Tarn Shelf

Monday, 12 October 2015

Mt Field National Park is a fantastic place to visit.  It is just over an hours drive from Hobart, and there is a huge variety of walks to do from super short rain forest things to overnight alpine hikes.  

We've brought the kids here since they were toddlers and only able to make it to the waterfalls (although they certainly had enough energy to complain all the way).    Last year Julie and I knocked off all the Great 60 walks in the area including the longer day walks. This trip was for a different purpose - it was a training overnight hike. It's been a while since we've done one and our date with the Overland Track is rapidly approaching.

I have to admit that after a few weekends away recently I was pretty travel weary and would have loved the weekend at home, but a forecast of around 20 degrees both days meant we would have been crazy to postpone the trip so it went ahead.

Zali was keen to invite a friend (as was Jett but his friend was unavailable), so keen walker Emily joined us for the trip and her first ever overnight walk and we set off from Lake Dobson at 10:30 on Saturday. 

Strictly speaking the walk we were doing is a day walk, rather than an overnight walk, but it does have a lovely camping site half-ish way, as well as a good few hills along the way. At 14.5 k it was perfect for a not-too-draining trip with good practise in pack carrying.

The walk starts with a solid climb up to the ski fields, then onto the beautiful tarn shelf.

Just like on our recent trip to Cradle Mountain, there were still patches of snow around which was fun.   

We stopped for lunch and basked in the sun and the thought that we are lucky enough to live in a state where you can leave home at 8.30, and be admiring this view by lunchtime.. 

 By 3.30 we had made it to our beautiful camp site - Twilight Tarn, where ye olde Tasmanians used to come and skate and carry-on with their loud gramophones and wooden skis ..

So we put our tents up, relaxed and whiled away the afternoon in a manner that would have pleased ye olde Tasmnaians.  Although I suspect they would have been drinking something stronger than water.

And then we had two minute noodles for dinner.. two minute noodles taste absolutely fantastic when you are camping.

The next morning we packed up in a leisurely fashion and headed home. Also, Jon somehow hit the 'Art' function on his camera so the rest of the photos are a bit.. arty..

 After about 2 hours of walking, we ware back..happy, hungry, and still very arty..

So it was pretty cool.  And as a training run, we learnt a few good lessons, and posed a few questions:

1. If you are in charge of the hot chocolate powder, make sure it goes IN your bag (Jett) 
2. You have an EPIRB, take it. (Cathy)
3. You have a brain, use it to apply sunscreen thoroughly (Cathy)
4. If our packs were that full for an one night trip with one extra child, what chance do we have of eating after the 2nd day of our overland trek?