I did a lot of driving in Tasmania, and absolutely loved it.

With its spectacular scenery, charming villages you just have to stop and wander through, and excellent, seasonal, Tasmanian food, this is a place made for road trips.

From lavish estates and former convict settlements to glorious beaches and lush gardens, Tasmania offers innumerable reasons to stop along the road and get inspired, informed, and fed.

After a wonderful morning at the beach, we headed down the east coast of Tasmania towards our next home base outside of Hobart, stopping wherever took our fancy.

Our first stop was Kate’s Berry Farm, a lovely spot perched on the side of a hill looking out over the ocean to the jagged peaks of Freycinet National Park.

It was such a nice place for a break, to soak up sunshine and gorgeous views, wander through the shop filled with locally-made products, and treat ourselves to delectable goodies: homemade strawberry ice cream and crispy waffles piled high with poached berries and ice cream. Mmm.

Our next stop was Spiky Bridge, a delightfully odd edifice that is part of the old convict coach road that connected Little Swanport and Swansea.

In the 1840’s, all convicts in Tasmania were required to serve part of their sentence in a government work gang rather than be immediately assigned to work for private settlers. The Spiky Bridge was built in 1843 by convicts serving time at the Rocky Hills Probation Station, and is renowned for being made of field stones with neither mortar nor cement to hold them in place.

The origins of its unique spiky design remain a mystery, but locals and historians hold a couple of theories. One is that it prevented cows from falling off the bridge into the deep gully on either side. The other, and the one I like best, is that disgruntled convicts decided to get revenge on their supervisor by sticking rocks in all higgledy-piggledy. Based on the saucy nature of the Aussies I know, this is just the sort of thing they’d come up with.

We got back on the road again, taking our time to enjoy the wild, rocky shoreline.

Anytime we came to a side road or dirt track heading towards the ocean, we’d follow it to see what we could see.

We were never disappointed.

I stood on windswept rocky outcroppings, breathing deeply of sea air.

Sat on sun-baked boulders to watch waves crash onto white sand beaches.

Carefully walked down gravel-strewn pathways to find hidden coves of clear, turquoise water.

Now and then I’d spot a hiker scrambling over the cliffs, kids splashing in the water, and once, a solitary figure reading a book, all by themselves with only the wind and sea for company.

I loved this stretch of coastline, and promised myself I’d return one day to camp and hike and find a solitary cove to read in.

Do you have a beautiful place you’d love to return to one day? xo