Hiking the Overland Track (Tas)

Wednesday 15th April

The obligatory photo at the start of the Overland Track - Ronny Creek.

D day! I'm quietly freaking out. Worried about what I may have forgotten, usually I console myself by thinking "I can buy it" but I can't once I start the track. There's been a lot of people having to turn back and or being rescued due to snow which is concerning. But I've tested my Garmin and if worse comes to worse, if I can't start it, I'll hire a car & explore Tassie!

I'm on the 10am flight, so this morning was quite relaxing pottering around feeding and checking animals. Then I tried on a pair of jeans which wouldn't even do up & I thought wtf, I should have dieted but then I realised they were a pair that were tight when I was 5kg lighter, phew.

My hiking pack is checked at the airport, weighing in at 16.5kg, hopefully I'll be wearing a few things so it should be lighter when I'm walking. One thing I have noticed is I'm definitely stronger than when I started training as I'm lifting the pack fairly easily.

You can't fault the weather today, flying into Sydney is just spectacular.

The wait in the airport seemed to go quickly, I had a coffee & a huge breakfast burrito at a Mexican Cafe that was yummy, although it did have the devil's herb coriander!

Note to self, Launceston doesn't have a bus at the airport it's taxi, uber or a lovely fellow that does a shuttle service, but you have to book.

My accommodation (Refresh109 on Cameron) is an old refurbished building & very comfortable, although the people who manage it aren't very friendly so it feels a little unwelcoming.

Thursday 16th

It's overcast & dreary today with rain expected. I took Billy Connolly's advise & put on my raincoat & walked to Cataract gorge.

There are so many walks to do here you could spend a full day exploring but today is just about turning my legs over.

I'm really getting in my head & quite concerned about the Overland Track, they're predicting snow & I'm not up for navigating in heavy snow especially being on my own. I'm going to take the rangers advise and if they suggest not proceeding and offer refunds I'll take it. I'm stubborn not stupid.

Any hoo. I had a yummy Devonshire tea and walked back towards my accommodation, for the tour of James Boag brewery at 1pm where I had a late lunch/early dinner.

The brewery tour was really good & they're very generous with the samples at the end, lucky I walked! I had a pizza & toddled back to my accommodation.

Final bag check, I stripped off excess packaging & checked my bag, it feels heavy, but I don't have any extravagances, a little extra food but I'd hate to run out, although like drinking water I don't eat much when I hike. There's not much I can do about it now. I think some of the problem is I'm not using lightweight gear but I'm not going to spend a fortune because this thru hiking isn't really my jam, I'm a slack packer.

Slackpacker, a person who hikes but prefers to have their main bag transferred and stay in a nice room with a shower each night, lol.

Friday 17th

I caught the shuttle bus (Overland Track Shuttle $90 pp) at 6.30am, it's over 2 hour drive and the driver was very informative with a quick breakfast stop at Bosimis Bakehouse, yummy! The transfer company also held my main bag for me and dropped it off a day early at the Lake St Clair accomodation for my last night accomodation.

The briefing was a little scary, conditions last weekend were terrible & many had to turn back, they warned us about 60km wind gusts & snow, especially on top of Marion's.

I'd buddied up with an older fellow on his 4th OT unfortunately he felt unwell and decided to turn back, by this stage I'd climbed the chains up to Marion's and be f*&$%d if I was going back down that. It was scary with the wind and big Bertha backpack (weighing in at 18.5kg!) trying to pull me off the mountain going up, let alone going down!

I saw a group from Tas Walking Co. They were trying to decide whether to turn back, I thought if they do so will I but they took too long deciding and I went on. They actually did turn back.

So on I pressed, I had a snack at Kitchen's Hut as I'd started to feel a bit crampy,

The view from Kitchen Hut

not enough water or salt (note to self even if you're cold, still eat & drink). I won't lie and say I wasn't worried but I didn't want to turn back so I kept going. It was a challenging day with the wind nearly pushing me over, then when it stopped I'd nearly fall over from bracing against it.

Finally Waterfall hut came into view and with the weather being so shitty there was no way I was backtracking to do Barn Bluff.

My first night was a terrible sleep I should have stretched more & my muscles were holding me to ransom, with threats to cramp at any movement. Also although I wasn't cold, I felt cold! And the noise of the sleeping mats!

