Penguin, Burnie, Table Cape & onto Stanley

Yksi kieli ei koskaan riitä; Tervetuloa.

We rose early and took a delightful walk along the edge of the river toward Mersey Bluff, all a bit geographically confusing for someone raised in those Islands, especially one who has spent time in Devon!

There we were walking in Devonport, on the bank of the Mersey (shouldn't that be the

Hamoaze or Tamar, toward Mersey Bluff, isn't that in Lancashire or Cheshire,  confused?  Moi?

Our timing was perfect, there was no rain ans as we were walking along the bank  seawards the night ferry from Melbourne was making its  way upriver to its berth, a great 'photo opportunity'.

Having satisfied the hunger we built up on our morning walk we checked out and headed out on the road to Stanley.  The first town was Ulverstone, followed by Penguin, Burnie, Wynyard and onto Stanley.  We did a detour to the Rhodendron gardens at Burnie, but decided the flowers on the drive up to the gardens gave us enough exposure to the flower.  On to the Makers Workshop at Burnie where we decided the place was less an artisan workshop and more a gift shop.  We did find a lovely secluded beach for our morning tea outside Burnie, but I am darned if I can recall the exact location, beyond it being a penguin reserve,

Next stop was Wynyard and on to Table Cape.

We found a fantastic place for a picnic lunch overlooking the coast with the Table Cape lighthouse in the distance.  A single table,  a bin and toilets what more can you ask for at any picnic spot?  We were lucky enough to arrive whilst the table was vacant.  While we were there several other cars arrived, saw us in occupation and left and I felt no shame.

Then we drove onto Stanley past fields of tulip and Iris, all in flower in long rows. We were keen to get to Stanley before the cable car that ascends to the top of the Nut closed and we made it only to find that it wasn't running because of the high winds.

Lorna showed immense fortitude in climbing all of the near vertical 152 metres to the top, got an attack or vertigo and came back down feeling dizzy and nauseous,  I, Roger, was extremely glad I piked out.

Stanley a beautiful little village freshly painted as a result of its brush with the film "The Light Between The Oceans", poster arrays  of the filming are in prominent positions.  We did the heritage walk which included the cottage where Joe Lyons was born.

We ate at the Stanley Hotel, fantastic oysters and fresh fish and vegetables which was splendid value.

We stayed in Hanlon House, a B&B resplendent with doilies and knitted blankets and was not splendid value.  Mine host is a story in himself and reminded us why we prefer not to stay in B&Bs; on the other hand Lorna feels the experience provided a night to remember.