Gordons Hill to Second Bluff 2016

Today is going to be another warm one as we walk around Gordons Hill then strike out for Second Bluff, led by Carol.

It's a beautiful day with a slight breeze, not bad for walking. We park at the car park next to Rose Bay High and set off clockwise around the hill.

Looking up the Derwent from the car park

Natone Hill on right

Tasman Bridge with Mt. Wellington behind

Natone Hill and Lindisfarne Bay

It's a G2 walk so, it's easy walking on a wide track, keeping a look out behind for cyclists and runners.

At one point we come out for a short walk up Ryeland Court, turning off onto a little track between houses. This opens up within a short distance.

Up Ryeland Court

A tiny track between houses leading to a wide trail

We continue circling Gordons Hill.

A local

We continue around to a track leading down past Rose Bay High to the pedestrian overpass over the Tasman Highway. This gives some good views of the western shore.

Now we do some pavement pounding, heading for Rosny Hill. On the way we stop and have Morning Tea. Tracks have been upgraded and some added leading to the top of the hill. There's a camera crew just unloading their gear in the first parking area, and a second just on top of the hill doing the same thing. Don't know who or why.

Over the Tasman Highway

Mt. Wellington and Tasman Bridge

Down the other side

Downtown Hobart

Looking up river. That big rounded hill on the right is Mt. Direction

The blue & white ship is the RV Investigator belonging to the  CSIRO

We start down the other side of Rosny Hill, turn off the access road and go down a cleared track.

I'm standing on the road and all I heard was Carol saying "We're not lost" to the others

Good to know.

I did ask if navigating this fallen tree meant an upgrade from G2 to G3

All I got for an answer was derisive laughter.

Soon we come to Leura St. and head down towards Kangaroo Bay.

Kangaroo Bluff

Bellerive Yacht Club

Down the steps

We come down, walk past Rosny College and around the waterfront to Bellerive.

Walking past the yacht club we see some life in the water

Hobart

Sandy Bay with Wrest Point Casino and its tower

Walking along Victoria Esplanade past some of the attractive old homes

Many Oyster Catchers around the shoreline

We continue along until we're directed off to our left and up some steps.

Leaving Victoria Esplanade

We disappear into the scrub at the top of the steps

 On the other side, we come to the fort on Kangaroo Bluff.

The bridge over the moat leading to the fort proper

The sign is getting a bit worn. Perhaps when they change it they could change the $5 mentioned as an inducement to attend camps and parades to £5, as I'm pretty sure this was before decimalization

Looking down into the fort

Looking out for Russians

The fort was built after a unannounced visit in 1873 by two Russian warships that had everyone worried. Digging started in 1880, ran out of money in 1881, started again in 1883 and finished in 1884.

Only eleven years after the Russians visited.

Carol enjoys a well earned break talking with Bob

Oh, the Russians didn't invade in the end. We were too slow building our defenses to make it a worthwhile contest, so they invaded Afghanistan instead.

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

We had a better idea and had lunch inside the fort as there was plenty of seating for all around the gun mounts.

The underground portions are sealed off with steel bars and doors. It wasn't always the case as you used to be able to look around at will.

While eating lunch opposite a solid steel door I noticed a gap around it and tried taking a photo through it. The results are below.

Through the gap. Not sure why there are tapes on the iron hooks

In another area there was a room with barred windows and door, which also had a room behind. An arm through the bars shows what appears to be a fireplace or some sort of storage area.

Everyone else had moved off and left the fort while Ron & I had a look at another barred entrance near the steps out.

This is the result. It was a bit strange as while we were standing there we noticed voices that appeared to be coming from deep in the tunnel. It sounded like the rest of our group, but when we climbed the steps they were all were standing off in the distance. Some sort of strange acoustics at work I think, although I couldn't see any vents on the surface that might explain it.

Leaving the fort behind, we head back towards Gordons Hill via some streets leading past Bellerive Oval and down to Kangaroo Bay.

I should say, that while at the oval Carol announced that the walk would change to a 'View of Second Bluff'. I was requested to take a photo, but due to the bitter disappointment of the walk change, I completely stuffed up the photo!

Taken under trying conditions as mentioned above

Crossing Rosny College oval, we make our way back up Rosny Hill and turn off towards the overpass to Rose Bay High.

Walking up through Rosny College grounds

We zig zag around the public areas of the high school and soon reach our cars.

It was a good day for a walk as the sunny scenes were very pretty.

We had 15 walkers and covered 11.61km in 3:52hrs.

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