The Artistry of the Three Capes Track: The final walk and a bonus day

Day four, 14 kms of contrasts. Leaving Retakunna we climb up and over the dark sides of Mount Fortescue.

A place alive with mossy boulder creatures

enchanted by quiet fairy tales

painted by lichens

Sassafras flowers lie on beds of moss

We emerge to walk through the fringe of dry forest metres from the cliff edge with views back to the cape of yesterday.

Today's Cape Hauy has two sets of up and down steps reminding us of our Cornish capes from last year. They are hard work. The sun feels twice the forecast temperature of 15 degrees.

We watch seagulls, seals and a small fishing boat all swirling around a school of fish hundreds of metres below. Sea eagles soar above us again. We have seen wedgetails and sea eagles every day. At the end of Cape Hauy we look down on to the Totem Pole - no rock climbers today.

Then it is a relatively easy one hour walk down through dry forest to Fortescue Bay. Boots off, the soft sand massages the soles of my feet, the cold water is a soothing ice pack. (Thanks to S for this final photo)

Bonus Day. After a hot shower, a bed with sheets and a good sleep, we do one final walk. We walked to Cape Raoul several years ago, so today we walk 8 kms return, to its famous surfing neighbour - Shipstern Bluff. As we perch on the rocks at Shipstern, under the overhanging cliff, it really is like being in the water at the back of a huge ship. Bruny Island and Mt Wellington in the distance.

We watch the surfers and the waves

Cape Raoul in the background

After a couple of mesmerising hours, we walk back to the car and begin our return to every day life.

The Three Capes Track exceeded my expectations. It is not a very hard walk, but is so rewarding in terms of awe and wanderment.