We set off today at a civilised hour - suitcases in the bus at 7.30, then breakfast and leave at 8.30. But we had had rather a bad night, Paul had 2 cold calls at about 2 or 3 a.m. and I had a bad attack of cramp around 4. So I was a bit sleepy in the bus.
Unfortunately, it was once again a rather dull day, and cold in the sharp wind. We set off first for Cradle Mountain National Park. This park does not allow big coaches, or more than 100 cars, so most people have to use the park minibuses, and we transferred to one of those. The roads are very narrow, usually too narrow for two vehicles to pass, so the minibuses have to keep in radio contact so as not to crowd any road too much.
Our first visit was to Waldheim, a rustic home and guest chalet built in 1912 by a man called Gustav Weindorfer. He fell in love with the area, and persuaded his wife (who was wealthier than he was) to buy a block of land so that he could build a chalet and allow people to come and stay. He built it himself, and it was pretty basic.
Apparently there wasn't much furniture - there was no road, so there was no way of getting furniture there. The chairs were said to be just blocks of wood. There was expensive china though - it was part of his wife's dowry. He also built a bathroom - just one room, over a freezing stream which ran down the hillside. It was said to be 'exhilarating'!
Later, he apparently installed a water heater. Anyway, people did come out and stay there - it cost 8 shillings a night! This man and his friends worked to get the whole area declared a National Park, and it is now a World Heritage site.
We took yet another walk through the temperate rainforest - this time to view King Billy pines rather than Huon pines - and then set off for Dove Lake. The lake is a local beauty spot, backed by fine views of cradle mountain, and there are a lot of walks, none of which we had time to take.
We returned to our coach and set off for lunch at the town of Sheffield. This town decided to copy the town of Cheminus on Vancouver Island. And try to generate tourist interest by having painted murals on every available surface. Most of them are very good, some are historical, like this one of Gustav Weindorfer in his chalet
some attractive, and some are just beautiful.
After lunch and a little wander round the town, we got back into the coach and gradually descended from the mountains. Soon we were surrounded by green rolling hills and dairy farms and apple and cherry orchards. We gradually descended further, until we reached the coast. Here, we drove along the old coast road until we reached Burnie, where we are to stay for two nights.
There are penguins which come ashore to sleep here, and I was hoping to see them tonight, but we were too late, they had all gone to bed in their burrows. I will hope we can see them tomorrow night.
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