West Coast Tour
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West Coast Tour |
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This is our SELF-GUIDED TOUR through the Wilderness of the West Coast and Highlands This goes through very dramatic scenery, much of it in World Heritage listed areas and alpine regions. Due to the remoteness the daily distances here are longer and the terrain is mostly hilly with some long ascents. There is a good chance of bad weather, especially rain. This amazing tour is only suitable for really fit cyclists.
Accommodation categories
Economy: Nothing fancy, but good value for money, usually with shower/toilet. Under all circumstances you should avoid our capital Hobart between Christmas and Jan 5th. What we include
> A comprehensive route description from door to door, customised to your tour and the hotels you are staying in Not included in tour price
Flight, food and drinks, admissions, National Park fees, excursions, luggage transport, personal spending Tour itinerary Day 1, Arrival -Evandale OR Day Off This first day is an arrival day (accommodation included, but no flight or transfer). You are best to fly into Launceston Airport. The quiet historic small town of Evandale is located just 4 km from Launceston airport, a nice place to recover from your flight. If booked, your rental bike(s) will be waiting for you at the first hotel. Day 2, Evandale – Mole Creek This route takes you westwards on very flat, narrow country roads with little traffic, via the lovely shopping town of Deloraine, into the village of Mole Creek. Just before your destination you will pass an interesting animal park Day 3, Mole Creek - Gowrie Park (Sheffield) Today you are climbing up to "high country". You'll be rewarded by breathtaking scenery. Guests of our economy category are staying in a cosy "Wilderness cabin" at the former Dam Worker´s settlement "Gowrie Park". Guests of the other categories have to continue further 15 km to the interesting small country town of Sheffield with its many painted murals. Minimum distance to cycle: 46 difficult km (28miles) plus 15 km (9miles) if you stay in Sheffield
Day 4, Gowrie Park (Sheffield) – Cradle Mountain NP There is some more climbing to do, including some quite steep sections. You should arrive at the park around lunchtime. In the afternoon you may explore this impressive park. Most visitors do the loop walk around the romantic Dove Lake. Uitlizing the free shuttle bus to and from the beginning of the walking tracks this exploration takes around 3 hours. There are countless possibilities to extend your walk; you can even continue on to Cradle´s summit. Minimum distance to cycle: 25 difficult km (16miles) plus 15 km (9miles) if you have stayed in Sheffield
Day 5, Cradle Mountain National Park - Rosebery Today's route is quite long and hilly, in particular the last 10km can be quite exhausting, but overall it goes more downhill than up through a wonderful landscape. Minimum distance to cycle: 70km (43miles) OPTION: Stay here for 2 nights to be able to do the 3 hours walk to Montezuma Falls and its famous suspension bridge. Day 6: Rosebery - Strahan At around lunchtime you will have reached the little town of Zeehan, where there is a great heritage museum. It's quite hilly environs but the last 40km are almost completely flat with a constant downhill. Minimum distance to cycle: 75km (58miles) Day 7: Strahan - Day Off We highly recommend you experience the half-day Gordon-River-Cruise Day 8: Strahan - Queenstown This stretch is a highlight for every cyclist, a narrow road winding through dense forest with 273 bends, into the old mining town of Queenstown, unfortunately more uphill than down. The surroundings of this destination make it appear as a lunar landscape; but vegetation is slowly coming back. Alternatively, you can travel on the historic ABT-Wilderness Railway (about $135 per person) through thick rainforest. Minimum distance to cycle: 42km (26m) Day 9: Queenstown - Derwent Bridge A quite exhausting but extremely fascinating section through World Heritage area with many opportunities for fantastic short walks. Your destination is the 3-Houses settlement of Derwent Bridge. Minimum distance to cycle: 88km (55miles) with a lot of climbing Day 10: Derwent Bridge - Ouse If you are fit, you could undertake a walk within the nearby Lake St. Clair National Park before you follow the "Wilderness Highway" eastwards. Although it goes much more downhill than up, some of our guests find this section can be exhausting. Minimum distance to cycle: 81km (50miles) Day 11: Ouse - New Norfolk Today you arrive back into "civilisation". We strongly suggest an excursion toMount Field National Park Day 12: New Norfolk - Hobart The final: its now only 28 km to your hotel in Hobart. For the last 12 km you can use a new bike track, which was once a railway line. In the afternoon you have plenty of time to explore Tasmania´s interesting capital. For instance, you could drive through the city on a double decker bus, hop on and off as you choose or maybe visit MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), which has quickly become a major tourist attraction.
If the weather is fine and you are up to the challenge, you could cycle up to the top of Mt. Wellington (1,270m), where there are absolutely spectacular views. Or you visit the “museum of old and new art” (MONA), which soon became a major tourist attraction. You can get there on the bike path or with a regular ferry from the harbour. Minimum distance to cycle: 28 km (17miles)
Day 13: Independent Departure Leave your rental bikes at the hotel. You can use one of the shuttle buses from curtain bus stops or call a taxi to your hotel to get to Hobart Airport (approx 35 minutes).
Minimum distance to cycle: 615 km (372miles)
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