In less than 3 km from Hobart’s city centre, you’ll find the Knocklofty Reserve, with exhilarating views and forest landscapes. On a cool autumn Saturday morning in Hobart recently, I decided to go for a hike. After completing the trek in New Zealand without expiring along the way, I thought it would be great to add a few more challenging walks to my repertoire. And there’s no better place than Hobart for short walks, long walks, sea trails, and mountain climbs. You name it — it’s all here.
Actually, I thought I was going for another trek — turns out it was a hike. So I checked the terminology, and sure enough, a trek is more challenging and usually takes a few days, whereas a hike is typically a one-day event.
It’s in the blood
Outdoor activities are probably in the blood of my family. Hiking, tramping, walking, trekking — Sarah, my youngest, regularly heads out with my brother Sam into the wild and remote parts of Tasmania. The two of them regularly do overnighters, taking their camping gear and all their food in massive backpacks. This is not for me — I’ll stick with the easier versions.
So on that early Saturday morning, my friend and support worker Sarah — yes, another Sarah — picked me up and we drove to the Knocklofty Reserve car park in West Hobart.
The Summit Loop
We decided to do the 4.1 km Summit Loop, starting from the main fire trail — a round trip with a few elevation changes. The first kilometre was all uphill, enough to warm us up, and by the halfway point, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of kunyani/Mount Wellington overlooking Hobart city.
Above, the sky was a clear, cloudless blue while a gentle breeze drifted over the native bushland with the promise of a perfect day. By the time we began our descent, the breeze had subsided and the birdlife had come into focus. We could hear a variety of cockatoos and parrots in full chorus singing from high above the wattle trees.
Hike or Trek?
Now, I find myself thinking a lot about where to next, planning future adventures and discovering new trails. But I’ve got to say, now that I’ve tried hiking and trekking, I much prefer a hike’s easier pace as compared to the demands of a trek.
A big thankyou to Sarah for accompanying me and for taking the photos.
