Tennis party regulars at Squire’s Leap, Mountain Top, include celebrated scholar and author, Dorothy Sayers (back right, wearing scholar hat), visiting from Huyton with Roby, Lancashire.

 

Squires Leap, (locally known as Petticoat Hill, not sure why), Mountain Top, the much-admired property and home of Ms Beatrice Smith and her niece, Ms Edie Ellis, and location of frequent and highly celebrated tennis parties. Invitations for which are greatly sought after and much anticipated.

Kinka Beach on dusk (it was much darker and scarier than it looks, hey)

There are some people I know – V and C and A and J – who enter the water alone. Some of them swim alone in the wild after dark. Tonight, entering the water, the sea, just on dark, alone, fully dressed and wallowing was delicious.

Walking and wallowing alone after dark on the incoming tide, Mary kept nipping. She was excited, but she always worries about the water, especially when its deep, especially when its dark. She knew it was out of character. I heard that the sea holds magical mineral properties and is willing to share them. It’s good that way, the sea, generous.

Tasmania’s Styx River does not acknowledge mobile phones, wifi or any internet related device, but has done quite nicely without, for longer than anyone living or dead can remember. Thank you giant swamp woods, thank you rainforest understory, thank you orange fungus, thank you wild wild Styx River for reflecting so perfectly my setting in The Styx. Perhaps every Styx River has the added dimension gifted by Goddess Styx, goddess of invulnerability, that results in every visitor recognising greatness and acquiring an extra reverence for nature. Thank you Tasmania State for allowing such an amazing place to exist. And for letting me visit. Thank you Tasmania Wilderness Society for the map to get there. I’ll be at Hobart Bookshop on Saturday Jan 6 from 10am to 1pm – if you are anywhere near, please come to say hello.