Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair is Tasmania's best known national park. It's just teeming with dramatic mountain peaks, deep gorges, lakes and wild moorlands. We only had time to stay here one night and were lucky enough to stay in one of the cabins actually in the park. Whatever time of year you visit the weather is always cold and wet. We were told on average it rains here seven days in 10, is cloudy eight days in 10, has all-day sunshine only one day in 10 and snows on 54 days each year. However, we had a great little gas stove in the cabin and spent a very cosy evening there just wildlife spotting from the window.
The next morning was gorgeous - so on with the boots and out amongst it!
Every country seems to have a 'crater lake'. This is another one - not seen at its best because of the weather up there, but still a marvellous sight.
The weather had changed a few times during the day (note the rain coats on). This was a sunny spell in between the storms. This is Dove lake with Cradle mountain in the background.
This is the formidable Cataract Gorge in Launceston. Here,near-vertical cliffs line the banks of the South Esk River as it enters the Tamar. The area around the gorge is a wildlife reserve. Launceston also has a very plush hotel that does half price cocktails from 6pm to 7pm - they even serve two scruffy backpackers like us!
Cataract Gorge looking from the gorge back to the bridge.
This is Keith demonstrating that he is still 'action man' and can climb a tree - nee botha!
This is a view of Bicheno from my vantage point on top of the tree.
This is a view from Coles Bay with the 'Hazards' in the background.
This is the beautiful 'Wineglass Bay' (sorry the picture is so small - the reducing software got carried away). This was quite a hike to get to this lookout point through some of the most amazing mountain tracks - the boulders were so big - most of them were the size of an English house (that's a two storey house - probably a detached, definitely not a bungalow. A cottage would be too small, unless of course the cottage had an upstairs extension. It could be a semi-detached if you include the garage and some boulders were definitely the size of a town house).
This should be a lovely big picture so you can see how gorgeous theColes Bay is - I may publish the picture again when I get the chance.This was about 5:30 in the morning. The photos were taken from Cape Tourville near to where the lighthouse is.
Some more pics from around the national park.
This was looking back on the national park from about 50Km down the road, such a beautiful part of the island, again would have loved to stay longer.
8 comments:
"...it rains here seven days in 10, is cloudy eight days in 10, has all-day sunshine only one day in 10 and snows on 54 days each year..."
If it wasn't for the "all-day sunshine one day in ten", I'd think you'd returned home.
Paul.
P.S. Jen - taking the Night-shift last night to cover the Blog paid off!
Hodge,
Whilst I can understand that the dial-up audience will appreciate the shrinkage in your pictures, it ain't doing them the justice they probably deserve.
Or are you paying by Megabyte upload, tight-@rse?
Paul.
Getting as sad as the Sandersfields..everytime i'm on the web I feel obliged to see what you've been doing ...tight-@rses can't believe that
Pretty big specs Hodgie has on.looks like he's been to the Eye Infirmary for some glaucoma treatment or else he's been to the £ shop
Didge - he wears them there glasses all the time - he seems to have grown numb to the sniggers that seem to follow him around when he has them on. I hear Dame Edna wants them back though.
Paul.
Billies,
The pictures are absolutely breathtaking. You will have to open your own gallery when you get back!!
Love you loads,
Shirls x
Ehhh!!!!
I get on the blog to see if it's been updated...scroll down immediately to see if anyone has commented (so's I can beat Paul)...and there are bloody well six of them!!! Is everyone getting mugged with the free cup of tea thing??
Shirley, Suzanne and "The Fly" have got to love you....you're the only one who gives a genuine reply to their photos without seizing upon the opportunity to take the mic out of anyone remotely connected to the blog. Bless ya girl.
So, just for the record, you know I'm loving all the scenery. Tell me exactly where you are on the map so I can follow you. How come the weather is so drastically different from the triple digit figures you'd been experiencing.
Keith, I'm now chatting and webcamming for free with our Poll and Shazbot. If you ever get near such possiblities, let me know. There's nowt to it. Just lovin it!
Apologies for skimmimg over the blog...I see you're still in Tasmania which explains the weather. Where are you headed next, are you going to the west coast at all, and when do you actually leave Australia? Geeeeee Joan!
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