an area of remnant rainforest.  This is one of the best examples of rainforest on the Peninsula with large Myrtles and Sassafras making up the canopy.

The track eventually emerges from the rainforest and rejoins the ridge which is followed south through wet sclerophyll forest to the summit of Mt Fortescue.  While the summit is forest clad there is a small rocky outcrop where you can see across Cape Pillar to Tasman Island and down onto the rugged shoreline of Munro Bight.

Return to Fortescue Bay via the same route.

Next destination is Arthurs Peak.....what better way to spend Australia Day than climbing a mountain!!

Walk Number 26........Tunnel Bay 18/12/2011

One of the first walks I did as part of this little challenge was to Shipsterns Bluff.  Today, Jane & I have decided to revisit the scene of the crime but to also include a side walk into Tunnel Bay.  To avoid being repetitive, directions to the start of the track can be found in Walk number 2.  


So, the beginning of the track has been located and after a 30 minute walk the first junction is reached......left for Cape Raoul and right for Shipsterns & Tunnel Bay. As a comprehensive description of the walk from here in has been covered in my previous post I'll pick up the action an hour and a half further on where the second junction occurs......left for Shipsterns, right for Tunnel Bay.

The walk to Tunnel Bay takes about 20 minutes, descending a steep slope. What greeted us was quite surprising.....not only does the aptly named bay feature a perfectly formed tunnel but the remains of a whale had been washed up onto the shore.  The size of the remaining bones was just astounding, how big this magnificent creature actually was is mind boggling.

Through the tunnel the breaking seas of the bay can be seen.  If the tide is very low it is possible to inspect part of the tunnel but great care should be taken as there are often unexpected large waves.

What a fantastic little bay!  Full of little hidden treasures, we even found a spot tailor made for a cuppa.

After a little break we backtrack to the junction and undertake the descent into Shipsterns Bluff.  As I've covered this before I won't provide another run down except to say that it was such a perfect day weather wise that we were able to walk right around the bluff on the massive rock platform.  I really can't give any better description than what the following photos show, so I'll keep quiet now and leave you to sit back and enjoy!

WOW!!

The next walk is scheduled for January 15th....Mt Fortescue....bring it on!!

Walk Number 25.....Monument Lookout 11/11/2011

On today's walk I'm accompanied by another newbie, Pete a friend from Hash House Harriers. This is a relatively short walk from Fortescue Bay and provides the opportunity to view the towering cliffs of the remote south eastern coastline of the Peninsula as far as Mount Fortescue and Cape Pillar.


Just in case you haven't been paying attention in other posts the directions to Fortescue Bay are.....turn left off the Arthur Highway (A9) 3.5 km's south of the B37 junction at Taranna onto a gravel road marked "Fortescue Bay Camping Area 12km".


Once you arrive at the Casuarina Day Use Area walk east along the shoreside track to the Mill Creek Camping Area and locate the start of the walking track near the boat ramp and a sign marked "Cape Hauy Track 4 hours return". 

The track follows the rocky shore for about 15 minutes then climbs southeast. Extensive improvements are in the process of being completed on this track, the result being a much easier to navigate trail.....now you know where your parks fees are going! Works are due for completion at the end of January 2012, until then you will encounter a number of workers on the track, however they do not impede on your hike.


After approximately 30 minutes the track turns south, away from the coast and after a short level section climbs steeply into dry sclerophyll forest before again swinging east and passing through two rather wet areas of low scrub.  After about an hour's walk the track climbs onto a low spur and reaches a sign marked "Mount Fortescue"and pointing to the right.

Turn right and follow the track, marked with orange pointers, up the rocky spur to the south.  After a short climb the route turns southeast until 10 minutes from the junction it emerges onto the clifftops at Monument Lookout. Be really careful around this area as there is a shear drop of almost 200 metres and no protective barriers.  The views from this spot are truly spectacular with Hippolyte Rock and Cape Hauy in the northeast and Munro Bight and Cape Pillar in the south.

What a fantastic place to have lunch, it doesn't get too much better.  We even had the added treat of seeing a whale frolicking in the bay.....just magnificent!


The return to Fortescue Bay is via the same route.  As I mentioned earlier this is a relatively short walk taking approximately 3 hours for the return trip which includes a refreshment break.....a great one if you're short on time but still want to experience the fantastic views that this part of the Peninsula provides.

Walk Number 24....Tatnell Hill via Balt Spur 23/10/2011

I do love it when I get to do two walks so close together. I seem to have recovered pretty well from the all dayer on Friday so it's off to hit the trail again with Jane two days later. This is a walk that Janine and I set out to do way back in March, but due to a wayward tree across the road we had to abandon our plan and undertake another walk.  With seven months having passed I assumed it was safe to try again and that the obstructing tree had been removed.  It was with this positive thought in mind that Jane and I took off on a fine Sunday morning and headed down to the Peninsula. 


The walk to Tatnell's Hill via Balt Spur provides a relatively easy access to the highest viewpoint in the Tasman Peninsula, with the added bonus of passing through an area of remnant rainforest.


To access the start of the track turn left off the Arthur Highway (A9) into Camp Road, which is 500 metres south of the B37 junction at Taranna.  Travel along Camp Road for approximately 2km and turn right into Balts Road.  Now this is where Janine and I came a cropper but today Jane and I had more luck as the tree had been removed and the road was now clear.... thank goodness!  So it's full steam ahead up a rather rough road.  The walks book says to drive for approximately 3.4km to a parking area, however even though I drive a 4WD the road was very rough and I was only confident enough to drive for a further 2km before deciding enough was enough....so we left the car here and walked the further 1.5km to the designated parking area.

From the carpark the walk continues along the Balt Spur Track and soon enters an area of rainforest understorey containing Myrtle, Sassafras, Native Laurel, the endemic Grass Tree and one of the few occurrences of Celery-top Pine remaining on the Peninsula.  The next section of the track is a 4WD track and has been churned up by a bit of use, so expect a walk through a fair bit of mud. Keep going straight a head ignoring two turn-offs to the right. Just past the second turn-off the 4WD track ends and a marked foot track continues in an easterly direction.


The track climbs over rocky ground through strands of gum-topped stringybark.  The track ascends for 20 minutes or so.  On the approach to Tatnells Hill the track markers become rather sparse but the track is fairly well defined so following it is not that difficult.  


Upon reaching the summit of Tatnells Hill you are greeted by a 360 degree view that is literally breathtaking.  The view takes in Maria and Schouten Islands to the north, Fortescue Bay and Cape Pillar to the south and Mount Wellington, Bruny Island and Adamsons Peak in the west.  Closer at hand are Eaglehawk Neck and Waterfall Bay, and offshore the Hippolyte and Cheverton Rocks.

After admiring the spectacular views, retrace your steps and return to the carpark.  Apologies for the lack of photos on this walk but I stupidly forgot to put the memory card into my camera so the only pics I could take were on my phone.  Unfortunately I'm still a novice at retrieving photos off the iPhone.


This walk is a fairly easy stroll. Even though it's a climb to the the summit of Tatnells Hill it is not arduous and can be completed by most with a moderate level of fitness.  The great views at the end are definitely worth it!