One Minute Read
To walk Tasmania's iconic Overland Track is a challenge at any time of the year. However, for those willing to embrace an epic adventure, the Cradle Mountain Expedition Walk delivers something truly special, writes guest Magnus Bjornson.
The crisp clarity is breathtaking, the serenity, overwhelming and the quietness, simply deafening. “This… is why you walk in winter”, our guide says, breaching the silence, as we absorb the wilderness vista perched high on the slopes of Mount Pelion East.
Why walk in winter?
Two days earlier, our group traversed around the edge of Cradle Mountain battling knee-deep snow and an arctic-like blizzard. This was testing mind and body, pushing our boundaries and completely dissolving thoughts of our everyday ‘normal’ existence. In sub-zero conditions, we were all in the moment, far removed from thoughts of meetings, emails and deadlines. We had truly stepped outside our comfort zone to greet the epic adventure of walking the Overland Track in winter.
Very few people walk the Overland Track in winter. That in part is the attraction; with the typically inclement weather, making one of the World’s greatest walking trails sometimes an almost exclusive experience. A fact reiterated on our journey with the pre-dominant footprints in the snow, being those of wallabies, possums and devils.
Challenge by day, Comfort by night
Enabling this incredible experience were our inspiring guides, our lightweight packs and the sanctuary of Tasmanian Walking Company’s private in-park accommodation, complemented by hearty home-cooked meals, a glass of wine, hot showers, warm fire, drying rooms and a cosy bed.
These simple creature comforts allowed our group to awaken rejuvenated each morning and truly engage with one of the World’s great walking experiences. By day, rugged snowy mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls and ancient rainforests captivated us. By night, the cold winter evenings delivered the surprise of clear skies dominated by the radiant Milky Way Galaxy within a dome of thousands of bright stars.
To experience the Overland Track in winter does not just constitute a walking holiday. It is a complete reset, one that challenges your mind and body and reminds you how to truly live. As one of our guides quipped, “You won’t find Wi-Fi in the forest, but I promise you’ll find a better connection!”
