Slept like crap. Hurray. Half awake for an hour or so, then fully awake for an hour or two then intermittent awake for another couple of hours.
Had a slow start, then went on a reconnaissance mission to see how things worked and fill up the morning.
So drove myself down to the visitor's centre and hopped on a shuttle. Got there at 10:05, shuttle left at 10:13, arrived at Dove Lake a bit after 10:30.
Probably not even half the parking spots there were taken. If you get there before 8:00 you could skip paying the $15 for the shuttle I guess. Also be less stressful if you were planning a long hike and weren't back in time for the last shuttle back (which at this time of year is 17:30).
Walked right past the building at Dove Lake and could actually sort of see most of Cradle Mountain which was pretty cool. Went around to the boat shed and there was noone else around which was nice. The sun even came out briefly on it so that was pretty awesome.
Trail marker sign at Dove Lake
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake Boatshed
Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake Boatshed
Cradle Mountain with snow
Cradle Mountain National Park
Then hopped on a shuttle back. I was the only one on it heh. There's 72 numbered markers along the road a few hundred metres apart and the drivers all relay their positions to each other, so they know when another bus is coming and can pull aside and not have a head on collision on the narrow windy road. Dunno why they don't just widen the road and put a car park in at Dove Lake and save themselves the hassle of running a bus service at all. Any excuse to gouge tourists an extra $15 each I guess. I'd rather they gouge us with a parking fee instead and save themselves all that extra hassle for them and stress for us.
Ronny Creek
Anyways.
Back at the chalet we had a light lunch of caesar salad we picked up at Woollies with some cheese and pepperoni.
Then we both went back and caught another shuttle to Dove Lake.
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain
We went and had a look at the boat shed again before moving on.
Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake Boatshed
On the second shuttle, the driver suggested doing the lake circuit clockwise (the first driver didn't say anything). But Mum's tour guide last year said to do it anticlockwise so you'd get the hill over and done with while you were still fresh. While this sounded like good reasoning, it also meant we were having to stop to let people past on the track All The Time. Even had one American tourist complain about us being salmon swimming upstream. Annoying.
So I'd never even seen photos of the Dove Lake Circuit. Mum and Dad didn't do it in 1971, and Mum couldn't see the mountain last year because it was cloudy and rainy. So I wasn't expecting how pretty it was. Really enjoyed it. We even got iced on, and a bit of sleet/snow as well. It did mean the mountain was in cloud shadow for most of it though.
We started at 12:40 and took our time (with all the aforementioned stops) and were done by 15:20, although the sweetie was fading fast and barely made it up Glacier Rock (he was aided by me feeding him some chocolate).
Stu on Dove Lake Circuit
Dove Lake and Hansons Peak
Berries on Dove Lake Circuit
Dove Lake and Mount Campbell
Dove Lake and Hansons Peak
Beach on Dove Lake
Stu at Dove Lake
View north over Dove Lake
Cradle Mountain
Plateau Creek waterfall
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Spiky plant
Ballroom Forest
Stu in Ballroom Forest at Plateau Creek
Plateau Creek
Lichen in Ballroom Forest
2mm ice balls
Snow and Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake from the eastern side
Dove Lake and Marions Lookout
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain from Glacier Rock
By this point the sky was blue a lot of the time, although the mountain was still mostly covered by its own cloud, but still managed to get some shots with most of the scenery in sunlight so that was pretty cool.
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake and Hansons Peak
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Glacier Rock
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Marions Lookout
Dove Lake shelter
Then a shuttle back.
Cradle Mountain shuttle bus
Back at the chalet we rested up for a bit and had some wine and cheese in front of the fire.
Then we walked down to the restaurant for dinner. We had a table by the window and could see most of Cradle Mountain which was pretty cool. Stu had confit duck leg and I had wagyu steak which was pretty amazing and had the nicest, freshest asparagus I've had since Hokkaido in 2012.
Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
View of Cradle Mountain from dinner at Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
Then back to the room to collapse in a heap.
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