Today we're walking the wilds of Tolmans Hill and Ridgeway. Sally is our leader and the weather is fine.
We head for Hobart on the Southern Outlet, but turn off onto Proctors Road, parking just around the corner.
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| At last Bob realizes his station in life |
He still has a way to go, he refused to tie my boot.
Back to the walk, we head north again on foot for a short distance before turning up a private road. The only bans were for trail bikes, so walkers are o.k.
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| Alex admires the woodland garden |
There's a house just to the left here with a garden that is spreading across the little road.
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| Looking back |
This road is getting steeper and steeper prompting some to question who's really leading us. Could Sally be under Bob's influence?
Muttering starts. With hindsight, we can look back at this stage with fondness as a time when we still had enough breath to mutter!
On we climb until we reach the interesting building below. There are a couple of houses up here and one has a professional sign at the entrance advising visitors to
"Engage low gear! Engage 4wd! Do not spin tires!"
Fortunately we're not going up there, but along a fire trail on the flat.
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| A couple of sheep live in the back |
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| Onto the fire trail. The sign is from last March |
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| Mt. Wellington is showing all its folds and wrinkles |
On we go as the track goes up and down in the distance.
Soon we come to the Ridgeway Dam where some of our walkers continue on to have a closer look. Now that you're safely back, I can tell you a bit about the dam.
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| Walk softly |
It's been described as the second oldest dam in Australia. I find that difficult to believe, perhaps they meant the second oldest of its type.
In 1909 its design was cutting edge, as were the pipes used from Northwest Bay river which were a world-first, using spun steel reinforced concrete pipes designed by the Hume Company
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You should know however, while you were walking around the base and tapping on the dam walls, it's built on a rubbish foundation, in fact it's built on a fault, a number of which run in this area.
When it was built a shaft was sunk 27 metres and filled with concrete to seal the fault and prevent leakage. Why do you think some of us stood well back?
What it looked like while being built.
Leaving the dam, we walk along an old track/pipeline until we start up again.
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| Pipeline |
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| We turn left and start up again soon |
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| The reservoir behind the dam |
We continue down to Ridgeway Road for Morning Tea. There's a number of comfortable rocks to sit on, but as we do, a cold wind springs up and we have to move. Crossing the road and taking a track for a short distance finds a comfortable, sheltered spot to sit.
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| Down to McDermotts Farm and a glimpse of Hobart |
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| We're on the Pipeline Track, now |
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| The sluice house on the Pipeline Track |
Tea finished, we continue along the track which takes us down to McDermotts Farm where we pickup the Pipeline Track and head for Halls Saddle. Here Sally informs us we're going up, at least partway, Chimney Pot Hill. Everyone was really chuffed! - That's irony.
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| Sally tries to comfort Ron by telling him we're only going part way up |
On the way we split into three groups with Bob going up a little track all his own. When we rejoin, we continue along to start on the Ridgeway Track which leads down.
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| Heading down the Ridgeway Track |
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| This used to be the Ridgeway Recreation Oval |
Along the way, we pass a house next to the track and to Bob's delight, there were four malamutes on site. They cheered us on our way with one finding its inner wolf and setting up a cheery howl.
We walk on and come to the road where we turn right into Ridgeway.
We walk up here, turning left on Hall Street and on to Bramble St., turning left again and down to a gate.
Now, we're looking for a place for lunch, which we find. Plenty of dry seating on a couple of logs and a sunny outlook.
When leaving, I found the fellow below. Drab on top but a bit of colour underneath.
We continue down, rejoining our original track in and returning to the cars.
A good walk in good weather, although I believe Sally has dropped below Bob in the leaders league table.
We had 9 walkers and covered 9.66km in 3:36hrs. Our total ascent was 912 metres so you can do the maths yourself.
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