Freycinet national park has a picture postcard setting. The small town of Coles Bay looks across a bay to three beautiful peaks. The pass between two of them is Tasmania's most popular walk going to a view over Wineglass Bay. We parked at the national park campsite just behind the beach, and decided to walk into town to find a shop. We found the main shop opposite the jetty. Unfortunately, it had burnt down. We then walked around a few streets to see if there was any alternative. Slowly we realised something strange. There were no people. It was a bit like a science fiction movie in which all the people have been spirited away. Not a child's voice, or even a dog barking. We realised as we went on that all the houses were unoccupied holiday homes. The town is on a small peninsula and in fact on the far side there was a tavern, a smaller shop and a really good coffee bar, next to a commercial campsite. But apart from this small area no life at all.

The next day we headed off to Wine glass bay. It was the Saturday of Tasmania's long weekend, and the walk was packed with people struggling up the steep ascent to the lookout. It is a kind of Tasmanian rite of passage. Young and old people heaved their way up. Eventually arriving at the crowded lookout. Despite this I have to say the view is worth it. The bay is perfectly formed and if not a wine glass shape is certainly a scallop shape. We left behind the crowds and dropped down the longer side to the beach. Where we drew breath before doing the circuit to another attractive beach called Hazards beach for obvious nautical reasons. Hazards beach is littered with massive oyster shells. After this the walk became a bit of a trudge through undulating bush with little to be said for it. Quiet but exhausting. doing it again we would go to Wineglass bay and return. Far easier.