So when I left off, I had made a very late dash to the YHA Bridport after seeing the Fairy Penguins at Low Head, because there wasn’t anywhere backpackerish to stay there. BTW, you may be wondering about my title - TTA - well now in true kmuki style, you can't have an adventure without having a name for it. So 3 years back it was the BEAMET - Big Europe And Middle Eastern Trip - then 2 years back the MUSAC - Mexico, USA and Canada - and now the TTA - Trans Tasmania Adventure. Actually I wanted to try and name it TAA - but Tasmanian Awesome Adventure sounded just a bit lame. Oh well.
So back to the blog. I didn’t however get to tell you about the people I met in Bridport. There actually were 4 of us staying in the hostel – how they make a profit, I don’t know, but still – I was grateful that the hostel was actually open. It’s called a Youth Hostel – but none of us were youth. I think I was the youngest there, and I’m 38! I didn’t get the other people’s names, but there were 3 others – 2 men and 1 woman, and they were all on some sort of contract-type / seasonal work in Bridport. I spoke mostly to one man who was quite old and who was there with the woman (his business partner) fixing sheds or something. He told me they were from WA and every year they come over to Tas in the off season, buy a cheap vehicle, and go where the work is, staying in youth hostels on the way. Fair enough. Anyway, he gave me some suggestions for itineraries as I was trying to figure out what to do.
So the next morning I got up, sorted out some breakfast and then made my way to Scottsdale, as per the gentleman’s suggestion (to be honest, it was the only way I could go anyway). Once I got there though, the weather was absolutely miserable! Rain was literally pinging it down, as if God had suddenly decided to have a pressure shower! It was awful. I went to the Visitor Information, which is in the Forestry building, literally a ‘building within a building’ and the woman there waxed on about how it was the wrong time to visit Tas, yada yada, and then proceeded to tell me that there was no way I could do the walk I wanted to do with the hire car I have, because the road is unsealed and I just wouldn’t be able to get there. So I left the visitor centre unsure what to do.
In the visitor centre, however, amongst the brochures she had given me was a suggested driving itinerary for the region. I decided to follow that for a bit. My first stop though took me 4-5 kms down a gravel track, to a little town called Legerwood. Here there are a load of wooden carvings of scenes and soldiers from WW1, which make up the town’s War Memorial.
It was quite interesting. From here I continued back along the Tasman highway to Branxholm, site of the Red Bridge – a bridge honouring the Chinese workers who worked in the mines in this area. The area is tin mining country. The next little stop was Derby, where I was astonished to see so many ‘for sale’ signs, including one on the Anglican church and hall, which actually was quite beautiful. Here also is the oldest timber bank building in Tasmania – also for sale. After Derby I started to realise that time was again, fast getting away from me, so I pressed on towards Pyengana. En route, though, I couldn’t resist the so-called 15 minute ‘rainforest’ walk at Weldborough. Here the rainforest is made up of Myrtle ferns. It actually was very interesting, if not very wet.
Finally, about 2pm, I arrived in Pyengana. The reason for coming here was several, but mostly, because there is a cheese factory here. Not having had lunch, I decided I would stop for the quickest of bites – at least it would have been, if the waitress hadn’t blanked me because I was on my own. It was either that, or the fact that she was on her own – I don’t know. I don’t see how it makes sense to be making lattes and so on for people who are already sitting down, and ignoring the one who is in the middle of a cheese tasting session. She literally said to me, when I asked to try one of the other cheeses, “I’ll be right back” – and then went off to make several coffees and a milkshake for customers who were already being served. Very odd.
I had for lunch there some cheese and chive scones with a lump of Pyengana Cheddar. In the cheese tasting I tried several of their cheddars, including their “Devilish” cheese, which is a mild cheddar made with spicy chillies – which I ended up buying. I don’t really know why – its so blinkin’ hot!
After Pyengana I was pressing on towards St Columbans waterfall, when I came across the “Pub in the Paddock”. Literally, in the middle of nowhere, there was a pub, smack bang in the middle of some paddock! It was very unusual.
By this point, the rain had stopped somewhat, and I was able to appreciate much more the countryside I was seeing. I can not believe how much it looks like England, specifically, the north of England, my favourite part. If you added in some drystone walls, you would have the Yorkshire Dales (my all time favourite place on the planet). I couldn’t travel very quickly because around every bend there was another photographic sight!
Finally though I made it to St Columbans Falls, the longest waterfall in Tasmania. I did the quick walk down to the waterfall, which was very pretty, and then when I got to the falls I couldn’t see a thing for all the spray on my face! But I enjoyed the experience anyway.
After St Columbans it was time to hoof it to the next location – St Helens. I arrived there by about 4pm, but then started to think. Its always a worry when I do that. I began to debate with myself whether I should stay there for the night, or try to press on further down the coast. Of course I should have just stayed, but in the back of my mind, always, is the fact I only have 13 days here, and although jokingly I have, to the people in the visitor information centres, ridiculed those who try to cram in all of Tasmania in one go – I am guilty of trying to do the same thing. So I hummed, and harred, and hummed and harred, and then, as I haven’t had mobile reception for 2 days, went to the payphone to see where the nearest hostel might be outside of St Helens. Turns out it was Bicheno.
In speaking to the man I discovered that should I go to Bicheno, I would be the only person in the hostel. I should have, at that point, politely thanked the young man on the phone and hung up, but there is something attractive about being the only one in the hostel. And I did feel a bit guilted to go, on account of I had bothered to phone and so on – so I accepted the deal. That’s fine, its only an hour or so away – but sunset is around 4.30pm and who wants to drive in the dark? You can’t see anything that way.
So stupidly I hoof it off to Bicheno. That really was a waste as I didn’t get to see much of the lovely beaches en route – I saw some before the sun set – but not all. I arrived in Bicheno and struggled to find the backpackers, which was not in the position the GPS said it was. When I got there, there was no one there, and all the lights were off. Not really a good sign, but the guy had told me to go to the payphone outside reception and dial 8, which would connect to him. I did so, and he advised he’d be there in 5 minutes – but it was more like 15. I got inside eventually and sorted out my stuff. The guy had told me of a few suggested eating places, and although I had my pasta to cook, I decided to go see if I could see the penguins (who also burrow in Bicheno) and get something to eat.
When I got back to the hostel, I was quietly watching TV and using the internet when I heard someone at the door. I got such a fright when it opened and in came two burly (but cute) South African guys carrying a carton of beer over their shoulders. It really freaked me out! Turns out they had checked in not long after me, as a drive by, and had then also gone for food.
Ended up having a long chat with them, which was lovely. I particularly liked the older one! Alas, I was unable to get his number – probably just as well, as he is only visiting from South Africa…
Anyway, it had been a lovely day, but was well and truly time for bed.
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