: On the ‘Trail’

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In May this year I embarked on a solo trip along a section of the Tasmanian Trail that begins at the top of Tassie in the lovely township of Devonport and, some 480 km later, winds up in Dover on the south east coast. The Trail is based around the idea of the famous Bicentennial Trail and is designed for Horses, Mountain Bikes and Walkers.

This is one of those rides that require an official guidebook. Without it you would surely become lost! Luckily there is an excellent publication with detailed instructions for each of the 15 stages complete with excellent maps.

The guidebook describes the trail as a �soft adventure�. The term �soft� needs to be taken into context; �it in no way refers to the physical challenges of the trail. In this case it means that the trail does not involve extreme wilderness or National Parks and most of the time there is reasonable proximity to townships along the way � in fact the trail passes through many of Tasmania�s oldest towns. This means that supplies can be bought as you go and that a variety of accommodation options besides camping can be chosen. I initially planned to do a mixture of camping and motels but each day I managed to ride to a town and so took the soft option of a warm bed and a hot shower. It was winter after all.

The trail is relatively easy to follow (with the aid of the guidebook) and is marked along the way with small red and yellow Tasmanian trail symbols. The symbols are located on power poles, trees, fences and roadside poles. They are generally easy to spot but because of their small size they can be missed if you are travelling at speed.
There are 15 stages on the trail. Some are longer than others but are each approximately 30km apart. It is very possible to do two or more stages at a time for most of the trail. The only limit being the number of daylight hours and how much time you can sit on your saddle!
The trail itself is a combination of tarmac roads, gravel roads, dirt road (including forest trails) and occasional single track � it goes without saying that a mountain bike is essential. All of the roads and trails are very quiet with regards to traffic. The only possible problem being logging trucks in and around the forests. In my experience I found that the trucks gave me a wide berth and I encountered no problems.
The trail basically heads due south from Devonport through magnificent rural country and forests, up onto the (cold) Central Plateau with its picturesque lakes and alpine vegetation, and down the other side where it turns southeast towards new Norfolk through more superb country and then down to Dover on the far south east coast. There are fabulous historic country towns to be visited, history and culture to be taken in and magnificent cycling in general. This is a magical ride in a magnificent part of the world and is not for racer types � take your time and enjoy the view. The Tasmanian Trail provides a journey rich in cultural and natural heritage.

If you are doing this trip without backup (as I did) you will need to carry all your gear on you and/or your bike. My bike is dual suspension so rear racks proved to be a problem. I know there are solutions but $220 for a pannier rack? Time for a reality check! Having had experience in a number of Polaris Challenges I carried my tent and sleeping bag (which I never used) on a seat post rack ($35 from my LBS) and the rest of the gear in a backpack. This has the advantage of keeping the bike manoeuvrable and light and makes for easy carrying and lifting over the many gates and fences that will be encountered. In total I carried approx 12 kg of gear.

The trail can occasionally be quite difficult for bikes and the guidebook suggests alternative routes for when the going gets too tough or rivers are in flood. The choice is clear � ride your bike a little further (generally on tarmac) or carry it over very rough ground for substantial distances. The alternative routes are well set out in the guide.
There are a number of locked gates, which generally prove no real difficulty for bikes. But if you were using panniers it is possible to get a Trail Key ($50 deposit, $40 given back when key returned), which will open the gates and also some of the locked toilets.
There is an official campsite at the end of each section. Some are actually in the grounds of hotels or very close to town. There is supposed to be water at each site but I wouldn�t rely on this. I found no water at a number of camps – but it was never too far away in local rivers or creeks. Each campsite also has toilets. Some of the campsites are a little disappointing, especially those �in town� which are mostly a paddock at the back of the footy ground. Some have been vandalised by local morons and others have just been neglected.

I began my trip at Devonport Airport but the actual trail begins at the ferry terminal. This is because for some reason the organisers think all interstate visitors will arrive by boat!

Over the next six days I would experience some magnificent scenery and countless encounters with wildlife and I would climb (walk?) ridiculously steep hills. For example, the climb up the Poatina Highway onto the Central Plateau is 15 km of constant uphill with a gain of over 900m in altitude. Equally though, I enjoyed amazing long and fast downhill runs and rode through stunningly beautiful forests most of which are working forests. I crossed creeks and wide rivers, and I met interesting, friendly and helpful people, especially in the townships. I would also be extremely lucky to have fine weather all the way � not a drop of rain fell on me the whole time.

In the end I didn�t manage to get all the way to Dover. Since I would be flying out of Hobart I made a decision that I would leave the trail at New Norfolk (about 3/4 of the way) and then ride on to Hobart. This would save me doing the 80km trip from Dover back to Hobart. However, all did not go to plan. Day 6 had been a sensational day�s riding through the picturesque Victoria Valley with a magical descent off the Central Plateau (which was mostly downhill!) with amazing views of the Derwent valley. A little later I encountered major problems with my rear tyre some 5 km past the tiny town of Ouse. Basically the tyre blew out and was unrepairable �I was fortunate enough to get a lift back to Ouse (no bike shop here!) where I planned to get a bus to New Norfolk. However, when I thought about it, the bike shop in New Norfolk would be closed since I was arriving after 5:00pm and would definitely be closed on Sunday! So it was an easy decision to take the bus all the way to Hobart. It wasn�t the way I had planned to finish but a pleasant afternoon in the Ouse pub whilst waiting for the bus took most of the pain away.

Footnote: The bike shops were also closed in Hobart on Sunday but at least I was able to play tourist for the day. I managed to get a new tyre on the Monday and since I wasn�t leaving until the next day I decided to cycle around Hobart � another great day of riding with the weather gods looking down on me yet again.

Fact File:

Getting there: I flew with REX from Canberra to Devonport. Qantas also flies to Devonport but Virgin will only get you as close as Launceston some 90 km away. Be aware that Qantas insists on a bike being �boxed� and it is classed as excess baggage (pricey). There is a ferry from Port Philip Bay to Devonport, which allows you to take a car if you are having a back up vehicle.

When to go: Anytime of the year is ok but in winter the days are short � about 8 hours max and the temperatures are quite low up on the Central Plateau. Spring can be wet and windy but this can happen at any time of the year in Tassie. Summer is the best time for long days, with up to 15 hours of daylight, but this is also the hottest time. Autumn can be foggy. It can rain a lot in Tassie, and on the Central Plateau it can snow at anytime of the year plus the weather can be ferocious � be prepared for the foulest weather when on the Central Plateau.

Who can do it? You don�t need to be a super fit MTB guru to do this ride. You decide how far you want to go each day and you decide how little or how much of the trail you want to do. If you are a regular cyclist you will have no problems. Remember that a trip like this is about having time to take it all in� if you are in a hurry, go do a race.

The essential guidebook can be purchased from the Bronte Park Highland Village. This is a magnificent place for a rest day and is located at about the half way mark. The owners here are huge supporters of the trail. They will post you a guidebook on receipt of the requisite funds ($22 + $3 postage). Postal Address: Bronte Park Tasmania 7104. Phone: 03 62891126, Fax: 03 62891109. E-mail: bronte@netspace.net.au. Web: www.wwt.com.au/brontepark.bphv.htm. Alternatively you might find the guide in equestrian stores, and outdoor stores (especially in Tassie).

More info can be found at the following website. This site has links to a map of the route and updates and amendments to the guidebook.

Postal Address:
Contact: Tasmanian Trail Association Inc.
PO Box 99
Sandy Bay TAS 7005
Email: tastrail@dpiwe.tas.gov.a

I�m more than willing to answer questions on this trail: k_joy@optusnet.com.au

Article by K. Joy

 

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