Doesn’t get much better than this!

It is wonderful that after all the isolation, social distancing, scary viruses, being indoors and not being able to go to your favourite places (or even discover new favourite places) we can now get out and about again and enjoy our surroundings.  And what beautiful surroundings we have here in Tasmania.

Iron Pot Lighthouse and Cape Direction

Yes I know, I do say that all the time and yes I am a little tiny bit biased but we are so lucky here in Tassie to have such crisp, clean air to breath, sunshine that warms you to the bone even on a cold winters day and of course the beauty of nature and the great outdoors.  So what better way to spend a day on the first weekend of the Covid19 restrictions being eased than somewhere so aptly named Hope Beach.

Sand dunes on one side….

The sea on the other!

Hope Beach is situated in South Arm approximately 34km south-east of Hobart, a place where people go to stay in their shacks, to go surfing and/or to get away from the everyday rat race!  It is a popular surf beach and excellent for walking with its 5km of sandy beach, white capped waves on one side and sand dunes on the other.  Your eyes just don’t know where to look, the waves pounding the beach and lapping at your feet, the sand dunes with their grasses billowing in the breeze, the surfers trying to catch a wave, the bits and bobs which have landed on the beach during the previous high tide or the islands and rocky cliffs and shelves waiting to be explored.

So off we went, having parked at the end of Roaring Beach Road we trundled up and over the first sand dune to be confronted by a vast (and empty) beach.  To the left we could see Cape Direction, ahead Iron Pot Lighthouse, the waves and the blue waters of Storm Bay.  We took a left turn and headed towards Goat Bluff.  Today we only walked a little over half of the beach (approx. 6kms round trip) of the 10km round trip if you walk from Fort Direction to Goat Bluff Lookout.  We will go back another day and either do the whole walk or finish what we started – which means I will have more photos to share.

Interesting finds. Love it!

Waving at Hope Beach!

The sand was soft and the walking was certainly giving the calves and thighs a good workout (do that a few times and you’d have ‘Buns of Steel’ I reckon…..).  The sea litter scattered along the beach was an interesting assortment of driftwood, shells and seaweed, the sand dunes provided great portraits in the sand made by the grasses blowing in the breeze and the waves……  Well they are just mesmerising, relaxing and enchanting.  Wayne and I would just stand there and watch as each wave rolled in eventually landing at our feet and sometimes making us run backwards to get away from them.

We walked, we ambled we stopped, we looked.  Betsey Island loomed large in front of us as Iron Pot Lighthouse continued to shrink behind before we turned back and enjoyed it all again!  It was a wonderful day out in the sun and sea air and it did wonders for the body and the soul.

Betsey Island

Each island, cape, bluff and lighthouse has its own story to tell.  Stories of Tasmania’s past, stories of convicts, shipwrecks, wars and more.  As we explore these areas I will provide you with more information but for now I just want you to enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed the walk.

The beach forest

Portraits in the sand!

Cheers for now.  Stay safe, stay healthy and always keep smiling!  Life is there for the taking so have fun, explore and enjoy every moment……

Seashell and sand!

What washes up on shore.