MOLLY YORK’S NIGHTCAP


by
Keith Lancaster 

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Note: The reports have been scanned in as written. I have included the height and distance indications, e.g.:
(1000'- 12m.- 4.45p.m.)
which read as follows: height in feet - miles for the day - time.

Astir early on Sunday, Sept. 7th. 1947, Jack, Harold, Norm. and I were under way by 4.45 a.m., bound for an excursion to Molly York's Nightcap and Mt. Franklin, two eminences of the eastern section of the Western Tiers.

Travelling via the Main Highway to Epping, then turning off to the right and passing Barton, we left the car at a point on the Isis Road where Millers’ Bluff lay at 255 deg. and Molly York's Nightcap at 227 deg. (650’ - 43m. - 6.15 a.m.). We had timed the commencement of our hike to coincide with the entry of daylight which was now well-established. Broken clouds dotted the whole sky as we set out across a grassy clearing towards a nearby semi-cleared hill. Passing around the northern shoulder of the hill we descended slightly to commence climbing a larger hill where clumps of bracken and scrub slightly decreased our hitherto unhindered progress.

Crossing a small stream which descended to the south-east through a musk-filled gully, the ascent of the mountainside be¬gan. Soon we gained the large open "ploughed paddock" towards which we were directing our course and found the all-rock going fairly easy. Beyond the "ploughed paddock", further scantily-growthed patches assisted us and, after a brief tussle with some sub-alpine scrub just below the plateau, we emerged on the summit of Molly York's Nightcap (3650' - 4m. - 8.55 a.m.).

A strong, cold, southerly wind, which kept the clouds at a high altitude, made a long stay on top unattractive. Clouds were sufficiently clear of the peak to permit a reasonable view, although clouds rising up from the eastern wall later shut out our view in that area. The plateau hereabouts was well-wooded and a trans plateau journey to Mt. Franklin appeared out of the question for a day trip.

The view was not dissimilar to that available from most nearby points in the Tiers and the following is a summary of the main points within range:
Millers' Bluff trig. 351 deg.;
Dry's Bluff, 323;
Billop Bluff, 317;
Brady's Lookout, 308;
Parson & Clerk Mt., 303;
Mt. Arthur, 22;
Mt. Barrow, 33;
Ben Nevis, 80;
Ben Lomond, 85-98;
Nicholas Range, 107;
St. Paul's Dome, 115;
Arthur Lakes, 193;
Lake Sorell, 170-147;
Table Mt., 155;
Old Man's Head, 141½;
Mt. Franklin, 131.

At 9.50 a.m. we left Molly York's Nightcap and retraced our route back to the car, arriving there at noon (650' - 8m.). Eating our lunch as we travelled, we drove southward along the Isis Road, taking the turn to the right beyond Auburn Farm. The road ends at a farm-house from which we learned that an unmetalled road, starting from the iron gate at the right angled turn in to the farm, ran for about three miles to a timber mill site at the foot of the Tiers and that Mt. Franklin was about 2½ miles beyond. We explored the unmetalled road for about half a mile before returning, realising that it was too late in the day to make a daylight attempt at reaching Mt. Franklin. We used the same route home as on the outward bound drive and were back at Launceston at 5.10 p.m..

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