Catching a taxi to the airport we picked up our rental car, with the welcome news that we could take it to Bruny Island and so wouldn’t need to change cars and thus giving us extra time in the Huon Valley.
On to Frogmore Creek Vineyard and to the stand out meal of our trip. The presentation was so beautiful it almost seemed a shame to eat it – and for once the flavor and taste was as good as it looked. Torn between choices we finally settled on: 
All eaten in the beautiful surrounds of the vineyard with views over the lake.
Feeling slightly overfull we sampled their range of wines and instantly joined their Wine Club. Their Riesling, Chardonnay, Sparkling Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were particularly good so, ensuring we were stocked up for the next stage of our journey, we set off for Coles Bay and our B&B “Dunwerkin”.
Coles Bay and Freycinet
”Dunwerkin” was just as described with a lovely view over the little bay and comfy chairs to relax in with comfy beds to sleep in. Slightly off putting were the number of dictatorial notes around the place. Maybe she has had some bad experiences!
We threw on a load of washing and set off for the walk to Wine Glass Lookout. The track leaves the car park and almost immediately begins the 250-metre climb to the saddle between Mount Amos and Mount Mayson where the lookout is located.
The parks service has done a lot of work grading the track so that it is not as steep as it once was but it is still strenuous 
though there are resting spots on the way. 
As you climb higher views open up below of the water and the town of Coles Bay – a formal lookout has been built at the best location. 
When you finally reach the saddle, which is studded by huge eroded granite boulders,
a sidetrack leads to the lookout with its iconic view. 
I had a couple of concerns having walked it before with our son Ben during our stay at Freycinet Lodge 20 years ago. That time we walked the Hazzard Beach/ Wine Glass Bay Circuit, which was 11Km of fairly rough going but I was a lot younger and fitter then. Now with a double knee replacement I was worried that I wouldn’t make it to the top and/or that I would be slow and, as it was already 5pm, would be descending in half-light. However all was well. We made it in sunlight, the view was fabulous and we made it down just as dusk was descending.
Having exercised off our lunch, we settled down for a well deserved Lark Whisky and Forty Spotted Gin followed by Bruny Island cheese, Tassal salmon, Wursthause ham, baby salted tomatoes all washed down by Frogmore Creek Wines.
The next day we had a leisurely start, caught up with our washing and headed out mid morning for the second of the walks we had decided to do. We bought some hiking sticks from the Park Visitors Centre (which were to hold us in good stead throughout the rest of our stay in Tasmania) and set out for the Cape Tourville walk. Cape Tourville has commanding views of the east coast of Freycinet, which made it the ideal spot to build a lighthouse and, more recently, a walking track. The latter is suitable for wheelchairs so we didn’t really need our sticks but they helped with the scramble to the lighthouse. The walk is only 500m but there is a lot to see and some of the views are breath taking.
A nostalgic visit to Freycinet Lodge for a very late pre-lunch drink in their lounge 
before we headed to Freycinet Marine Farm, who are oyster and mussel growers and have a farm gate cafe.
There we sampled their oysters with salmon and Brie, oysters with soy and ginger, abalone and mussels with spicy tomato sauce. 
oysters with soy & ginger and the mussels were the winners with the others a little overcooked (actually a lot). Full of food once again we headed home to enjoy the ambience of our B&B and get ready to travel to the Bay of Fires.
The Bay of Fires
Sadly the next day was blustery and cold and our trip on the glass bottom boat had to be cancelled. I had particularly wanted to see the kelp forests and the sponge gardens – but that will have to wait for another time.
Instead we headed straight for St. Helen’s and the Bay of Fires – another place on my must see list. For years I had heard this stretch of coast being described as breathtaking, jaw dropping and a ‘slice of coastal heaven’. Lonely Planet named it as ‘the hottest destination on earth’, which is probably going a bit far. Nevertheless I was keen to visit it and walk along the white sand beaches beside the turquoise sea amongst the orange lichen covered boulders.
We arrived at St Helen’s just before lunch. We were staying at the Tidal Waters Resort, which I was a bit nervous about, as some of the reviews had not been good. However we could not have been welcomed more warmly and our room was well appointed and comfortable with a private balcony looking out on the garden. 
A short walk through town to do a little shopping and book ourselves into Mohr & Smith for dinner then back to the resort for a leisurely lunch on our balcony.
Most of what they say about the Bay of Fires is true. We drove up to the Gardens and then walked the beaches and climbed the rocks on the way back. The water is crystal clear and the sea an extraordinary turquoise. The colour of the lichen is so vividly orange that you could well be forgiven for thinking that is why the Bay was named rather than Furneaux’s sighting of native fires. 
We took lots of photographs and as the light started to fade headed home for dinner. Mohr & Smith was just as the reviews had said. Service was slow but the food was great. We both had the fried fish, scallop and prawn jungle curry with coconut rice and green mango followed by their much lauded sticky date pudding and coffee. 