The Overland is well worth the extra time. I found its fame to be completely justified. This was the best trek on my trip so far and one of the best I've ever done. Old timers and purist would say that the Overland was been ruined by too much boardwalk and its great popularity. I see their point but think that boardwalk is a lower impact option for muddy, popular trails as they tend to get every wider when wet. And while Overland is tremendously popular, it is also huge and everyone tends to go north to south, so it doesn't feel so busy. Indeed, as an early hiker I almost always had the trail entirely to myself. Some of side trails see quite light traffic. The huts are always busy but often not jammed since most people find tenting to be more comfortable.

Of course I don't have the trail to myself at the start since many dayhiker go from Dove Lake to Marion's Lookout. From Ronny Creek I start out over boardwalk covered peat and then climb along a small, shaded river decorated with waterfalls -- a very zen start! I pop out of the woods near Crater Lake and cool off in the tannin colored water. Then comes the steep climb up to Marion's Lookout and a million dollar view. Four lakes surround this point: Crater, Lilla, Dove (the largest), and tiny Wilks at the end of Dove. To the north is heath and then hills rolling over plains. To the east is Mt Campbell and masses of low lying hills. Likewise to the west: Monds Ridge, Devils Ravine, and Fury Gorge. The Overland will head south though, towards Cradle Mountain, a most majestic ship sailing the heavens.

After Marion's Lookout, the traffic drops drastically but the views do not. Staying high on the Cradle Plateau, the jagged crags on Cradle Mountain slowly come into focus as you approach. Barn Bluff comes into view, as tall as Cradle Mountain but here looking like a stubby tugboat following after the lead ship. I drop the bag for the moderate climb atop Cradle, with some interesting scrambling at the end. It's not as hard as it looks though and the views, especially on this unusually crystal clear day, are superior.

Back down, I diverge from the main trail, swinging around the "front" of Cradle along the Face Trail. This affords great views of the lakes but it is tricker in spots, being narrow, steep and rocky. With my heavy, badly loaded pack, I take a short tumble, but avoid injury. With bad luck you could fall quite a distance down though.

I took this route to see the "back" side of Cradle. As I turn the corner towards this, heading towards Lake Rodway,I get some great looks at this, very different looking Cradle. The main shape is still recognizable, but the details are all different. The path along this back side, towards Scott Kilvert Hut is fabulous, passing picturesque pools and streams. The hut lies very near Lake Rodway, so I have a chilly dip in its quiet waters.

Scott Kilvert was built in the 60's after a school group was caught in a blizzard over Dove Lake and failed to get out to Waldheim Chalet. It is named after two of the that party who perished. While more basic than a typical Overland Hut (and far more basic than a typical New Zealand hut!) it is often sparcely used and perhaps in the most scenic setting of any Overland Hut.

I stroll about the area, bird watching and examining every plant, so many of which are strange to my eyes. A mother wallaby, with baby joey in pouch, grazes nearby. A large white bird flies near a large black bird with white on its wing. At night I stoll again, and become uncomfortable with the many possums who seem to boldly trail my steps. I take to rushing after them to chase them off. While charging at one dark, shadowy shape in the bushes, I soon note that it doesn't bounce off like a possum, but shuffles into the bush in an odd way. I stop and hear all manner of bizarre spitting growls from this dark critter. It slowly moves off and I see the telltale white stripe on its back revealing it to be a tasmanian devil.