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DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 8:09 pm

G'day,

I am walking the Overland Track for the first time in November/December (first time in Tassie too). My friend is catching the ferry from Narcissus, but looking to save money where possible, I would like to wake up earlier and get a head start on him to walk back to the car.

I have a couple of questions:

1. How hard would the day be to walk Windy Ridge to Cynthia Bay in one day?

2. Is it worth the walk, are there many highlights, views, etc.? My friend says it would be a long and boring walk.

I look forward to the responses, and after that this thread can be a general discussion about "Day 7" on the Overland :D

Thanks,
Sam.

DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 8:55 pm

It's a easy downhill cruise to Narcissus. To Cynthia Bay would be a big day, doable for the fit.
The ferry ride is a worthy delight in its own right, however I think you cannot truthfully claim to have completed the OLT if you take the ferry.
As an alternative maybe walk to Echo Point, leaving only a short day to finish.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 9:01 pm

Hey Sam, how's things? Did this section in snow in June in snow and it was very pretty then. But only did from Cynthia Bay to Echo Point 4 hours, probably 3 hours in good weather. A further 2 hours to Narcissus in good weather and 4 hours to Windy Ridge approx. So would be a big day. You would have no trouble if you went from Narcissus all the way to Cynthia Bay in a day. Cheers.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 9:04 pm

G'day Sam, I did Windy Ridge to Cynthia Bay in a day and I'm not the fittest person. The walk around the lake is on the boring side compared to the rest of the OLT but worth it. And as RonK mentioned if you take the ferry then technically you haven't completed the whole OLT. Enjoy the walk. You'll love it :D

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 9:09 pm

Thanks for the responses. Very keen to complete the 'whole' OLT. Never thought of it that way. I am sure it would have been lovely in snow Vicki!

That's the confidence-inspiring post I was looking for MickyB, thanks very much!

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 9:17 pm

It was a big day Sam but I'm sure you'd be a lot fitter than I am so you shouldn't have any problems. The track is reasonably flat as well so the walking isn't too hard.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 9:28 pm

G'day Sam ,
It is possible and the Lakeside track is my choice now, however I always stop overnight at Echo Point Hut as the walk from Bert Nichols Hut to Cynthia Bay is about 30k and around 8 hours so if you are you are pressed by time and money I would suggest from New Pelion you bypass Kiaora Hut and go to Bert Nichols that would be about 19k and it would only be around 7 hours giving you a jumpstart to CB,however you would be cutting it very fine and for a first time on the OLT I would not recommend it unless you are uber fit and very experienced.
Hope this helps :)

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 20 Aug, 2015 10:08 pm

corvus wrote:G'day Sam ,
It is possible and the Lakeside track is my choice now, however I always stop overnight at Echo Point Hut as the walk from Bert Nichols Hut to Cynthia Bay is about 30k and around 8 hours so if you are you are pressed by time and money I would suggest from New Pelion you bypass Kiaora Hut and go to Bert Nichols that would be about 19k and it would only be around 7 hours giving you a jumpstart to CB,however you would be cutting it very fine and for a first time on the OLT I would not recommend it unless you are uber fit and very experienced.
Hope this helps :)


Thanks heaps Corvus, I appreciate the advice. I'll assess my options. I have to keep the other team member happy too, so if worse comes to worst I will be waking up really early at Bert Nichols to get a head start on my mate who will be catching the ferry. This will be his first time too, so after it I'll be able to tell him that I completed the OLT, he just walked part of it :wink:

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 12:55 am

I walked from Bert Nichols to Cynthia Bay on my last day of the OLT.
I'm on my phone so I can't find the thread but I did a trip report which may have some more info on it.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 7:11 am

Do the walk its worth it you can always go back again for the boat ride . I think its all about walking the whole track at lest once ( just my thoughts) . Like sam I always walk the lakeside track some of the trees along the walk have to be seen to be appreciated its a nice way to finish a great walk I have done it from bert nichols quite a few times its a long day but can be done enjoy .

