Van Journal Week 8: Hiking on the Tasmanian Peninsula
Van Journal Week 8: Hiking on the Tasmanian Peninsula
Leave the streets ...
This week we traveled through Tassie in our van and that is exactly what we did. We left the streets and took the trails. It is said that the best thing about van life is that you spend so much more time outside, and that was definitely the case this week, since we spent more time on the track or in a tent than in the van.
The focus of this week was on the remaining hiking trails of the Tasmanian Peninsula, which we had missed from my father during my visit. After many kilometers, both vertically and horizontally, I would say that we had a very successful week while hiking and exploring this inevitable region of Tassie!
Eight and a half miles can be covered in a car or a expressway in minutes, but what does a man see? What he gains over time loses benefits for his body and mind.
Richard Proenneke
Independent hike on the Three Capes Track
What I love about Tasmania is his solid infrastructure and culture about hiking several days. It is like a more subtle version of New Zealand's South Island. What I don't like, however, is that Tasparks seem to have structured their resource assignment in such a way that they are trying to imitate New Zealand's success of high-end luxury hiking experiences.
But don't get me wrong, I have no problem with this new wave and I think it's great that people who don't like to get out of the trails now have the opportunity to do so. But I think if I had that, I would stick a little more to the popular slogan "Keeping Tassie Wild" and spend a little more money to operate the market of independent adventurers who prefer a raw experience. But on the other hand, when it comes to money, there is a balance sheet and it is quite obvious which market will tip this scale in the direction of profit.
The Three Capes Track was only opened in 2015 and is already one of the most popular hikes in Tasmania lasting several days. The only restriction is that hikers are expected to pay over 500 USD per person for the privilege of this hike.
Not in protest against the fees, but rather in trying to experience the wild nature of the Tasmanan Kaps on our own, we set out to hike the three KAPS free of charge on a route accessible to everyone. I have no problem handing over money to the Tasmanian Parks because they do a fantastic job here. But at least for us, paying a hike with all luxury misses the purpose and destroys the raw, sovereign feeling of adventure, to which we originally opened up.
So, with optimism and our intact adventure spirit, we strapped our travel bags again, left Clifden in Fortuncue Bay and made our way to the Kaps. I am in the process of completing a long, independent hiking guide for the three KAPS that follows our route. But in short, it was an incredibly varied route with 45 kilometers of epic coastal landscape, lush moderate rainforests and dizzying, steep dolerite cliffs.
Below are some of my favorite memories of the Three Capes Track.
Read more: How to hike Tasmania's Three Capes Track for free (self -led)
Alt = "Cape Hauy"
Alt = "Three Cape track hike in Tasmania"
Alt = "Camping in Tasmania"
Alt = "Three Kap-Trur"
old = "Tasmanian island of Tasmania"
Alt = "Three Kap-Trur"
Alt = "Hiking on the Three Capes Track in Tasmania"
Cape Raoul
One might think that the number of clads accessible on the Three Capes Track would be pretty clear. However, the third and last Tasmanian Cape can currently only be reached on a separate path from the southern tip of the peninsula.
So after the long hike on the Three Capes Track, we made our way to the Cape Raoul for another long hiking day of over 20 km. We also extended the hike by adding a short detour to Shipsters Bluff, where one of the best big wave surfers in the world is.
Read more: The Cape Raoul hike in Tasmania
- Alt = "Cape Rauol"
- Alt = "Cape Rauol"
Completion of the week
At the end of the week we found ourselves again on the Sorrell recreation site in front of our laptops. For us, Sorrell was a small home in the distance and a great starting point to park on these long working days.
We also had more cleaning exercises and preparations for visitors, this time Kim, Hayleas Cousin, with whom we had traveled in Europe and Sri Lanka, would accompany us in week 9 of the Tassie-van trip!
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