Cradle Mountain: top of your Tassie list

How does a getaway filled with food, wine, cheese, stunning scenery and pampering sound? Pretty good to us! Our Tasmania blogger Julie was lucky to experience it all in her most recent weekend away.
Tasmania is famous for its spectacular wilderness, the most iconic being the world heritage listed Cradle Mountain Lake St.Clair National Park. I have spent many wonderful days exploring and hiking through this incredible reserve, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to stay at the Peppers’ Cradle Mountain Lodge.

Dove Lake

Situated amongst rugged mountain peaks and towering forests, Peppers Lodge is the gateway to the Tasmanian Highlands, making it a wonderful base for your Cradle Mountain experience.

Home away from home
A crackling fire greeted us as we checked-in and I could feel myself start to relax immediately. The staff at Peppers – as warm and inviting as the lodge’s interior – certainly put us at ease and helped make our stay an extremely enjoyable one.

There are 80 cabins surrounding the lodge which are well spaced out so you see very little, if anything, of your neighbors. We were lucky enough to be staying in the spa cabin. The beautiful king bed, Tasmanian wood furnishings, fire and corner spa made our cabin intimate and inviting while the private verandah was perfect for enjoying a 4pm wine and a delicious complementary cheese board.

Our private veranda

The entire feel and atmosphere of the lodge is so serene and relaxing it is hard to motivate yourself to be overly active. But then you remember just how divine the location is and you just can’t pass up the opportunity to go hiking and explore the wilderness.
Foodie delights

The wine and cheese tasting event we attended was superb. With six of Tassie’s finest wines as well some yummy boutique cheeses, it’s the perfect way to relax into the evening.

Dinner at the Highland Restaurant was a foodie’s dream – the fresh, seasonal and local produce made for an amazing dining experience.
Being a wine lover, I was really interested to see the walk-in wine cellar, and the wait staff recommendations for complementing our meals with local wines were absolutely spot on.

Delish!

I cannot recommend three course degustation menu highly enough. In a word, divine.
Pamper me

After a day of heavy hiking, what could be better than booking into the Waldheim Alpine Spa. Nestled amongst the King Billy Pines and mountain streams, it really is heaven on earth. I indulged with a two and a half hour (yep, you read that correctly – 150 minutes of pure spa bliss!) ‘Absolute Spa Ritual’.
Michelle, my amazing therapist, rubbed and soothed my aching and tired muscles until I was happily nodding off. The treatments here at Waldheim are world class and I’m told a major draw card for the retreat. There is also ‘The Sanctuary’ – featuring a hot tub, steam room, sauna and relaxing lounge – that can be enjoyed for an additional cost with or without a treatment.

The Sanctuary

The verdict

Peppers Cradle Mountain lodge is by far one of Tasmania’s best. Hidden among such breathtaking scenery, it makes the perfect escape: a place to do as much, or as little, as you care to do.