Cygnet

 

 

 

 

A favourite amongst favourites, snuggled into a crook of the Channel Highway at the southern end of the Huon Valley, we love Cygnet.

 

To get there from Hobart, we usually drive south from Kingston, via Leslie Vale and Longley and into the Huon Valley along the Huon Highway. Inevitably this trip is punctuated by a stop for coffee, a comfy lounge chair by the fire and perusal of the apple museum at Willie Smith’s Cellar Door. And a cider take-away purchase or three.

 

From there, southwards to Huonville, where the choice is to continue down the western shore of the river towards Geeveston, or to cross the bridge and take the eastern shore towards Cygnet along the Channel Highway. This way leads past the Pagan Cider Cellar Door; but why drive past? There’s usually a warm fireplace and always an interesting cider to try. And they do take away sales too! 

 

Leaving the hills of Cradoc and Pagan Cider behind us, leads us down into floor of the valley at Cygnet.

 

The Red Velvet Lounge is in the older part of town, and serves a vegetarian menu. So long as that suits your taste buds, we recommend it.

 

For those who must have meat, fear not!!! Just about 100m down the road towards the Commercial Hotel is the Emergency 24 Hour Butcher, open 7 days a week. 

 

If you started the day in Hobart and wanted an overnight stay reached by a relaxed day’s driving with a few sight-seeing stops along the way, it’s hard to do better than Cygnet. It’s also a great starting place for a leisurely ramble around the peninsular along the Channel Highway, occasionally stopping to view Bruny Island across the D’Entrecastaux Channel, en route either to Kettering, and Bruny Island via the ferry, or back to Hobart.

 

We have done a longer day’s drive which started and finished in Hobart, via the route described above and following the Channel Highway back to Kingston, but it doesn’t leave much time for stopping, smelling the wildflowers and taking in the sights.