The Cape Walk That Wasn’t A Cake Walk
We checked out of our Richmond accommodation first thing this morning and got on the road to explore the beautiful Tasman Peninsula. Today’s caffeine fix was brought to you by the Cube coffee van; the cutest little coffee caravan, with a killer sea view. Little tables and chairs were set up on the side of the road, taking full advantage of the uninterrupted panoramic views across the Tasman Sea.
Most of the people we saw at the coffee van joined us as we made pitstops at all the scenic spots along the peninsula. The “Tessellated Pavement”, where the rocks have eroded to form a unique tile-like pattern, with dead straight, deep grooves full of sea creatures and shells, was amazing to see. In some spots the rocks were puffed up like little pillows. It was like walking on a giant baclava.
Sam has made us all a little map, dotted with Tassie’s points of interest that he’s shared on our family chat. While Rossco drove us around today, Sam had his navigator’s hat firmly in place, guiding us from place to magnificent place in the Tasman National Park. The “Blowhole” was spectacular, spitting out the swirling swell, as was the “Devil’s Kitchen”, and the “Tasman Arch”, showing off their beauty, with some of the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere. Rossco got to sample a curried scallop pie, giving it a ringing endorsement.
We always love the roadside signs, urging us to look out for local wildlife and giving us an inkling as to what creatures are lurking in the bush. Today we were watching out for Tasmanian devils and…swans, of all things. Can’t say I’ve ever had to swerve for a swan. Sadly we didn’t see either a devil or a swan, swanning around today.
It was fun driving through “Doo Town”, where pretty much every business and house in the entire town has named themselves using a “doo” in the name. I doo hope we can visit again someday.
Making a stop at one of the most unspoilt and picturesque beaches any of us had ever seen, deep in the national park, with clearest of clear water and a nice little wave, the boys couldn’t resist a quick swim and a body bash. On the way back up, Molly spotted a cute little echidna just moseying along the sand. How cool.
Always keen for a good walk, Ross had suggested we “walk” one of the capes in the famous 3 Cape Track, selling it to us as “just a taste”; a mere snippet of the full gruelling track and a chance for a nice stroll in the sunshine. Well it is possible he left out the bit about the nice stroll in the sunshine but that’s how our ears filtered and heard it and explains why Molly and Toby set out in their jeans. A 10km round trip, a “couple” of hours walk and spectacular views to boot. Narrabeen Lake track is around 8km and we can all just about do that one with our eyes closed. Sounded fun.
Ross and Sam had come the most prepared, kitted up with water bottles, backpacks and other hiking paraphernalia, and led the way along the track. Now this track, to Cape Huay - which admittedly was beautifully maintained - packs plenty of stairs (and that’s an understatement). To be exact, the “walk” required us to scale over 3000 steps; some going up and some going down; all Steep, with a capital ‘S’. (Actually, come to think of it, STEEP with a capital everything!) Though technically a walk in the (national) park, this was no walk in the park and was clearly not for the faint of heart, or those wearing jeans. Some of the uphill sections were relentless, with steps so high my knees were up around my earlobes. Toby and I decided we couldn’t look up because the sheer size of the heavenward staircase was just depressing. We passed loads of people heading back the other way, looking as sweaty and red-faced as us. After the mandatory greeting: “G’Day”, we’d enquire as to how far we still had to go and more importantly: “Is it worth it?” They unanimously gave us resounding affirmation that we should press on, though with that gleam in their eyes that said “hey, I was where you are a few hours ago and I know your pain”.
So press on we did.
Ross, who clearly knew what he was in for, was having the time of his life. Sam also seemed to be loving every minute of the adventure and Maisy, powered on with a youthful smile on her face and a spring in her step. Toby, Molly and I all had at least one point in the trek, where we genuinely believed we were going to:
a) throw up
b) faint
c) die
Thankfully none of these 3 things actually eventuated.
At one stage, we came to the bottom of a huge valley and could see clearly, the steep path carved through the bush that tracked up the other side, all the way to the pinnacle of the cape. It was still SO FAR and it took all our resolve (and a little bit of channeling the Little Red Engine: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can) to make it to the top.
True to all reports, the view at the top of the tallest sea cliffs in Australia was INSANE!! You could see for miles all around and the spectacularly tall, hexagonal, dolerite rock stacks, lined up shoulder-to-shoulder like organ pipes, were phenomenal! God is an artist that’s for sure.
I’ll spare you the details of the return trip, suffice to say it was harder and seemed a lot longer and slower with blisters and aching joints. Ross, Molly and Maisy powered back in record time, while Toby and Sam walked patiently with their slow old mother and encouraged her, er…me, to keep going when I decided I was cactus and wanted to spend the night there on the path. The highlight was seeing a cute little wallaby, so tame and friendly.
While they had been waiting for their slower-finishing family members, Ross and the girls cooled off in the car with a blast of the aircon, unfortunately, without the engine going. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. When the boys came back from their swim at the beach and we were all loaded into the car, ready to leave….the car wouldn’t start. She was dead as a doornail. Oh boy.
I’d taken my blister-inducing shoes off and hobbled across gravel to the campground toilet, while the boys befriended a lovely family from Melbourne who had some jumper leads and were willing to unhitch their camper trailer to drive over and give us a jumpstart. Such legends! Tomorrow they are undertaking their own cape walk on the “easier” leg of trio of capes. Pity we hadn’t done more research.
By the time the engine roared back to life it was 9pm and though the sun had only just set, we’d missed our restaurant booking by at least an hour and it seemed all kitchens for miles around (you could count them on one hand) closed up firmly at 8pm. Toby and Sam were seriously considering a 40 minute drive for the closest Big Mac, when someone spotted a flag saying “FOOD” near a food truck with a light on inside.
The kind Mohammed and his equally kind wife, had turned off their deep fryer and were in the process of shutting up when we arrived. I’m not sure if it was our bedraggled, desperate appearance that compelled him to take pity on us but he agreed to unpack his packed-up kitchen and cook us the most delicious donor kebabs and gozleme, even throwing in some extra for good mesure. What a champion.
I cannot remember ever feeling so utterly exhausted. It had been a 4 and a half hour gruelling trek in the hot sun and we were KNACKERED. I now have the utmost respect for those intrepid walkers who attempt ALL 3 capes. They are gluttons for punishment.
