Arguably Tasman Peninsula’s most famous cape, Cape Hauy, is the brilliant grand finale of the 48km Three Capes Walk, one of Australia’s most sought-after multi-day hikes. As this self-guided 4-day huts walk is likely to be booked out many months in advance (prices start from $495pp), you may be as relieved as we were to find out that the cape also makes for a rewarding 10km return walk from Fortescue Bay with many claiming this may, in fact, be one of Australia’s best day hikes. 

Not the easiest one for sure – with its Grade 4 rating and notorious reputation for packing the most steps possible into a walk of this distance, some hikers may be discouraged to try.

Our host in Premaydena, born and raised in Tasmania, actually raved about the beauty of Cape Hauy before admitting she had never dared to walk the trail for fear of the steps. I’m hoping she’ll give it a try now, knowing that some of her friends might have exaggerated the difficulty of the trail a bit.

The track is heavy on the stairs, yes, and there’s a 500m elevation gain to tackle, but this walk is perfectly doable for someone with moderate hiking experience and a reasonable level of fitness. The path is well-formed, clearly signposted, and very well-maintained, making this a much easier walk than if you had to struggle along a rocky path or scramble up an almost vertical rock face like we did a few days before at Mt Amos on the Freycinet Peninsula.

Even more so because the expansive views of the rugged coastline are out-of-this-world and more than compensate for the effort.

The opening stretch from the Fortescue Bay boat ramp along the shore is an easy start and boasts lovely views of the sheltered bay. Turning away from the coast, the trail then disappears into the bush and starts on the dreaded steps. You’re still in the forest, at this point, with no views to compensate for the uphill slog yet, but once you reach the top of the saddle and follow the markers down to Cape Hauy, the forest opens up and reveals stunning coastal vistas.

There are some up and downhill sections to come yet, as the track ventures across two more saddles, but you’ll be able to make out the trail as it meanders out onto the cape, closely skirting the sheer cliffs that plunge into the sparkling blue waves. Unlike other trails, there’s no need to seek out viewpoints on the Cape Hauy Walking Track as the panoramas are splendid every step of the way. The stunning dolerite cliffs of Cape Pillar rise to the south, the outline of Maria Island can be seen in the north, and the deep blue ocean stretches into infinity beyond the cape.

As you approach the tip of the cape, the track ventures ever closer to the escarpment, narrowing in places until you reach a large viewing platform hanging off the edge of the cliff. We spotted a small sailboat not far off the coast, rocking wildly on the waves. Dwarfed to the size of a miniature toy boat by the distance, the height of these cliffs became all the more obvious. Beautiful dolerite rock formations standing off the headlands include the Candlestick and Totem Pole, two large slender columns, and a more distant granite island, Hippolyte Rocks, which sits north-east of the cape.

Head back along the same trail, soaking in the spectacular views one more time.