We are anchored in Coles Bay on the east side of Tasmania. Getting here was a bit “interesting” with too much wind and lots of waves so we are enjoying the shelter from both.
And looking across the bay. At the mountains. And particularly at the 454 meter high Mount Amos.
The Internet has loads of information about Mount Amos. It says “This is a challenging track only suitable for physically fit and well-equipped walkers.” So it sounded like it was made for us!
We crossed the bay in the dinghy which saved the walk round the long way and headed up to the car park where the trail starts. I almost tripped over two wallabies coming the other way and was about to apologise before I realized they were not small people.
You pass a selection of signs warning about how steep and exposed this track is before following the path in to the bush. The beginning is through the trees and you wonder what the fuss is about until you reach the final warning sign that tells you things are going to get exciting from here onwards. And they are correct. There is lots of steeply sloping granite to scramble up and cracks to ascend. The further you go, the more spectacular the view and the more exposed the climb feels. There are no ropes or any other artificial aids except small yellow triangles that show the route. A lot of the time your not slipping down the mountain relies on your shoes sticking to the granite.
We reached the top after over an hour of scrambling and the reaction was “Wow!” While we were there about another six people arrived and, as they crested the top, each one said the same “Wow!” It seems to be the word that fits best. Over four hundred meters below you is Wineglass Bay and a view that extends for miles in every direction. The view is definitely more than worth the climb.
We had pizza, cake and water with us so enjoyed a picnic in the sun while chatting with the international convention of English, Germans, Australians, Japanese and an American. Surprisingly the Germans were the majority.
The climb down took longer than the ascent as we were being very careful and kept meeting people who wanted to know how much further it was and if it got worse. At the bottom we were really glad to be able to take the lazy option of a dinghy ride back home.
An unforgettable experience
wow!