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Running in Tasmania

One of the highlights of travel to me is running in new places. It makes the running much more interesting, and is a great way to see more of a place in a short amount of time. I found some great opportunities during my week in Tasmania.

HOBART - Mt Nelson, Hobart (12km). The big viewpoint in Hobart is from the 1,271m high Mt Wellington. However it is a 21km one way run up a mountain and I wasn't really into running an alpine marathon that evening. The other notable viewpoint is from the 352m high Mt Nelson, which at 6km each way from my hostel was more manageable before dinner. I took the road up, simpler to navigate than through Bicentennial Park and the Truganini Conservation Area, up to Mt Nelson Signal Station. The views weren't spectacular, and not easy see the city centre through the trees, but the downhill run through the parks, scaring a few wallabies on the path, was glorious.

LAKE AUGUSTA - Lakes Highlands (10km). One of the more remote parts of Tasmania, with a very different landscape from rest of the island. Staying by Lake Augusta the options were limited to running along the flat road along by the lake, or the flat road away from the lake. I thought the former would be more scenic but the lake soon ran out and the road was incredibly hard on the knees. I turned around and ran away from the lake, which was unexpectedly more enjoyable, easier on the legs (or perhaps I'd just warmed up) and oddly more scenic in a desolate landscape kind of way.

WARATAH - Waratah (5km). Another place off the beaten track at the northern end of The Tarkine, Waratah was unexpectedly scenic. In the space of a 5km run around town I got up close to a waterfall, an abandoned mine, heritage buildings, and an interesting playground feature.

BICHENO - Bicheno (10km). Probably the best run of the trip, up a reasonable hill to Whaler's Lookout and then along the foreshore track, hopping over and round rocks alternating with bush running.

TASMAN BRIDGE - Hobart Tasman Bridge (10km). Morning run before flying home, heading through Hobart city centre and the Domain, past The World and the huge Golden Princess cruise liners. All was good until I got to the Botanic Gardens which unsurprisingly was shut at 7.30am on a Sunday and a dead end. I then started heading over the Tasman Bridge, until I realised that it was over a kilometer long and full of polluting traffic. Seemed a good moment to turn around head back.

Credits - WorldwideRunning.com would like to thank the website (www.jontynz.com) for the authorization to reprint part of the article "Running in Tasmania" by Jonty Crane. Text and photos © by Jonty Crane.