Saturday 24 November 2012

Three days at Cradle Mountain

I just got back from three days at Cradle Mountain.

I walked in from the Dove Lake carpark over Hanson's Peak, then around the other side of Cradle where I'd forgotten how pretty all those pencil pines are down in that little valley, and arrived at Scott-Kilvert Hut.

The next day I went off-track down to a little lake behind Kitchen Hut called Suttons Tarn, then scrambled up a loose scree sloped choked with fagus to an area called Little Plateau. I explored this all day and it was fascinating. I went right up opposite Barn Bluff and Mt Inglis and looked down into Fury Gorge. I saw eagles soaring on thermals high above Fury Gorge and also at Dove Lake.

The final day I climbed back up to the saddle near Little Horn and down around Twisted Lakes and Lake Hanson to the carpark, and back to Hobart. It reminded me of that wet trip we did with Kate and Rich when they were young, only I did it in reverse. I even visited that emergency hut near Twisted Lakes where we sought shelter and where I fired up the stove for a hot drink back in 1990.

The weather at Cradle was perfect for the first two days but closed in on the last, with strong, gusty winds and rain storms. Below are a few snaps from the walk.

Off to Queenstown next for another launch and a climb to Raglan Hut.







Launceston launch

Thanks to all of you who came along to the Devonport and Launceston launch. Below are a few pictures from the event.




Tuesday 13 November 2012

Sydney Launch of Frenchmans Cap

A few pictures from Saturdays book launch at Gleebooks, Sydney. Thank you to all of those who attended and especially to Rob Pallin for his kind words.

I'm now off to Hobart for a month of launches and bush rambling in Tassie!








Tuesday 23 October 2012

Frenchmans Cap - Story of a Mountain

Welcome! November and December will mark the launch of my latest book, Frenchmans Cap - Story of a Mountain. This book has been many years in the making and it's great to see it finally come to fruition. I think you'll find that the wait has been worthwhile. Many people helped me make this book possible and I hope to be able to celebrate with you at one of the Australian launches - and even in London if you happen to be in that part of the world!



Here's a list of dates and venues for the Australian launches:

SYDNEY - Saturday, 10 November, 3.30pm at Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Rd, NSW 2037 (to be launched by Robert Pallin).
DEVONPORT - Wednesday, 14 November, 5.30pm, Devonport Library, 21 Oldaker St, Devonport, TAS 7310 (to be launched by Chris Binks).
LAUNCESTON - Friday, 16 November, 6pm, Petrarch's Bookshop, 89 Brisbane st, Launceston, TAS 7250 (to be launched by Nic Haygarth).
QUEENSTOWN - Friday, 23 November, 6pm, Queenstown Scout Hall, 15 Bowes St, Queeenstown, TAS 7467 (to be launched by Terry Reid).
HOBART - Thursday, 6 December, 5.30pm, Fullers Bookshop, 131 Collins St, Hobart, TAS 7000 (to be launched Bob Brown).
ADELAIDE - Monday, 17 December, 6pm, SA Writers' Centre, 2nd Floor, 187 Rundle St, Adelaide, SA 5000 (to be launched by Peter Roberts-Thomson).

LONDON - Thursday, 7 February, 6pm, The Downer Room, Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA UK (to be launched by His Excellency Mr Mike Rann CNZM, Australian High Commissioner).