Izzy the Bus - Back on the Road

The view from Mt. Wellington on a clear day.

Izzy the bus is back on the road - she has passed her safety inspection, had her batteries revived by the trusty RACT (Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania) and done her first two day tours of the season - a Hobart City Sights that included a trip to the top of Mt. Wellington and a 5 hour meander through the lush, beautiful Huon Valley for a lunch and wine tasting. 

Mt Wellington towers 4,000 feet over Hobart right behind our house, and it's like having a living, breathing presence in your back yard, with its own personal climate.  If there's a cloud on top, you simply won't see anything of the breathtaking views and Mt. Wellington is all about the views, or so I'd thought.

"The mountain" from the Hobart waterfront.

Even though we could see some cloud movement from town, our guests from Scenic Tours, who were using their "free choice" tour to explore Hobart with Island Time Tours, wanted to head for the mountain anyway.  In spite of an almighty gale blowing, as always, when we arrived at the summit, and the view being completely obscured by clouds and guests were thrilled because it was snowing - hard - and that just seemed to make their day!

Our group of 14 passengers in the afternoon, headed for the Huon Valley with its verdant, rolling hills, spectacular spring blossoms and little lambs frolicking, like a scene from a children's book.  We sampled to-die-for chocolate at the Nutpatch, a world class chocolate and nougat shop in the most unlikely location at the edge of an old gas station in Kettering - I love those out of the way Tasmanian gems.  They have nougat made from hazelnuts that grow right there at their nearby property, and the miracle of it is that it doesn't stick to your teeth!

Hartzview Liqueurs

Next we headed to Hartzview Vineyard for a wine tasting and delicious gourmet lunch platter.  In typical Tasmanian fashion, the day before there had barely been a view of the field right in front of the cellar door, but this day there was a panorama over the vineyards and a glimpse of the Hartz mountains toward the Southwest wilderness. 

Panorama Vineyard

Next stop was Panorama Vineyard, on the banks of the Huon River, with their friendly welcome and warming fireplace.  Guest tasted delicious Pinots and cool climate Reislings as well as their popular pear liqueur.  

Home Hill

We finished our tour at Home Hill near Huonville, another award-winning winery that is popular for weddings and other events.  Their alpacas add to the image of rural bliss as you drive up to the impressive rammed earth building.   

As we headed back to Hobart our passengers each enjoyed a famous Huon Valley apple that I had picked up at a roadside stand the day before, and we pulled up to the Hotel Grand Chancellor only about a half hour late.  Passengers had been forewarned about our philosophy of "authentic, unhurried Tasmania" specially when it comes to food and wine-tasting!