3 Capes
Monday, 10 October 2016
The three capes walk was spectacular and I think that within a few years it will be one of those walks that you have to book a year in advance if you want to do it. So if you are considering doing it, I'd get a crew together now and lock down a date. Our crew contained experienced walker Zali (12), Zali's friend Emily (13) who has been on an overnight walk with us before, Lottie (9), who was a first timer, and her aunt and my good buddy Jo, who was doing her first serious hike this century.
Having done the overland track recently, it's hard not to compare, but by the same token, it was a completely different experience, so I really don't feel that one is necessarily 'better' than the other. The three capes is a really accessible walk - younger kids can do it without too much preparation (we did it with Lottie who was almost 10 and it was her first overnight hike), and the more um... senior walker can do it, in fact those who may have given up hiking years ago can do this walk because you don't have to lug around the usual camping essentials. Jo and I managed to carry all the food for 5 of us for 4 days simply because we didn't need to haul a tent and all the other stuff. We also noticed a few couples where one person was carrying the big pack, and the other was travelling with just a daypack.
Being on the coast, I'd always expected that the vegetation would be very samey on this walk, but it really wasn't - it didn't have the variation of the overland track, but it was really pretty and interesting anyway. And as it's spring, the wildflowers were stunning. We were also able to see whales and dolphins which was awesome - so October is definitely a great time of year to do it.
We didn't have perfect weather, we had a little rain and on the last day it was very windy and dramatic on the water. We had lots of sun too - every afternoon we were able to roll out the yoga mats and stretch and snooze in the sun on the warm decks of the huts.
So it is pretty expensive for a hike, but given the very popular Bay of Fires walk is $2300 and you really only get a bit more luxury (guides & meals provided), the $495 price is fine and completely understandable given the quality of the trail, the huts, the boat trip and the rangers at each hut.
I've always been a supporter of this trail (despite the critisim from locals complaining they were being 'locked out of national parks'*, as I think that encouraging people to get out and see Tasmania's beauty is a good thing. Before this year though I'd always thought that the walk wasn't really for us, due to the price tag. However now I'm really keen for Jon and Jett to do it too as it's just such a lovely way to enjoy the wilderness - so long as we don't get too used to the fancy huts as next year we are doing the Milford track, and I"m pretty sure the 20 year old huts won't quite be as swish! Because we were a group of 5 and the walk wasn't completely full on the day we started, we got to use an 8 bunk room exclusively which was nice - no snorers! As a group we had great fun. Each night we made use of the hut's supply of boardgames and I'm pleased to announce that I also won my first ever game of trivial persuit (kids edition). That was a part of why the trip was so awesome - great company with lots of time to enjoy it! Here are some photos - they aren't great, but until I get access to Jo's (her iPhone seemed to be taking better photos than my compact camera!), these will have to do! 
Setting sail from Port Arthur. Which reminds me, part of our travelling village included a group of 15 or so Belgians, who had signed up to a mystery hiking tour, only discovering their destination when they reached Dubai. Only a few of them had ever even heard of Tasmania, let alone this walk! 
We had a 1hr scenic cruise on the way to the drop-off point, which in reality was a 5 minute boat trip away. It was nice though.  
Unloading at Denims Cove on the cool boat ramp thingy.. 
The lovely beach and rivulet .. 
and we're off! 
Doing some relaxation yoga on the first afternoon at Surveyors Hut.   Every walker got an information book which had many stories and information about the area. Zali and Emily took turns in reading it out to us, then testing us before we could continue. There's lots of interpretive art installed along the trail - I really enjoyed it.   The beautiful Munro Hut on Day 2. The windows of all the huts slope outwards to discourage birds from flying into them. From the Munro lookout which extended out into Munro Bight, we saw dolphins and whales down below.  
Heading off to the Blade on day 3..   
The 'Blade' is just to the left of the middle of the photo below. That's Tasman Island on the right. 
Zali as high up as we dared to go on the Blade. And leaving the hut on our final day of hiking  
Some of the beautiful flowers along the way, there were so many more of them..  
Heading out to Cape Huay.. 
 The happy crew at the end.. 
* regular hikers can still get to Cape Pillar from Fortescue Bay - using the old (but still used) track to get about 1/2 way, then using the new one to get out to the end. In fact you could do a pretty nice 2/3 day loop hike utilising most of the new trail and the upgraded (albeit leechy apparently) camping site. You could also do it in a long weekend which is good if that's your only option, as there's no option to do the paid 3 capes trail in less than 4 days. |