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The Nut rises above Stanley on Tasmania's north-west coast, with the distinctive 143-metre volcanic plug sitting directly beside the historic town and Bass Strait. This 52-minute walking video follows the steep climb towards the summit before continuing around the plateau and its coastal viewpoints.

The climb at the beginning is easily the hardest part. The Zig Zag Track rises sharply from the car park, with plenty of steps and a rough, uneven surface along the way. Once you reach the top, the walk becomes much more relaxed. The 2.7-kilometre summit circuit follows a mixture of coastal heath and patches of woodland, with gentle rises and falls replacing the steep climb.

The summit is mostly open, so the views change dramatically once you're above the Zig Zag. Bass Strait and the rocky coastline stretch out around the Nut, while Stanley and the surrounding farmland are visible below. There are several viewpoints around the circuit, each giving a slightly different perspective across the coast and township.

The Nut is also home to a variety of coastal wildlife. Short-tailed shearwaters, peregrine falcons and Australian kestrels use the area, while little penguins can be found around the coastline below. Native coastal vegetation covers much of the summit, giving the exposed sections a distinctly different feel from the forested areas further inland.

For the treadmill version, the pace is around 3 km/h with a 1% incline. That's considerably easier than the real climb, but it works well for keeping the full 52-minute session manageable. If you wanted to recreate more of the initial ascent indoors, a higher incline could be used for the first part before dropping it back for the summit circuit.

The official Nut Summit Circuit is around 2.7 kilometres and takes about an hour, with the walk rated Grade 3. A chairlift is also available when operating for those who would rather skip the steep Zig Zag climb.

At 52 minutes, this virtual walk gives you a good mix of uphill walking and easier coastal terrain. The big change from the steep forested approach to the open summit, with Bass Strait and Stanley spread out below, is what really makes The Nut such a distinctive walk.