electricspells

peregrination :: camper van trip around Tasmania – September 2022

Tuesday, 6 September

Freycinet Peninsula

Left earlyish to head to Freycinet Peninsula to walk one of the tracks

The preferred walk was timed at four hours!

Decided to do a shorter one, as four hours is too much walking.

Climbing to Wineglass Bay lookout
Climbing to Wineglass Bay lookout
Climbing to Wineglass Bay lookout
Climbing to Wineglass Bay lookout
Panoramic view of Coles Bay from trail
Panoramic view of Coles Bay from trail

Climbed all the way to the Wineglass Bay lookout. It was very different and much classier than when I visited it 30 years ago.

Last stairs before lookout
Last stairs before lookout
These stairs were not present when I was here 30 years ago
The viewing platform 30 years ago
The viewing platform 30 years ago
Higher viewing options 30 years ago
Higher viewing options 30 years ago
The newest look for the original viewing area
The newest look for the original viewing area
The postcard view from on the new viewing platform extension
The postcard view from on the new viewing platform extension
The postcard view of Wineglass Bay
The postcard view of Wineglass Bay
Outcrops of rock in the saddle over Wineglass Bay
Outcrops of rock in the saddle over Wineglass Bay

I stood around for ages trying to decide whether I should walk down to the beach. It would require a significant climb up (~1000 steps) and likelly make the whole walk three hours long.

I was very conflicted as I’d planned to do that originally, thinking it was less challenging.

Eventually, I decided to get back on the road.

View of Coles Bay descending from lookout
View of Coles Bay descending from the Wineglass Bay lookout
Nature finds a way, even on rocks
Nature finds a way, even on rocks

Drove from Coles Bay to St Helens, mostly along the coast.

Stopped in Bicheno for lunch in a bakery cafe.

The main street of Bicheno
The main street of Bicheno from the cafe where I had lunch

The coast along this stretch is desolate and beautiful. The beach at Douglas River was particularly glorious and inhospitable.

Beach at Douglas River (looking South)
Beach at Douglas River (looking South)
Beach at Douglas River (looking North)
Beach at Douglas River (looking North)
The grass-covered dunes off the beach
The grass-covered dunes off the beach
Everything is hardy and grows low
The beach at Four Mile Creek
The beach at Four Mile Creek

St Helens

Drove on to St Helens and checked in at the Tasman Holiday Park.

A splendid and beautifully kept caravan park with idyllic views of Break o’ Day bay.

On the advice of the Holiday Park staff, I headed directly out to the Bay of Fires / Binalong Bay and saw the sights there.

Panoramic view of Binalong Bay (looking North)
Panoramic view of Binalong Bay (looking North)
The red colouring of the rocks gives the Bay of Fires its name
The red colouring of the rocks gives the Bay of Fires its name
The view across the Bay of Fires
Panoramic view across the Bay of Fires

As majestic and beautiful as it was, I was starting to overload on beautiful, wind-swept, wild beaches.

I had a late lunch at a fabulous restaurant overlooking the Bay of Fires.

The Meresta restaurant for lunch
The Meresta restaurant where I had lunch
The view from my table over the Bay of Fires
The view from my table over the Bay of Fires

In to St Helens to wash the van after my roadworks journey. That worked fine in the end but it was a coin-operated car wash and I don’t carry cash so it involved a bit of fiddling around.

Back to the caravan park and a gentle glass of wine in the bar overlooking the bay.

The view from the bar at the caravan park
The view from the bar at the caravan park when I got back

Then, after a suitable break back in the van, I went back to the caravan park’s restaurant for dinner.

The park was certainly a fabulous place to stay in St Helens.

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