Seven Mile Beach to Lauderdale 2017

Today we're walking from Seven Mile Beach, around the Lauderdale and Roches Beach area. Tas has volunteered to lead as he had done so the last time we were here.

We park at the end of Seven Mile Beach Rd., next to the beach. It's supposed to rain today, but at the moment it's just overcast. Besides, it's the eastern shore and we all know the weather here is always fine.

We take up the entire parking area

Southern end of Seven Mile Beach

We walk to the track start. The large hill in the distance is Single Hill. We'll have a closer view later.

I'm not sure why most of the shells on the beach are black. It's an interesting beach to walk on as there are many different shells and sponges to see.

A reminder we're not far from the optimistically named Hobart International Airport

Start of the track

Seven Mile Beach

The track takes us along the coast. Soon we reach a section where council workmen are refurbishing it with new gravel.

Mays Point in the distance

New gravel

We pass by a few properties and the one below always caught my eye in the past. I don't think it's old, just looks it.

Soon we head right up hill which eventually take us near the top of Single Hill, but before then, Morning Tea beckons.

A good sized log provides plenty of seating. I did warn everyone I was going to take a photo and not to do anything embarrassing, so my conscience is clear.

Morning Tea

Refreshed, we continue our climb. If you want to impress yourself, look at the graph at the end of the blog.

Lauderdale down below

Single Hill ahead

Unfortunately, it's still private property so we turn left and roughly follow the fence line down.

I seem to remember that the council was going to try and take over the top and establish tracks and that the owner at the time was in favour of this, but that was a couple of years ago and nothing appears to have happened since.

Heading down

More than a few horses live in this area

We cross over the Axiom Way to find our way to Five Ways Corner, where we head left.

We're on flat ground now with wide horse trails and it's very easy walking.

Taking the old Monmouth Track back over the Axiom Way, we're heading to Roches Beach for lunch. There is some road walking, but as it's horse country the verges are usually quite wide.

Our destination is a sheltered picnic table we know from past walks that's located next to the entrance of the Lauderdale Yacht Club. Unfortunately, on arrival we find it occupied by a couple and their Golden Retriever who show no signs of moving.

I suggested forming a silent circle around them to see if we could change their minds, but we decided in the interest of public relations we'd just head for the beach and sit on the sand.

This we did. Now, I mentioned at the beginning that the weather forecast was a bit iffy, but so far, we've had no rain. It wasn't until we sat down on the dunes and the sun came out that it began to sprinkle. It wasn't much, but after lunch it did pickup for a short time, just long enough to get me to put on a rain jacket.

Before then though, it did provide some good rainbows to watch during lunch.

Roches Beach. Packed as usual

Lunch will be on those dunes to the left

Nature provided a double rainbow for our enjoyment

After lunch, we continued along the beach to the second set of steps that will take us back to the coastal track we walked earlier.

Tas stepping out with purpose

Black shells make interesting patterns on these rocks

Back on track and it's raining lightly now

We make our way back and the rain stops before long. Soon we reach the steps we had climbed in the start of our walk.

Isolated little beach

Back to Seven Mile Beach

We had 15 walkers and covered 10.67km in 3:38hrs. The weather generally held off and it was a good day for a walk. On returning to the cars, I found the outside temperature was 17C which explains why I was so warm inside my rain jacket.

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Harts Hill-Baretta-Dru Point 2017

Today we're parking at the Cricket Pavilion in Margate to walk up Harts Hill. From there we walk down to find our way around the coastline via the Dave Burrows walk to Dru Point and back to our cars. I'm leading a group of nervous walkers.

Margate Oval

Harts Hill

We walk past the Men's Shed, down to the start of the Margate Tramway Track.

Looking south

The track takes us past two noisy Labrador Retrievers who are disappointed Bob isn't with us. Reaching the bottom of Englefield Drive, we turn off to head to Frost Road.

On the way we pass some white cockatoos busy tearing up someone's grass.

It's a short walk as we remember to take the right hand fork which is Hickmans Road, leading us to the start of the Harts Hill Track.

This will be our little heart-starter for the day as we climb to the top which is a breathtaking 145 metres. There is a trig marker and bench for those who require it.

The views are great.

Hickmans Road

Start of Harts Hill Track

North

East over North West Bay

Mt. Wellington

West

Admiring the 360˚ views

It's overcast at the moment, but we're promised some sunshine later on.

We've finished admiring the views and start down, passing some properties and locals on the way. The beginning is fairly steep and there are some holes hidden in the grass, so care is required.

Heading down

There are some colourful shrubs planted beside the fence. I've identified the Hakea, but not the second shrub.

Pincushion Hakea (Hakea laurina)

The plant below I haven't identified.

Not very attractive

The end result

Renate taking her own photos

I mentioned we met a local, actually it was three. Two bovines and one rather well fed horse.

"Ah! Someone with a camera."

"This is my best side"

On we go, heading for the bushland at Baretta and Morning Tea.

This is new from the last time we were here

A very knobbly tree

It's all open, young bush

We find a spot with enough stumps to make everyone comfortable and settle down for our break. Afterwards, I take the group off track, hopefully heading for the Channel Highway where we'll cross.

Despite comments from behind, I find the exit and we cross the road, walking up to the start of the Dave Burrows Walk. Dave Burrows was a local orchardist who first created a route along the foreshore.

At one point we catch a view of Harts Hill

On we go, and we can see that the Derwent Avenue Group, along with Kingborough Council have been working on the track.

We also pass some bush tucker lying on the track, but no one was interested. Funny that.

Tasty looking, but unwanted grub

We come to Tramway Creek which is named for the old tramway that used to run from the coal mine at Kaoota down to a jetty for loading onto ships.

New looking boardwalk over Tramway Creek

The end of the track is at Gemalla Road where we head left towards Bundalla Road which we take.

Bundalla Road

It's a short walk to another track that takes us back to the coast. We're on the Bundalla Walking Track now.

On the way, we pass these galahs feeding in a field

We reach the park at Dru Point where much construction work is taking place at the entrance. A gentleman with a stop sign directs us up and along the fence.

Making our way into the park we start looking for a convenient lunch spot with room for all.

Passing the playground, looking for its mates...

...who are up by the road

We soon find a couple of picnic tables and immediately divide ourselves into two groups.

Males here

Females there

I float back and forth between male and female. Does that sound right?

Lunch finished, we continue on. We are walking around Dru Point Track now. There are many black swans and pelicans living in this shallow marshy area.

Group of pelicans off shore

We pass the Channel Christian School, heading for Beach Road. We'll make our way back to the cars from there.

The weather was good and the sun did indeed come out. It's a pleasant walk.

We had 10 walkers and covered just over 10km in 3.5hrs.

Click here to download GPX file