On Friday after arriving and getting my accommodation and park registration sorted I first decided to have a look at the Wilderness Gallery. I always wanted to check it out but never got around to it. Its only $5 for admission and well worth it if you like photography. When I had finished there I decided to get straight into some walking.
I always wanted to do the Cradle Valley Boardwalk but had never had the opportunity of doing it. So I decided to give it a go. I parked at the Visitor Centre and set off at around 12 o'clock. I really enjoyed the walk, wasn't what I expected it to be but still good. I made it to Ronny Creek and crossed the road and carried on. A little further was the junction to Dove Lake via Lake Lilla or straight ahead to Marion's Lookout. I still had heaps of time so I decided that I'd continue on to Marion's Lookout. When I got there the view was reasonable. Though it was pretty overcast only the back of Cradle Mountain was covere4d in cloud, making only Little Horn and the 'cradle' visible - everywhere else was fine. Soon I set off on the way back down again. My destination was Dove Lake Carpark so I took the Rough & Steep down to Dove Lake then walked around to the carpark. When I got there it was pretty empty, only a few cars left. I went into the Walker Registration building to check on the shuttle bus times... and discovered that the last bus left at 3.55pm or something round about there. It was well past 4 so there was nothing else I could do but walk back. I followed the road to Ronny Creek then got back onto the Cradle Valley Boardwalk. By this time it was starting to get dark, and soon enough the sun was fully down. To my luck, and a lot of luck at that, the clouds had dissipated a little allowing the moon (about half a moon) to shine through a gap in the clouds just enough to allow me to see where I was going. I must admit it was a little eerie walking alone in the darkness with the noises of animals rustling around in the bushes and whatnot. It seemed to take forever to get back. After a while I finally got to the last hill and from there could see the lights of the Visitor Centre and surrounding buildings (ie. the lodge etc) which was to much relief. The last 100 meters or so of the boardwalk goes though a forested area with huge trees. That made it very difficult to see the board walk, as only tiny little patches of light made it through the canopy. I was pretty much walking blind until the lights of the carpark guided me for the last little section. I made it back at around 7 o'clock. Not quite what I had planned to do that day but still it was all ok. I had only planned to walk one way so what should have been a 4-5 hour walk turned into a 7 hour walk.
I suppose its my fault for not checking the shuttle bus schedule, but to me the last bus leaving at 3.55pm
is pretty bad as its still light enough for people to return for another hour. That said it didn't really bother me to walk back at all.
The next day I left things a bit late. After sleeping in a little then the process of pouring hot water over the car to remove the ice etc I finally set off around at 7 something. The day before I had intended to either walk to Dove Lake or take the earliest shuttle bus. The earliest bus was 9.00am - again I think that its stupid how late they leave it. When I got to the carpark I was only the second car there. I wrote down my plans in the walker registration building and set off at 8.00am pretty much on the dot. The weather was great, Cradle Plateau going around to Cradle Mountain was covered in low cloud most of the morning, however lucky for me on the Hanson's Peak side there was no cloud at all.
I headed up the Lake Rodway Track and to the summit of Hanson's Peak. It was a beautiful morning, the whole top of the mountain was covered in a dusting of snow, this along with the point that I was the first walker of the day made it one of the best walks I've ever done. From the junction of the Face Track all the way down to Lake Rodway was just as beautiful, however the sun was well up now and was beginning to melt all the ice and snow - which made things somewhat muddier, not that it worried me at all. Most of the time I was around the back of Cradle Mountain when I looked up it was shrouded in cloud, it was constantly changing giving a better view every now and then before being covered up again. I had a tiny rest at Scott-Kilvert Hut and just before I set off again a group of 4 guys caught up to me. We had a quick chat before I set off again. They were continuing on to Waterfall Valley then coming back the following day. I made quick time up the track looking up to the right at Benson Peak. I had to admit, from Lake Rodway up until I made it too the Plateau was the worst part of my trip. It was more densely forested and scrubby than anywhere else and was quite muddy in some parts, that and the heat was unbearable. As soon as I made it onto the Plateau I was rapped. The cool breeze was a lifesaver.
The snow was a lot thicker than what I thought it would have been, being up to or even above 70 centimeters in some parts, as opposed to some parts where there was no snow at all. It didn't take long to get onto the Overland Track where there were two sets of foot prints by walkers that were actually really helpful. They showed the path where to or not to walk, making it easy to navigate around areas where you'd sink into the snow as opposed to the hardened snow. The clouds had completely gone off the mountain most the time I was walking under it, making for some good shots. It was all snow pretty much all the way around until I made it to the Face Track. The Face Track wasn't too enjoyable either, though it did have good views. Virtually the whole track was covered in deep snow, making it more dangerous than anything, as it pretty steep to the lake side. Not too much longer and I made it back to the Lake Rodway Track, I was stoked as I had completed my circumnavigation of Cradle Mountain.
I returned via Twisted Lakes and Lake Hanson, the whole time of which it snowed. I don't know whether it was just because I was now tired or what but I really didn't enjoy the detour that much at all. It was all muddy and constantly going up and down. I was glad when I made it back onto the main track and made my way back to the carpark. When I came around to Glacier Rock Cradle Mountain made its last appearance of the day coming again out of the clouds. The water was very calm making for excellent reflections. I got a few shots in before getting out of my wet stuff and signing out on the logbook, which was at 4.45pm (8.45 hours of walking
). To my horror when I tried to start the car nothing happened, which was when I realised I had left the lights on in the morning...
There were two guys a few cars away and I went and asked it they could give me a jump start. They were happy to help. We had to push the car back to at to reach the other cars bonnet to attach the leads. However that didn't work as the leads were really junky or broken or something. Next they suggested that we try roll starting it, which is pretty hard to do when there's pretty much no hill to roll down. The carpark is on a tiny bit of an incline so we still gave it a shot. It was at that time when the rest of their group returned with another guy and i think four other women. They all came and joined the spectacle pushing the car up and down the carpark to no avail. In the end they had to go and I think were going to get someone from the Visitor Centre or somewhere to help. It was really starting to get dark now and clouds were coming over quick. I was sitting in the car for over half an hour waiting but no one ever came. That was until this couple were just leaving and I quickly jumped out of the car and waved them over. They came over and were happy to help. He hooked up the leads and had my car running in no time for which I was forever thankful. I finally set off at 6 something, and made it back home at 8 something. I learned my lesson, don't leave your lights on when doing a 8+ hour walk. It was a good trip and a very rememberable one at that.
Thanks for reading!.. if anyone ever got to the end.
I look forward to seeing the photos! 
