Week 93, Set For Winter Months.
we have had a very interesting week for us, in that the weather has started to get real cool, we have had three days of frost and temps. below 2 deg. every morning while at Longford. We started the week just resting but I had some work to do in Launceston which needed to be done, catch up with some friends and still have time to get out and see the world.
We seem to luck out with sunsets and this one was great and just came out of no where
We seem to luck out with sunsets and this one was great and just came out of no where
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The Car
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The grass is white and crunchy
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Its so funny that anywhere you go in Tasmania you can be blown away with the views and its keep in great order and are proud of what they have, so whether you can only see part of it on your holiday and you will see the best part I am sure.
Ben Lomond National Park
At first the road climbs gently through eucalypt forest. Then the trees clear and you are in the open, already high up and with views, with the Jacob's Ladder section looming above. Ben Lomond's plateau is like the Great Western Tiers not far away, in that the steep escarpment is crowned in many places with dramatic dolerite cliffs. It is up a gap in these cliffs that the road climbs.
After what I had read and heard about Jacob's Ladder, I was prepared for a hair raising experience. As it turned out, it was not that bad. There were indeed some precipitous drops near the edge of the road, and I was very conscious of being high up on a steep mountainside. But the road itself was gentle. It wasn't particularly steep or narrow, and the extensive presence of crash barriers was reassuring.
I would recommend that driving up Jacob's Ladder be done slowly. This is not just for obvious safety reasons, or because of the low speed limit, but because the scenic zig-zigging section is only a relatively short part of the journey up Ben Lomond. The views and lofty driving experience deserves to be savoured - rushing through it would defeat the point of going there.
I'm referring to the Ben Lomond plateau, a small but relatively high plateau to the southeast of Launceston which contains Tasmania's second highest peak, Legges Tor (1572m). It also contains a small ski area, which for me was the main drawcard. I don't ski any more, but I still feel drawn to these places and was keen to see how it compared to ski areas elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand.
The road up to Ben Lomond comes with warnings about carrying chains in winter, and checking road conditions in dodgy weather. When I visited it was in fine weather with no recent rain or snow, so I just drove straight up, but during or just after wintry conditions it would be wise to check first.
After what I had read and heard about Jacob's Ladder, I was prepared for a hair raising experience. As it turned out, it was not that bad. There were indeed some precipitous drops near the edge of the road, and I was very conscious of being high up on a steep mountainside. But the road itself was gentle. It wasn't particularly steep or narrow, and the extensive presence of crash barriers was reassuring.
I would recommend that driving up Jacob's Ladder be done slowly. This is not just for obvious safety reasons, or because of the low speed limit, but because the scenic zig-zigging section is only a relatively short part of the journey up Ben Lomond. The views and lofty driving experience deserves to be savoured - rushing through it would defeat the point of going there.
I'm referring to the Ben Lomond plateau, a small but relatively high plateau to the southeast of Launceston which contains Tasmania's second highest peak, Legges Tor (1572m). It also contains a small ski area, which for me was the main drawcard. I don't ski any more, but I still feel drawn to these places and was keen to see how it compared to ski areas elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand.
The road up to Ben Lomond comes with warnings about carrying chains in winter, and checking road conditions in dodgy weather. When I visited it was in fine weather with no recent rain or snow, so I just drove straight up, but during or just after wintry conditions it would be wise to check first.
The Hill looks high even at a distance
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Just high rock cliffs
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Love the open fields.
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There is a Road in there somewhere
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Before you reach the last climb to the top, you will come across the camping area it is away from most of the wind and has flushing toilets and fire places about. It can be used when ever there is no booking or payments required and is some 5 km. below the ridge and 6 km up from the main road. it is a dirt road but in good order and is steep going up and be warned use a low gear going down or you may not have any brakes to stop at bottom.
Just make sure your National parks permit is current they will check you out and there are fines if you don't have one.
Just make sure your National parks permit is current they will check you out and there are fines if you don't have one.
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As you are seeing it is a dangerous place as anytime rocks can fall and some are huge and you can just about kiss you bum goodbye plus the added issue with others over taking you either coming up or down.
Now we have gone during the week and it was a nice day expect it was blowing on top of the mountain and this is a ski area so people drive up here during the snow periods, so look at these photos and choice when you would take the drive up the hill.
Now we have gone during the week and it was a nice day expect it was blowing on top of the mountain and this is a ski area so people drive up here during the snow periods, so look at these photos and choice when you would take the drive up the hill.
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The Snow village
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No snow yet but looks ok.
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The sign from the top going down
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Start of the climb up, no sign of the road to come
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Where we stayed at Longford they have one of the better IGA shops and below are a few shots of the food and display you get when you walk about .One thing we have found is the friendly people and great food and its really not that expensive to get the good stuff
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Carrick
Its not a big town but has a well known Tasmanian Copper & Metal Art Gallery
Each item is free cut from a variety of metals such as copper, brass, steel and chrome using a variety of tools such as an oxy acetylene torch, plasma and laser cutter. Each piece is hand beaten and shaped, polished and then coloured using special paint which is baked onto the surface. The whole product is then coated with a clear finish for protection, producing a very colourful and decorative wall hanging. The works are intended for interior use.
Only reason we found out about it was that Nat told Ellen and we had to visit and now we have a blue bird watching us every time we are in the van, well worth a visit if going past heading south just before Launceston.
Each item is free cut from a variety of metals such as copper, brass, steel and chrome using a variety of tools such as an oxy acetylene torch, plasma and laser cutter. Each piece is hand beaten and shaped, polished and then coloured using special paint which is baked onto the surface. The whole product is then coated with a clear finish for protection, producing a very colourful and decorative wall hanging. The works are intended for interior use.
Only reason we found out about it was that Nat told Ellen and we had to visit and now we have a blue bird watching us every time we are in the van, well worth a visit if going past heading south just before Launceston.
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We have Moved To............
So Today being, Friday we have moved again further north and a little west and have set up at a house sit just some 16 kms outside Sheffield, we came here some months back and know we can fill in the blanks and visit again and small towns around here. from here we hope to visit and lot of the western half of Tasmania so keep an eye on our travels people we are heading into a new area with a lot of things to see. And as I write this I do notice there is a frost warning just been issued for this area in the morning with a low of -1 to -2 deg.
So we are house sitting half way up the side of Mt. Roland within a lot of trees and has a great view looking over the valley and we may get snow, now going on our weather adventures it should be 3 foot deep in a few weeks.
So we are house sitting half way up the side of Mt. Roland within a lot of trees and has a great view looking over the valley and we may get snow, now going on our weather adventures it should be 3 foot deep in a few weeks.
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Below are some shots around the yard I will have move over coming weeks and do look at them as there are some things that are hidden in the bush or just should not be there, as the chair and TV in the creek bed.
Photo of The Week
So below will be the same photo taken where we are staying about same day and time, so each week as the weather changes and gets well into Winter you will see the changes over the 3 months about we are here.
I think you will see the countryside change along with us, hope you enjoy this......
I think you will see the countryside change along with us, hope you enjoy this......
Well hopefully we have settled back into one place for awhile, we should get back to the blog with all its feature next week. it is a lot easier to get out a full blog when I can spread out and write the whole week instead of a few hours on Friday and Saturday nights.
