Frenchmans Loop

[Darren]

G'Day
I’m going to be walking to Frenchman’s and the Irenabyss at the end of Jan and I’m thinking about keeping going to the highway. I was wondering if anyone who has done this walk from the Franklin back to the road could give any tips on routs, campsites times etc. Now I know this is a sensitive subject so if you are able to help PM me so it’s not on the public forum.
Also, do you think I’ts possible to walk into tahune in a day. I will be alone and i travel fairly light so I plod along ok.
Thanks in advance
Darren

[ollster]

I've not done the loop myself, but the new Chapman South West book has the full loop in it, so it's common knowledge.

Yes, it is possible to get to Tahune in a day. Me and some mates did a 2 day trip to Frenchies a couple of years ago. The first day was about 9hrs I think. The lodden mud was not too bad, I recall.

[whiskeylover]

Agreed, if you are very fit and carrying a light load and the Lodden is not too bad you might be able to do it. If it is raining and the Lodden is sodden forget it. It would be a very long day. Is there a particular reason you want to do it in such a hurry? Limited days?

[Darren]

I have 5 days in Tassie. I arrive Thursday night and fly out Tuesday night. My original plan was to spend the first night at Vera, then walk to tahune and climb Frenchman’s then spend the night at tahune, next day Frenchman’s again then to irenabys for the night, then back to Vera for the night then car ,pub, home. That gave me 2 chances at the cap and reasonable days.
Since then I’ve been thinking about doing the loop as a bit of a challenge and staying around the flat bluff/ road junction area but then when I hit Victoria pass I have about 22k's to slog back to the car which is really going to chew up another day.
All this is not ideal as I’m a person who likes the walk as much as the destination. I could try and get another day then move my flight.
Darren

[Son of a Beach]

I was camped at the Irenabyss a year ago today! A very special place, there's no doubt about it. You can see a few notes here and pictures here.

But I deliberately did not include detail of the route and campsites as it is a sensitive area, and a VERY difficult walk in some spots, and you really need to know what you're doing.

Note that there are a few slight variations on the route between the Irenabyss and Victoria Pass. My preferred route varies to the one described by John Chapman in order to completey avoid the bog and leeches of Mary Creek Plains, and requires somewhat less scrub bashing (from what I understand from talking to people who've walked the Mary Creek Plains route. If you look at the various Tasmap publications you can actually see John Chapman's described route on one of the maps, and my preferred route on the other. I can PM some very detailed information if you like.

However, even on my preferred route, there were several bands of very difficult scrub bashing and Bubs Hill should not be underestimated. It looks rather thick from the road, but until you actually start on the hill itself, you have no idea! It's not just the thickness of the scrub, but how steep it is and that you can't actually see where you putting your feet, and quite often it is on loose scree amongst thick scrub (how is that possible?). There was also no good campsite for our last night (but we managed to find a tiny patch of grass just the right size for out tent), and no creeks or lakes between the Irenabyss and the top of Flat Bluff (if you skip Mary Creek Plains). We drank only from yabbie holes and puddles for a fully day and a half, including our last night's camping and cooking.

[tastrax]

Personally I would skip the round trip. Fly in Thursday night, drive up Friday and walk to Tahune (long day), next day summit if the weather is good or a day trip to Irenabyss if clagged in (return to Tahune), Sunday...another crack at the summit and back to Vera. Monday - walk out and then back to King William 1 for a different look at the area then back to Lake St Clair (Fergies Paddock camping or the pub if so inclined). Even have time for a trip to Rufus on Tuesday (if you are quick!) before back to Hobart and return flight.

This gives you at least two bites at Frenchmans plus King William 1 or a complete day up your sleeve and no highway walk!

Cheers - Phil

[Darren]

Well
After a lot of searching bus timetables, Google and some great info from Nik the trip is this so far.
• Drive to the nelson creek crossing on Thursday night and camp
• Get up early and spend a few hours trying to hitch back to Frenchman’s
• if successful hike into Vera day one, a manageable day to warm up even if the mud’s bad
• up and hike to the cap on day two then back to camp near tahune
• up and back to the cap (if the weather was bad the previous day) then down to the irenabyss and camp on the far side
• day 4 is the big one, push through the scrub to spend the night on flat bluff
• Day 5 is a nice 10k (ish) stroll? Down the 4wd track back to the car, clean up in the creek then head back towards Hobart.

As you can see there are quite a few holes in that plan, hitching, high water, bad weather.
But I do have a plan B which was my original walk.
Phill, your idea sounds good but I wanted to sleep at the irenabyss because I like sleeping in the scrub as much as hiking and if I use plan b this will be the most remote camp (not near huts etc)
As far as quality goes I can’t lose as even my fallback will be great
Thanks
Darren

[Son of a Beach]

Just a couple more notes to consider that I didn't include in the private emails...

Be careful with Flat Bluff in two ways: It would be a very exposed place to camp in bad weather. It really is very flat (and high), with nothing to protect from the elements (not even much in the way of vegetation that could act as a wind break). Secondly, there's a lot of senstive vegetation on top of the bluff itself, so go easy on the plants under foot.

Remember that the Irenabyss includes a decent of about 1000 metres on one side, and then an ascent of about 1000 metres on the other side. It's a seriously tiring afternoon/morning. But very beautiful.

I got most of my info on this walk from another forum member here, before I went, so I'm passing on some of that info, plus what I learnt myself, along the way.