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 8:35 am

Explorer_Sam wrote:2. Is it worth the walk, are there many highlights, views, etc.? My friend says it would be a long and boring walk.

Hey Sam,

Glad you're coming for a taste of Tassie. Watch out, or you might find yourself living here one day too. :D

I've never quite understood why some people think the lake walk is boring. Maybe if they have to have broad vistas the whole time and don't like forests or something. For me, it's a more interesting forest than many others I still enjoy.

If (when!) you do it, make sure you check out the little side tracks to the lake. One of them might have been all of 6 metres long. All the other people had gone thundering past, while I stopped to have a look. I was rewarded with a lovely little spot and a beautiful view of the mountains we'd come from (Acropolis etc) - complete with dramatic stormy skies. Eventually I dragged myself away from the changing light on the lake and mountains. *Sigh*

Cheers

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 9:10 am

Thanks for the responses Dan, Dingleberry and Tortoise!

I would love to have a read your trip report Dan, I'll see if I can dig it up, if not, you might be able to point me in the right direction next time you're on a computer.

Thanks Tortoise, if Tassie is as good as I hear it is, I will end up living there for sure ;)
I am more keen to walk the Lakeside Track after reading your post. That sounds absolutely beautiful, I hope I can have a similar experience, but I doubt I'll get the dramatic stormy skies. Thanks for the advice!

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 9:14 am

Explorer_Sam wrote:I would love to have a read your trip report Dan, I'll see if I can dig it up, if not, you might be able to point me in the right direction next time you're on a computer.



Ok, Insert shameful plug.............

Trip Report
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=19871

And here is part one of the youtube videos if you have a spare few hours and you need help sleeping ;)

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 10:02 am

Thanks Dan, what a wonderful trip report. Very glad you shared that! Licking my chops at the OLT now, and the last day doesn't look to bad at all, albeit tiring.

I'll watch the videos later on when I get a chance.

DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 10:35 am

Has anyone walked back from Narcissus via Cuvier Valley? That could be interesting.
Last edited by GPSGuided on Fri 21 Aug, 2015 12:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 11:10 am

It is a very nice walk but alot harder than the Lake walk. The track is not maintained. In places it is very muddy also in the open button grass it has just about disappeared. It is a big day if you try and do Narcissus to Cynthia via Cuvier in one day, alot bigger than around the lake.
Lake Petrarch is a beautiful spot to camp. I think it is the best way to finish the OLT! Done it 3 times that way.

Norts

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 5:21 pm

norts wrote:It is a very nice walk but a lot harder than the Lake walk. The track is not maintained. In places it is very muddy also in the open button grass it has just about disappeared. It is a big day if you try and do Narcissus to Cynthia via Cuvier in one day, a lot bigger than around the lake.
Lake Petrarch is a beautiful spot to camp. I think it is the best way to finish the OLT! Done it 3 times that way.

+1

To do the OT via Cuvier, you want to allow an extra day. Windy Fridge to Petrarch, then out to Cynthia Bay the next day. Weather permitting you can do the sidetrip up Byron on the way through as well.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Fri 21 Aug, 2015 10:08 pm

Tortoise wrote:I've never quite understood why some people think the lake walk is boring. Maybe if they have to have broad vistas the whole time and don't like forests or something.


+1! The lakeside track is far more interesting than the ferry ride, particularly the section between Narcissus and Echo Point. From Echo point onwards the scenery becomes a bit more drab, and the apparently 'flat' track actually winds up and down a lot so you will definitely be feeling it by the time to get to the end.

