A Jaunt to Bothwell

Downtown Bothwell

A few days ago Izzy the Bus and Island Time Tours headed out for our first Hobart Jaunt of the season.  These “short trips for pleasure” are geared to local seniors wanting to get out and enjoy some of the small towns, events and other Tasmanian treasures around Hobart.

Izzy the Bus at the pub in Bothwell

The oh-so- unpredictable Tasmanian weather looked pretty grim around sunrise but turned on a perfect sunny day for our trip to the historic town of Bothwell, via the Midlands Highway.  The midlands is the grazing district of Tasmania and often looks brown and dry, but thanks to some torrential rain this spring, the landscape was lush and green, with rolling hills dotted with little white lambs and their not-so-white mothers.  

Whisky tasting with the lovely Courtney at Nant Distillery

Bothwell is home to the oldest golf course in Australia which is on a 3500 acre sheep farm.  Golfers have to avoid the sheep while playing and also climb over the fences that are used to protect the greens (which are square) from all the sheep. The town was settled by Scotsman and has a strong Scottish influence besides the golf course, the most significant one being the delightful Nant Whisky Distillery. Set in a beautiful historic property, with an old working watermill and a beautifully designed modern restaurant and tasting room, this is one of several award-winning Tasmanian whiskies of which people all over the world (specially the Scots!) are really taking notice.

Relaxing in the sun at the Nant Distillery

We ate a lovely lunch at the local pub, The Castle Hotel which has that wondrous feature of a sandstone doorway that is actually worn away from all the boots that have passed through over the past 200 years.  It also had a welcoming fire on a mild day that had started out with a heavy frost in the valley where Bothwell is situated, right at the edge of the Central Highlands.

Vase of native blossoms at the Castle Hotel, Bothwell

As is our goal with our Jaunts, there were lots of laughs and connections between old friends and new.  We (not the driver of course!) had some wine with lunch and even a taste of premium whisky afterwards in a perfect setting, before Izzy the Bus carried us all home. 

And just as we pulled into our last stop (as much as possible we offer home drop off on our return to Hobart) the rain started and the change in the weather that had held off all day arrived with a vengeance.  

Thanks for listening…

Rosie