Saturday 18th

Bit of a slow start, still cold but not like yesterday. Shorter day today as well, so I did a side trip to Lake Will and it was lovely. Unfortunately my knee is playing up, I'd stirred it up hiking Cinque Terre and if I don't manage it with massage and stretches it really holds me to account. I had a long afternoon so I did some stretches and had a wet wipe bath.

The weather today was much nicer still cold but sunny. I've got some lovely photos, it really is spectacular but I'd be lying if I said I'm enjoying the walking, my body just hurts and a lot of it is the bloody pack. It fits well but is just too heavy, I really thought I was going to bring it in at less than 15kg, which is what I trained with.

Sunday 19th

Longest day today, it was tough but I enjoyed it walking over rocks and tree roots etc. It was quite warm while walking but cool once you stop.

I felt a little bummed in the morning because my sleeping mat was noisy, I had to keep moving as my hips are so sore, I did try roll when someone else made noise so it wasn't just me. The first night I had it inside my sleeping bag which stopped a lot of the noise but was really restrictive, this night I had it on the bare boards, afterwards I found sliding it into my sleep sheet reduced the noise, but I couldn't use the sheet to sleep in then, but luckily the weather was warming up.

The noise of sleeping mats and people in general when sleeping in the huts are a feature of hiking the Overland Track. Of course you can choose to sleep in your tent to avoid this issue. I didn't want the hassle of packing it up each day.

I was getting in before a lot of the other hikers not that I was rushing. It's also interesting to hear others (a lot younger than I) complaining about feeling sore in exactly the same places. So maybe I'm not doing too bad.

I actually dropped off my pack and went back out to Old Pelion hut for a look. It was interesting. New Pelion hut isn't as nice as the first 2 huts and I suspect they get worse as we go, (I was wrong, lol)

I'm not sure if I'll do Mount Ossa, it's probably going to be a nice day but I'm worried about my knee and it has a lot of snow on it. I'll play it by ear tomorrow. I found out today you can hike in on the Arm River Track and do it so I'm thinking that may be a future option.

Monday 20th April

So today started tougher than you think, climbing up to Pelion Gap, more mud and tree roots but a 300mtr climb. At the Junction you can go to Pelion East or Ossa, I was told by guide to go part way up Ossa to the "Japanese gardens"

which I did it was a steep climb as well but really pretty. There was a lot of snow around so I'm glad I didn't attempt Ossa. I had my snack & headed back down where my knee started to act up again, so I felt vindicated in my decision.

Oh I also got limited service there so sent & received some texts.

Then I loaded back up & headed off towards Kia Ora, where my knee stopped & my right hip started, wtf. I'm sure it's from favouring the knee. It's funny talking to everyone and they all have similar complaints so I'm not on my own (and I think I'm the oldest in the group that started the same day as me!)

I was quite warm today so I think that's the last of the thermals, plus they're getting a bit pongy.

Kia Ora hut is lovely, very architectural and it was quite warm. The main huts have heating that kicks in I think around 10 degrees, and some lighting.

Tuesday 21st April

I was a little slow getting going and most had left when I discovered someone had taken my boots! I nearly lost it, to say the least I wasn't happy. I knew they would be in some pain as mine were a size smaller. Anyway I caught up with the young girl at Ducane hut (she did have blisters) and we swapped back. Putting my boots on felt like Cinderella moment!

Today was waterfalls & fungus day. I did both side trips and I thought the first 2 falls, D'Alton & Fergusson were the prettiest. The path was very muddy with tree roots and rocks, as usual I was looking forward to getting to Bert Nicholls hut which seemed to drag.

Tomorrow is my 2nd last day of walking.

Wednesday 22nd April

Walking out from Windy Ridge/Bert Nicholls hut it was fairly flat and a little monotonous, I made pretty good time. I was debating the whole way whether to call it and get the ferry across the lake or to stick to my plan of overnighting at Echo Point and walking the whole way. After I had some snacks I headed to Echo Point. Shortly after leaving Narcissus hut I saw the only snakes I'd seen on the whole track, a little green grey fellow, White-lipped snake, who took off immediately and a big black tiger snake sunning himself. We sized each other up & he went on his way, it happened so quick I couldn't even get my phone out to take a photo. I carefully examined every patch of sun after that.

So many fungi.

A lot of people dismiss the final section of the track as being boring and lots of tree fall to scramble under I actually liked this part of the track although it needs a lot of love, it's pretty, like walking in a fairy garden.