Couple of trip reports from walking the first section in the dry: http://sirkingchampionmunch.blogspot.co ... ut-to.html and in the wet: http://sirkingchampionmunch.blogspot.co ... ey-to.html.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Sat 22 Aug, 2015 10:27 am

I walked from Pine Valley to Echo Point, stayed at Echo Point the night and then out to Cynthia the next day (July,2015). Staying at Echo Point is a great way to finish the OLT. It's a beautiful, secluded hut, and if you're game you can go for a swim, and run back in to a nice toasty hut (one of the few with coal heaters).

I definitely wouldn't say the walk is boring, it's just different to what the OLT is predominately like. Much more forest, quite muddy in sections, lots of fungi growing and some beautiful views of the lake.

Windy Ridge to Cynthia Bay would be achievable in one day, it would be big but the walk is most flat down to Narcissus, then a few up and downs to Cynthia but nothing crazy. Although I think it would be more enjoyable to stay at Echo.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Mon 01 Feb, 2016 11:28 am

I'm doing the OLT over Easter. I'm wondering if on my 7th day I might go from Pine Valley to Echo Point, after doing either Labyrinth or Acropolis in the morning? Could be a fairly big day I imagine. We'll be getting the bus from Cynthia Bay at 11:45 on the 8th day, so staying at Echo Point is ideal. Otherwise I guess we could stay at Narcissus and get the ferry in the morning (although I'd much prefer to "complete" the OLT!).

Cheers

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Mon 01 Feb, 2016 12:47 pm

Drew wrote:I'm doing the OLT over Easter. I'm wondering if on my 7th day I might go from Pine Valley to Echo Point, after doing either Labyrinth or Acropolis in the morning? Could be a fairly big day I imagine. We'll be getting the bus from Cynthia Bay at 11:45 on the 8th day, so staying at Echo Point is ideal. Otherwise I guess we could stay at Narcissus and get the ferry in the morning (although I'd much prefer to "complete" the OLT!).

Cheers


I did the same back in 2007 - so my memory is a little rusty, but I'm fairly sure that after doing the Labyrinth first thing, we made it back to Pine Valley for a latish lunch, and then moved on to Narcissus from there (about 3 hours), and then pushed on to Echo Point (took about 2 1/2 hours)- getting there about 7ish.

So it is very doable - however a bit tired after that walk (and doing the Labyrinth), but it made the last day out to Lake St Clair very easy and we were out by about 11 am (I think it takes about 3 hours).

Having said all that, I'm doing the same again in a few weeks time, so can let you know how it goes.

Cheers.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Mon 01 Feb, 2016 1:58 pm

Having said all that, I'm doing the same again in a few weeks time, so can let you know how it goes.


That'd be great, thanks! Enjoy it.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Mon 01 Feb, 2016 3:48 pm

I've done Pine Valley, Acropolis, Pine Valley, Windy Fridge in late autumn (April) and made it well before dark. Echo Point isn't much further.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 04 Feb, 2016 11:15 am

Definitely doable, you have long days and lots of sun. Start early and you'll be right.
Absolutely loved Echo Point hut!

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 04 Feb, 2016 6:11 pm

Thanks NNW and canthardlywait. Sounds like it's worth trying. And if it's too much we probably have the backup option of staying at Narcissus and getting the boat.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 04 Feb, 2016 8:28 pm

Yep Pine Valley to Echo Point shouldn't be a problem. On our OLT trek we walked from Burt Nichols hut to Echo Point without any dramas. Then from Echo Point to Cynthia Bay the next morning was a dream.

Echo Point is one of the prettiest places I have ever camped. Beautiful!

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Wed 02 Aug, 2017 7:55 pm

G'day everyone,

I am doing some writing on the Lakeside Track, Lake St Clair, for a website. The only photo I forgot to take was of the ferry, the IDA CLAIR. If anyone has a good photo of the ferry that they are willing to let me use, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Sam.

Re: DAY 7: Narcissus to Cynthia Bay via Lakeside Track

Thu 03 Aug, 2017 10:00 am

Don't worry about the above, I have managed to secure a photo. Thanks all the same!
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