Tarn Shelf Hike – Mt Field National Park

Tasmania Take 2 Tour : Day 11

Monday January 14, 2019

We were a bit slow to leave Hobart. It was a beautiful clear, sunny morning and as Hammer felt fine after yesterdays marathon he agreed to come and hike the 20km Tarn Shelf Trail in the Mt Field National Park. It was the hike we had planned to do last Thursday but abandoned due to bad weather. But first a stop at our new favourite café Room for a Pony for breakfast. Great coffee and a delicious Chinese omellete which tasted like nothing I’ve had before, our bellies were full with delicious food. And our egos comforted by compliments from a complete stranger it was time to head to Mt Field NP.

The park is only 70 minutes out of downtown Hobart. We made it to the campground before 10am and set up our tent before heading off to the trailhead near Lake Dobson. What a difference a few days make, it was perfect hiking conditions.

It was a bit of a climb on a fire trail to reach the ski fields. Such a surprise to see that it is possible to ski in winter so close to Hobart. A new warming hut which was not open today offered quite spectacular views over the ranges to the east.

From the hut it was single file track meandering along 6 alpine lakes backed by a towering mountain range. It looked like the lakes may have been a part of a big cirque. The water was crystal clear and Hammer could not resist taking a plunge. It was a perfect blue sky day and it was exhilarating being back in the wilderness. It felt like our Tassie Take 2 tour has finally commenced. We continued to the end and took the Lake Webster Track for the return.

The return was a bit of steep downhill slog through dense forest without much of a view. We regretted not retracing our steps and taking in more of the alpine scenery.