Cradle Mountain

While we were still in Waratah, we headed off to Cradle Mountain for the day. If we had any idea about the hellish road conditions further along, we would have stayed there and done a lot more day trips - doh!

It took about an hour to get to Cradle Mountain, so we packed morning tea and a picnic lunch and headed off. Having purchased a National Parks pass on the Spirit of Tasmania, we were able to cruise right past the information centre and shuttle buses and drive all the way to Dove Lake. Its so wonderful not having to 'buy stuff'. By-passing the gift shops and food stalls feels so free! We really have no need to get anything else. Living on a bus limits the 'stuff' we can have and it's now easy to convince the rest of the family that we don't need to shop. 

Although poor Angus is  struggling with his soft toys. When we packed to move into Bertha I gave him a 5 soft toy limit. I generously did not include bear or his beloved Scrappy dog (gift from Nana when he had his tonsils out at 3yo) in the count. It took him a good half hour of haggling to get him to make his choice. It was utterly adorable. He even negotiated an extra one by taking 2 very small toys "which really equal one, Mum". Of course, since starting our trip, he has bought MULTIPLE soft toys. He has all his gift spending money, which is very much HIS money to spend on his own choices. We have a new tassie devil, a platypus, a kookaburra, a wombat and I think there may be another. He's running out of sleeping room!

Anyway, we were able to cruise past the gift shop and avoid purchasing another soft toy. We got to the car park at Dove Lake and took our good old picnic rug and our lunch on the short hike to the boat shed. It was only 20 minutes or so, and it was a stinking hot day so it was perfect. We stood appreciating the view while another family packed up their stuff and then we were able to move into the perfect spot in the shade under the one and only tree - though there was plenty of other shade for other hikers.

We lounged around for a good hour or so, eating our lunch and playing in the water. I cannot believe how FREEZING it was! Being such a hot day, it was lovely when you first walked in. After 60 seconds it got cold and after 2 mins it was utterly unbearable. It seeped into your bones and felt completely glacial.

After playing and photographing to our heart's content, we hiked back to the car park and around the lake the other way to 'Glacier Rock' which all the locals called 'Suicide Rock'. What a view! I was a bit concerned that all the people we had seen on the rock had climbed over the fence and 'broken the rules' but it was clearly marked as permitted and signposted as dangerous.

I left the family up there and returned to get the perfect photo of them up on the rock. It was so nice to have the time to just do what we wanted and wait a while for the people to get out of our shots. No rushing. No zooming here or there or getting back to the bus in time. We did see some 'interesting' clothing choices during the day. Who wears thongs on a hike?! (flip flops... Though the other thong might not be comfortable on a hike either...) or pretty little dresses and skirts and nice little shoes. At least I didn't see anyone in high heels - that would have done my head in!

In the end we had some gentle strolls/small hikes and a wonderful day. Perfect!