 Goodbye Smithton! We retraced our steps to Burnie, then headed south towards Cradle Mountain. We were headed to a settlement called Lorinna on the eastern shore of Lake Cethana and a rustic off-grid cabin among the tall timbers. And plenty of birds! On the road, the weather became bleak, then bleaker as we headed into the heart of things. It was so bleak by the time we passed the Cradle Mountain turn off that we could barely see the road ahead, never mind any spectacular scenery. Maybe this little sojourn was going to be one of poor timing, weather-wise.  On we went. We had been warned that once we were on Oliver’s Road, the turn off to Lorinna was a new and very steep unsealed road that was not yet on Google maps. Car was very confused but obeyed our directions. We found the turnoff and headed down, then down, and then down – yes, it was a steep descent. Nothing too intimidating but still, we were glad we were prepared. As we went further, the sun came out, and that rainy episode was finished, or at least in recess. And here is Lorinna, not so much a town as a settlement of hardy souls, many of whom have been landholders here since the 70s, building their homes, sometimes from salvaged materials, figuring out how to get water up the steep incline from the lake, and then how to get power from a generator (once upon a time) and now from solar panels. No shops whatsoever in this neck of the woods, best to bring all supplies. And here we are – the sign to Myrtle Cottage, our new home for the next three nights! The cabin is separate from but very close to the owners’ home, and yet very private. And yes, it’s made of myrtle beech. It’s a studio with two comfy beds (sleeps three), bathroom, full kitchen, kitchen counter for dining, armchairs for relaxing and (bliss!) no TV.  Best of all, it had a porch with rustic seating where you can sit and have your drink of choice and just admire and immerse yourself in the forest which is right in front of you. The outdoor toilet is close by and has an enormous yet private window with a view of the forest. Best birdwatching toilet ever! And were there birds? Oh yes, this place was buzzing! Honeyeaters of several types, golden whistlers, robins, silvereyes and green rosellas, squawking sulphur cockies, laughing kookaburras, fairywrens, yellow wattlebirds…you name it, it was looking at you! Wallabies and pademelons scurried about the garden, always surprised to see us. Our hosts, Pauline and Joachim, had the most resplendent garden – flowers and vegetables – and kindly shared the latter with us. Fresh garden zucchini, beans, cucumber. A delight. We had walking access to the lake down the slopes at the back of the cabin, and part of that was via a large fallen log! That was fun if a little scary. The lake was wide with a few dead trees but many more living ones, and the voices of children playing in their canoes after school. One of the best aspects of our time in Lorinna was that we didn’t drive anywhere for three days – we had walks along gravel roads and tracks in both directions, and we did some very long walks – the forest was so resplendent. We also spent hours just being in the garden, watching or photographing the birds and the trees, or in quiet contemplation. Even though off-grid, we had every necessity. And the outdoor loo was not a drama. And better still, though the nights were cool (but not cool enough to light the fire), the days were sunny bordering on hot. Of all the places we have stayed in recent years, Myrtle Cabin was one of the most peaceful and charming, and we’d go back in a heartbeat. But now it was day four, and we were climbing out of that steep road in, and off to Deloraine as our pitstop en route to the east coast. We spent a couple of hours in this town which is at the crossroads of the north-south and east-west traffic. It is setting itself up as a makers place, with an emphasis on local arts and crafts, and there’s some very good work there too. We noted particualry the works of Dean Hohn the bird photographer (at the Deloraine Creative Studios), and the artist Fiona Francois . The latter has her own store and seemed to be doing well with her nature and fantasy art that has a strong environmental message. All power to her! Deloraine had a really good high street with a wide variety of shops. For us, it started up on the hill with the Deloraine Deli (good coffee and cake with an emphasis on provision of Tasmanian products), and then an amble all the way down the Main Street where you can find a range of wares. Back up the other side, we had a great lunch and coffee at Mumma Buzz Café 'N'Takeaway. Refreshed, we hit the road again and pointed the satnav at Swansea, heading to Tassie's east coast.
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