Anyway I got to Echo Point and the camping didn't look like the pictures so I headed down probably nearly half a km on very tired legs and ran into a young fellow who is a guide and he said it was the camp so I backtracked to Echo Point.

Expectation versus reality; I had to set my tent in the trees. I felt quite defeated I'd imagined this lovely "beach" spot, film a OT yoga sequence on the jetty & settle in for a relaxing night.

A boat came in from Lake St Clair lodge and I nearly asked for a lift to there I was pretty close to tears by this stage (and looking back I don't know why).

Anyway I took a spoonful of cement and hardened up and I set up my tent, warmed my dinner and got into bed, consoling myself that it's only one more night and hoping I didn't have problems with the native mice. I had no food in my tent and stored everything in the metal bins so fingers crossed. I was so looking forward to my shower, I was starting to pong a bit.

Ohh I'd been crossing paths with a group with the Tasmanian walking company and I was chatting to a lovely lady, Shelly, at the toilet & noticed she had a Mundi Mundi hat on and she'd done my yoga in 2024, we got some photos together. She actually had such faith in me it helped me decide to walk to Echo Point. Often it's the people you meet.

It rained on & off overnight, but not too heavy & I think being under the trees it sheltered my tent a bit, I could also hear the waterfall so it was quite peaceful. When you are hiking, especially in isolated areas you go to bed so early because you're tired but also there's nothing else to do, so you really are in sync with the natural rhthym, a nice change especially for me as a shiftworker and sleeping/being awake at weird times.

Just after 7pm and I sign off for the night!

Ahhh civilisation here I come.

Thursday 23rd April

After feeling so defeated yesterday when I arrived at Echo Point I had a nice night. There was light rain and my little tent held up well. I had a slow start and it was a beautiful day on the lake. I ended up filming my yoga sequence on the jetty and I think it went well.

I got away by 9.40 and I really enjoyed the track, parts were a bit hard to follow but all in all it was good, and I'm glad I did it. It was a beautiful day following the lake edge most of the way.

I met up with another young fellow and he took my photo at the end for me and it was lovely seeing a few of the people that had been on the track with me who had caught the ferry, waving as I walked in.

I had a burger, a beer and icecream. I showered, cleaned off my boots and gaiters and sat in a king bed in a fluffy white robe watching tv. Lake St Clair lodge isn't cheap but I'm glad I splashed out on it as my gift for my 55th birthday. Unfortunately there's limited service at Lake St Clair, so I wasn't able to speak to anyone, and I was busting to.

Although my body was sore, sitting on the jetty is when I realised why I like hiking. (And I started planning my next one).

I had a 230gm gas cyclinder and it was running out on my last morning, it may have lasted a bit longer if I'd worked out to use the lid earlier! The 20000 powerbank fully charged my phone twice and the garmin not from empty about 40%. I was quite frugal with my phone and kept it on airplane mode.

Friday 24th

I had a yummy Irish breakfast then packed up and went for a bit of a walk. I recorded a meditation on the bank of the lake, bought some merino socks as a souvenior & waited for my return shuttle to Launceston at 2.

I didn't realise how far away from the original route we were, I'd hoped to go to the bakery at Sheffield but it wasn't to be. As soon as I checked in (Centennial Inn on Bathurst) I raced up to Casalinga gourmet meals and bought some wallaby chorizo. Then a bottle of wine and olives to go with my cheese and Salami for dinner. (Cheese and salami and crackers is my lunch while hiking and I never get sick of it!

Funnily I think I slept better on track as I had a shitty night's sleep! I don't know what's going on there.

Saturday 25th

There was no excuse for me not to go to the Anzac day ceremony in

Launceston, so I got up at 5 and walked to the ceremony, it was emotional as always with a thick fog rolling in. I came back and had the last of my porridge as I've decided when I check out tomorrow, I'll go and have brunch to use up some time before my flight.

In the arvo I went for a magnesium soak and massage at City Cave and had an arvo sleep, marvelling at how good my body actually feels.

Side note: Launceston is a very walkable city and on this occasion the owner of the Centennial Inn gave me a lift to the airport for a reasonable fee.

I'm glad I have completed the Overland Track.

Be aware, if attempting this hike it isn't to be taken lightly, it is an alpine area and snow and heavy wind and rain can occurr in any season. Because of it's popularity, the huts can get busy and you may hike with people new to hiking and therefore not as aware of the "etiquette" of hiking, not what I experienced but a possibility, so be patient and open to offering help.

"Be free to live your best life"