Tolmans Hill and Chimney Pot Hill Circuit 2014

Today’s walk was led by Sally, and covered a circuit taking in Tolmans Hill & Chimney Pot Hill with places in between.

The weather was predicted to be somewhat iffy today with possible rain showers, and winds but we were prepared.

We parked on the road leading up to Tolmans Hill, and started off on a track that led through an old quarry to our starting track. The weather was good and not too cool.

No politicians were endorsed in the taking of this photo

Mt. Nelson

The quarry

Looking south

The track out of the quarry

Open bush

The track is for mountain bikes and loops around. Sally watches with disapproval as some of us cheat.

Mt. Wellington

Onto a wider fire trail.

High winds have taken their toll on many of the gums.

We picked up an obviously mountain bike track and continued up and down before coming to another vehicle track. Today we would encounter a variety of surfaces, from 4WD to bike tracks, pads and hardly any track at all.

After a while we came to Ridgeway Reservoir, where we admired the graffiti on the side of the storage tank and were beeped at by one of the team cars that was following a cyclist down Ridgeway Rd. Today was the start of the Tour of Tasmania cycle race, and we would see others from time to time.

Ridgeway Reservoir

Wonder who the Brian's are and what job they did? Perhaps it's best not to ask.

The weather remained fair, but we could see it building up behind Mt. Wellington.

After Ridgeway, we picked up a track across the road, which we followed down until we came to another water storage tank. Climbing up beside the fence, we crossed behind it and picked up another track that led us to Morning Tea.

Across the road and down another track.

Short climb behind another water tank.

On the way, we came across several downed trees from last week's winds, but it was worth it as Sally led us to a sizable cave with a view of Wellington for our break.

Making our way around another obstacle.

In the cave's mouth for Morning Tea.

The view from the cave.

Addie seems to be shooting at the mountain.

Obviously Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth laid claim to the cave in the past, judging from the apparent age of these letters. Perhaps it was a fall back incase Scotland voted 'Yes'.

Enjoying our break, the cave goes a little distance back in.

Very windy. While walking back to our trail, one of our party passed under this tree just before we noticed it was nearly out of the ground and rocking back & forth.

Industrial archaeology, old water tank in the bush.

Heading down towards the Waterworks.

Across remains of old dam.

Afterwards, we walked back and then down towards The Waterworks, where some people took a comfort break while others viewed the display of the history of the area in the old pump house.

Back together again, we took the track past the upper reservoir towards McDermotts Saddle, navigating Gentle Annie Falls on the way.

The Waterworks upper reservoir.

Quite a few flowering shrubs in the bush.

Says it all, enlarge to read.

Climbing towards Gentle Annie Falls. These have been dry since the 1940s when the water was diverted. It consists of channels down the vertical face and stone steps all cut by hand.

I tried to find out the history of the name 'Gentle Annie Falls' with no luck. One said it may have come from a song of the same name, another swears that as a student in the 1950s they went here on a school trip and the water was flowing freely. The children were told a horrible story that a young girl (Gentle Anne) fell into the water channel and emerged at the pump house mangled and shredded. Lovely teacher.

The channel is at the left.

Convict cut steps.

Moisture in the air, everyone change.

Better view of one of the channels

We're off again.

Gentle Annie had a good spin doctor, as the climb up the handhewn stone steps is anything but gentle!

On the top, several (everyone but me) changed into rain gear as it started to gently shower. However, it was intermittent so I decided to take a chance. Actually, I was just too lazy to dig it out of my pack.

We walked along the track before turning off onto a pad that barely existed, but that I remember from a couple of years ago when we had come in the other direction.

Continuing on on another track, we came to a point where a decision was to be made as to where we were going to go. The weather appeared to be closing in on the mountain and heading for us. The choice was to continue on Sally's planned route or turn off and head back, cutting off a couple of kilometres.

The decision was taken to take the short cut as it wasn't worth it to get really wet. Naturally, less then a 100 metres in, the sun came out, the rain stopped and all was right with the world. We stuck to our decision, though and found a spot for lunch on the track past Ridgeway Reservoir. We picked a sheltered spot as the wind was expected to be quite high around the corner.

I'll take a chance and say this is Pultenaea juniperina or Prickly Beauty.

Bushfire victim

More flowers

Lunch in the middle of the road. Ron chose his own place on the upper left, we didn't send him there!

Looking down through the bush.

After lunch we made our way back via a track that must have had 8 signs spaced along it warning that this was a construction zone and entry was prohibited. Never saw any sign of anything, and we came back to the road that led through to the original quarry and then the cars.

Collectors item.

Through the yellow tunnel.

An Acacia, but which I don't know.

A very interesting walk, and one we should make sure to do again in better conditions.

We had 11 walkers and covered 8.28km in 3.22 hours.

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