Cradle Mountain Father-Son Adventure!

What an adventure!

On Friday night at the end of June, Mr T and I went on a father-son trip to the slopes of Cradle Mountain in central Tassie. We took off from home just after 5 in the evening and, an hour later in Burnie, enjoyed the first highlight: tea at the Golden Arches. By 8:30 we parked the car and started to get our packs on. It was very dark. And cold! Mr T was rugged up and equipped with his headtorch, so he was excited!

The only light to guide us was the spill of our torches, but it was more than enough. We strolled side-by-side on the boardwalk, passing a grazing wombat at one stage who was (almost) ignoring the passers-by. Crossing bridges over dark streams running below, I wondered how this was going to be processed by Mr T in the light of day: tonight it was all just noise in the inky blackness; tomorrow it would be filled with light and a greater perspective would come.

It only took us 40 minutes to get from the car to the Scout Hut: 2.2km of uphill walking, 180m vertically on uneven track in the dark. I was impressed! First priority: kettle. Then, after changing out of our slightly wet gear (it drizzled, the whole area was wet from rain and Mr T fell over at one stage), the water was hot for a milo. Then it was sleeping bag time. He took a while to stop talking (about anything and everything!), but once he was quiet he was out like a light.

The Scout Hut

 It was a cold night! We awoke to fog swirling around the hut and we couldn't see more than about 20-30 metres from the window. However, throughout the morning it cleared and we were able to see quite a distance by the time we left.

Morning fog

We took a slightly different route back to the car, allowing us to visit Crater Lake and Crater Falls on the way.

Old bridge on the detour to Crater Lake

Crater Lake Boat Shed

We walked in great weather all the way back to the car, and the rain just started to fall again as we closed the car doors to drive away. By the time we got within a few hundred metres of the car, Mr T started to mention how tired he was and how his legs were tired.

Part of the track. The car is at the far end of the snaking track in the valley.

What a trooper!