Suche
Mein Konto
Van Journal Week 8: Hiking the Tasman Peninsula
Get off the roads... This week we traveled around Tassie in our van and that's exactly what we did. We left the roads and took the trails. They say the best thing about van life is that you get to spend so much more time outside, and that was definitely the case this week as we spent more time on the trail or in a tent than we did in the van at all. This week's focus was on the rest of the Tasman Peninsula's hiking trails that we had missed during my dad's visit. After many kilometers, both vertically and horizontally, I would...
Van Journal Week 8: Hiking the Tasman Peninsula
Get off the streets...
This week we traveled around Tassie in our van and that's exactly what we did. We left the roads and took the trails. They say the best thing about van life is that you get to spend so much more time outside, and that was definitely the case this week as we spent more time on the trail or in a tent than we did in the van at all.
This week's focus was on the rest of the Tasman Peninsula's hiking trails that we had missed during my dad's visit. After many kilometers, both vertically and horizontally, I would say we had a very successful week hiking and exploring this unmissable region of Tassie!
Eight and a half miles can be covered in minutes in a car or on a highway, but what does a man see? What he gains over time he loses in benefits to his body and mind.
Richard Proenneke
Independent walk on the Three Capes Track
What I love about Tasmania is its solid infrastructure and culture around multi-day hiking. It's like a subtler version of New Zealand's South Island. What I don't like, however, is that TasParks appear to have structured their resource allocation in a way that attempts to emulate the success of New Zealand's high-end luxury walking experiences.
Don't get me wrong though, I have no problem with this new wave and I think it's great that people who weren't keen on getting out on the trails now have the opportunity to do so. But I think if I were in charge, I would stick a little more to the popular slogan of "Keeping Tassie Wild" and spend a little more money to cater to the market of independent adventurers who prefer a more raw experience. But then again, when it comes to money, there is a balance sheet and it's pretty obvious which market will tip those scales toward profit.
The Three Capes Track only opened in 2015 and is already one of the most popular multi-day hikes in Tasmania. The only caveat is that hikers are expected to pay over $500 per person for the privilege of this hike.
Not in protest against the fees, but rather in an attempt to experience the wild nature of the Tasmanian capes on our own, we set out to hike the three capes for free on a route accessible to everyone. I have no problem handing over money to Tasmanian Parks as they do a fantastic job here. But for us at least, paying for a hike with all the luxuries defeats the purpose and defeats the raw, confident sense of adventure we set out for in the first place.
So, with optimism and our adventurous spirit intact, we strapped our holdalls back on, left Clifden in Fortescue Bay and headed for the Capes. I'm currently in the process of completing a long, independent walking guide to the Three Capes that follows our route. But in short, it was an incredibly diverse route with 45 kilometers of epic coastal scenery, lush temperate rainforests and dizzying, sheer dolerite cliffs.
Below are some of my favorite memories from the Three Capes Track.
Read more: How to hike Tasmania's Three Capes Track for free (self-guided)
alt="KAP HAUY">
alt=“THREE CAPE TRACK HIKING IN TASMANIA”>
alt=“CAMPING IN TASMANIA”>
alt="THREE CAPS TRACK">
alt="Tasman Island Tasmania">
alt="THREE CAPS TRACK">
alt=“HIKING THE THREE CAPES TRACK IN TASMANIA”>
Cape Raoul
You'd think the number of capes accessible on the Three Capes Track would be pretty clear. However, the third and final Tasmanian cape is currently only accessible via a separate path from the southern tip of the peninsula.
So after the long multi-day hike on the Three Capes Track, we headed straight to Cape Raoul for another long day of hiking of over 20 km. We also extended the hike by adding a quick detour to Shipstern Bluff, home to one of the best big wave surf breaks in the world.
Read more: The Cape Raoul hike in Tasmania
- alt=“KAP RAUOL“>
- alt=“KAP RAUOL“>
End of the week
At the end of the week we found ourselves once again at the Sorrell recreation area in front of our laptops. Sorrell was a little home away from home for us and a great base to park on those long work days.
We also had more cleaning exercises and preparations for visitors as this time Kim, Haylea's cousin who we traveled with in Europe and Sri Lanka, would be joining us for week 9 of the Tassie Van trip!
.