Day 2 of our Freycinet Peninsula Circuit adventure

Freycinet Peninsula Circuit, Hiking, Tasmania, Trail Journal

Day 2 on the Freycinet Circuit: steep climbs, gnarly scrambles, Mount Freycinet summit views, turquoise bays, wild winds, and spring blooms.

Cooks Corner camp to Wineglass Bay camp (side trip to Mount Freycinet) | 13km

The ocean was raging, tide high, and wind howling — sending us stumbling, hair and hats flying, as we retraced our steps along Cooks Beach to the trail turnoff.

We breathed a sigh of relief when we left the sand behind, returning to the shrub where a gentle breeze and birdsong welcomed us.

Serenity didn’t last long though, as the ascent toward Mount Freycinet began. As we climbed, giant trees joined us, we crossed a couple of trickling streams and spring flowers lined the trail.

It was a grind, but the trail eventually levelled out, with several mountains towering through the trees beneath grey skies.

The climb to Mount Freycinet’s summit was short — only 750m — but steep, with some gnarly rock scrambling.

But the views at the top were sensational, offering perspectives of the entire peninsula from different vantage points.

We enjoyed a tea break at the summit, looking over the spectacular Wineglass Bay — our end point for the day — and eyed the path snaking up Graham Mountain with some trepidation.

After rock-hopping our way back down and collecting our packs from the trailhead, we continued in fierce winds up the side of Graham.

The trail mostly followed a dried-up, narrow watercourse scattered with boulders, and punctuated with stunning viewpoints. It was a gnarly scramble, and we were relieved to reach the 600m+ peak around 1.30pm.

After a short lunch break in a sheltered eucalypt forest, we began a gradual descent toward the white shores of Wineglass Bay, passing bushes dotted with yellow flowers.

We caught glimpses of turquoise water through the thick shrub, with the sounds of the bay’s restless waves signalling we were close.

With weary legs, we rolled into camp around 3pm, making a beeline to the beach to soak in the views from our camp chairs amid blustery winds.

We set up camp in a sheltered spot behind the dunes and enjoyed a cuppa in the company of several curious Forester kangaroos.

A light rain settled in, and we retreated to our tent for an early dinner of mie goreng noodles. After rescuing our bin bag from a cheeky possum, we settled in for the night.