Day Six and Seven - Lemonthyme Lodge

Mmmmmm. Lemonthyme Lodge is essentially a big log cabin near Cradle Mountain, so why am I always so happy to be there? The luxury spa cabins are exactly what it says on the advertising: luxurious. Big beds, big bathrooms, spa bath with a view over the magnificent forest, fabulous heating (just as well as it is still cold and wet), a lovely restaurant, rooms fitted out with beautiful native timbers … the Captain and myself have stayed here before and there was no doubt we would return.

The purpose for our being here was, of course, to bushwalk at stunning Cradle Mountain. Our first night, however, we started with dinner at the lodge restaurant, which necessitated a bit of frocking up: the Peta Pledger leopard-print skirt, a Tarantula yacht top, a pair of sweet forties-style wedges, a swingy hairdo. My companions looked lovely: well, it is a lovely restaurant that features open fires, attentive and friendly staff, white starched tablecloths, candles, a neat little bar. Sadly, among other guests, mud-spattered jeans, sneakers and polar fleece featured heavily. Understanding that people like to relax on their holidays, it is worth remembering that one’s clothes are a compliment to one’s hosts and the positive reaction of the staff to our pressed and fragrant party made it clear that the compliment was very much accepted.

The food at Lemonthyme Lodge is plentiful and delicious. Nobody leaves hungry – including the pademelons (for our non-Australian friends, pademelons are actually a wee wallaby, the dearest little plump furry marsupials you can imagine, native to Tasmania) and possums that come to the balcony to be fed fruits and vegies every evening!

The next day dawned … well, miserable and rainy. However we were determined to do our walk at Cradle Mountain. This is an incredibly visually stunning landscape: at least, it is if you can see it through the frequent mist and rain. Apparently around 30 days a year, it is clear and sunny, the rest of the time it is much as it was that day. However, somehow A, the Captain and I had all previously managed to visit on one of those elusive sunny days, and enjoyed a clear view of the wonderful snow-capped mountains. K, on the other hand, had only ever seen mists and rain, and was determined to try and actually get a visual on the mountain this time! How we were going to manage that little trick, we didn’t know …

That morning our glad rags were put aside in favour of Very Sensible Walking Gear. Cradle Mountain, even if one is only planning a short walk, is not the place in which to assume that near enough is good enough. If you ever go there for a walk, please be prepared for some serious weather! Mountain weather changes on a whim. Even if the day starts sunny, and it is summer, it is still possible to get rain, mists, ice, snow and high winds.

Therefore we donned sturdy walking clothes, multiple layers of natural fibres topped with polar fleeces and hooded rain jackets, hats, gloves, and very sturdy and comfortable walking shoes. Style is not something that a walker at Cradle Mountain should be worrying about! On the other hand, I am now the proud owner of a pretty mint-green rain jacket that I am pleased with as the colour is very easy to spot in bad weather. We also packed water and snacks.

We drove to the Dove Lake carpark, registered our intended walk, and started on a half-day fairly gentle hike around Dove Lake: an extremely pleasant walk suitable for moderately fit people. This only takes a couple of hours at a gentle pace, even with our tendency to stop and admire things every few paces. It is an excellent quality track that allows the multitude of daily hikers to avoid damaging the natural environment. And more to the point … it is GORGEOUS!

And the best part about our wonderful walk is that, although we were lashed with sleet and rain and wind for the first part of the walk, by the end the weather actually, miraculously, cleared sufficiently for K to see the whole of Cradle Mountain. Thank you, weather gods!

Completely satisfied with our walk, we signed off the bushwalking register and returned to Lemonthyme for a hot spa and a late lunch, richer to the tune of many photos. After our exertions the evening consisted of another of the Lodge’s huge lovely meals (yes, of course we did dress nicely again), and a very good night’s sleep.

The next day we said a sad farewell to the Lodge and started our trip to Launceston, a city for which I have a very, very soft spot.

However, along the way we passed a number of purveyors of quality gourmet foods, and of course we absolutely had to stop and stock up on our (barely) depleted supplies! The raspberry farm was especially nice and we actually had lunch there: a raspberry-laden lunch, of course. I have just finished sipping a small pre-bedtime glass of raspberry brandy that I am certain will bring me sweet dreams. We also stopped at a dear town called Sheffield which is noted for its numerous municipal murals – and also for a marble shop at which we spent a considerable period of time, purchasing marbles to play with, marbles to put on display, jewellery and toys.

We arrived at our self-contained accommodation in Lauceston in good time to have a rest and get some washing done, before heading out for our evening’s pre-booked entertainment: the Launceston Ghost Tour.

Who doesn’t love a good ghost tour? As well as the spooky stories, they can provide a good bit of quirky social history of an area, not to mention an opportunity to get to know the layout of a place. This tour was also highly entertaining, and included looks at some of Launceston’s amazing historic architecture. I won’t give away the stories – come to Launceston and do the tour yourself! I will say that Alison our guide was fantastic, putting 200% into the tour, and that it was informative and entertaining and quirky. The tour left from the Royal Oak Hotel, at which we had dinner beforehand – basic pub grub, but with a 20% discount for Ghost Tour members. It finished at the Hotel as well, so participants could stead their nerve before retiring …

Launceston is truly a beautiful city: not a huge city but big in terms of architecture and history. It also has a nippy climate, so for our ghost tour we all dressed neatly but made sure we had coats and sensible, comfortable shoes (it turned out to be easily two hours of city walking, which can be hard on the feet, so my trusty mary-janes were welcome).

After the tour we retired, planning a lazy morning of shopping followed by an extra special treat or two for all of us!