We didn't drive far this morning, only to the SW edge of town to the Gorge and Cataracts. This is a delightful area that the city has developed in to beautiful park-like zone. There are miles of pathways, some clinging to rock faces, a suspension bridge over a Gorge, a free swimming pool, a chair-lift spanning the Gorge and at least one cafe/restaurant.
We had to pay to park, but access to the park itself is free. It was rather cloudy and overcast as we arrived and we headed straight to the cafe to have Sunday breakfast. Eggs and bacon and raisin toast, orange juice and coffee were duly devoured whilst enjoying the view across the pool to the river.
We headed off toward the suspension bridge and it started to spit with rain, that's not bad going as it's the first rain we've seen in Tasmania, a place renown for its wind and rain. We briefly sheltered under my brolly, but as it eased off we continued across the rather shaky suspension bridge and along one of the footpaths. We saw a few birds and as we turned back, I spotted a Wallaby skulking around in the undergrowth.
We had already decided we'd go to at least one Winery in the Tamar Valley north of Launceston, so we headed up the West Tamar Highway. Not far out of town we pulled over to the Tamar conservation area as I'd read it was good for bird watching. After we parked, one of the wardens who had also just parked pointed out a 'baby' Copperhead snake. It was a big baby! I'm not sure I'd want to meet the full sized version.
We saw quite a few water birds, but we could see it was going to rain again, so gave up and got back in the car and continued north.
Our aim was to visit Goaty Hills Winery in Kayena as it had been recommended by friends of Siobhan and Aaron. It didn't take too long to get there and we embarked on a wine tasting. There was a very rowdy party of younger people there, but we found a space at the tasting counter and the owner, a very genial fellow, set us off with a taste of the sparkling wine. We tried the complete range right through to the desert wine but decided the best were the sparkling, the Pinot Gris and the desert wine. It's rather difficult to bring with us (I hear groans from one or two readers) so we bought a bottle of the Pinot Gris which we will consume at an appropriate time here in Tasmania.
Having finished our viticultural degustation, we crossed the Tamar on the Batman bridge. It's a single span suspension bridge where most of the weight is on the western shore as the eastern shore is unstable, apparently. Why Batman, I couldn't say.
Back in a Launceston, we stopped to check out a fish restaurant we'd been recommended, Hallams. Sadly, they don't open on a Sunday, but it's in a great location and the menu looks good. Instead, we walked into town for a rather late lunch at 'Banjo's' Bakery. I don't know, but think this might be equivalent to Greggs in UK! I had a curried 6 scallop pie. I have to tell you it was delicious!
Sunday, it seems, everything closes. This evening, we found a Thai place that was open and ate there, the moment we walked out the door, the lights went out and the door was locked!
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