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A Short Stay In The Blue Mountains

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The Blue Mountains Is Popular With Daytrippers From Sydney And Overseas Visitors Alike

World heritage listed, a "City Within A National Park" these are just some of the descriptions and labels the Blue Mountains near Sydney wears with pride. Majestic escarpments, magical waterfalls and pools, amazing forest walks are just some of the gifts of nature this area has to offer. For most visitors a trip to the Blue Mountains means hopping off a tourist bus at the Three Sisters lookout followed by a trip on "The Scenic Railway" then back on the bus to Sydney.

This photo of The Three Sisters is used under a Creative Commons licence from Tr1xx

The Blue Mountains

Overview

The area known as The Blue Mountains is located about an hour west of Sydney. It consists of a string of villages spread along The Great Western Highway which traverses the ridge of the range from the western plains of Sydney to the Central West region of New South Wales. From Lapstone in the east to Lithgow in the west is 83km and takes around an hour and a half to drive without stops. In the north of the region is the less populated Bells Line Of Road which connects Kurrajong with Lithgow.

Surrounded by National Park, The Blue Mountains is a wonderland of bushwalking trails which lead to delightful falls and picturesque pools, stunning outlooks and magnificent lookdowns.

This photo of a Banksia flower was taken by me on the Katoomba Falls walk.

The Blue Mountains Region

Katoomba Falls Walking Track

This is a really easy walk with not too many stairs to descend or climb. Commencing at the car park near the Katoomba campground at the old Kiosk, there is a short descent down to the bottom of Katoomba Falls. From there the track follows a Sandy Bottomed creek which meanders through ferns and taller trees until you reach a lookout to the east of the Three Sisters. This can be a round trip or you can continue on to Echo Point and The Three Sisters.

Get Yourself Some Good Hiking Boots

Your Walk Will Be More Pleasurable If Your Feet Are Comfortable

Even on short walks, the Blue Mountains tracks can be uneven, rocky, muddy or have protruding roots. I recommend good hiking boots even if it is only a one hour stroll as there are often unexpected surfaces to negotiate.
Vasque Women's Wasatch GTX Hiking Boot

Vasque Women's Wasatch GTX Hiking Boot

Amazon Price: (as of 05/26/2012)Buy Now

I think the Vasque Women's Wasatch GTX Hiking Boot is an amazing piece of footwear. It is tough, has good arch and ankle support and it keeps your feet dry. These boots are ultra comfortable and need bery little if any breaking in.

Six Foot Track Katoomba

Nellies Glen

A view from Cliff View lookout in Nellie's Glenn area (less a kilometer south of the western end of Six Foot Track, west of Katoomba). The cliff on the left is under Katoomba's west side (Peckman's Plateau), the one of the right - part of Radiata Plateau.

Image used under a Creative Commons licence from Wikimedia Commons

Quote..

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. ~Raymond Inmon

Katoomba

Most visitors to the Blue Mountains invariably end up in Katoomba and it's easy to see why. The spectacular Echo Point with its view of Thee Sisters which are so easily accessible is also a great starting point for some easy short walks. The village of Katoomba itself has some of the best cafes in the mountains interspersed with other interesting shops and small galleries. Katoomba is also home to Scenic World. Once the site of a coal mining operation, the train which transported workers into the valley is still operational. Now known as The Scenic Railway. this is more like an amusement park ride then a historic museum piece.

Come for a ride on the world's steepest railway!

The Scenic Railway

(The Indiana Jones theme is a great touch!)
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Hand Feeding The Wild Birds At Scenic World

King Parrots

Admittedly it's a little bit theme park but it is still a fantastic way to get a Blue Mountains experience if you are limited in time. It is also a great way for those with limited mobility to get a bottom of the valley experience that might otherwise be denied them. There are several ways to see the valley but the most popular is to descend via The Scenic Railway, 'the world's steepest railway' walk along the rainforest boardwalk to the lower Scenic Cableway station then return via the Cableway. While waiting to board the Scenic Railway visitors will usually see wild birds including these colourful King Parrots which we spotted while waiting to board one misty day.

Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds: Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbirds

Australia has the most amazing birds especially the parrot varieties. This book is an exhaustive reference guide to these spectacular birds.
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds: Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbirds

Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds: Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbirds

Amazon Price: $208.62 (as of 05/26/2012)Buy Now

The Rainforest Boardwalk

Boardwalk

Once you reach the bottom of the Scenic Railway take the Scenic Walkway for a wonderful look at the rainforest of the Jameson Valley. There are a number of options from the direct ten minute walk through to a 30 minute winding route all of which end up at the bottom station of the Scenic Cableway for the return ascent journey out of the valley.

I took this photo of the boardwalk when I took my cousin and his wife out for the day.

Spend A Couple Of Hours At Scenic World

Katoomba NSW Scenic Railway - Skyway The steepest railway line in the world
by blackheathau | video info

20 ratings | 10,470 views
curated content from YouTube

Warning Notices Along The Scenic Walkway

Don't Let These Warnings Put You Off A Short Stay in the Blue mOuntains

Boardwalk Warning

Along your walk be sure to look out for informative signposts directing your attention to various features of the landscape and historical aspects of the areas previous uses. Often the signs are humourous like this one warning of some of the risks associated with the boardwalk itself.

Click on the photo to see an animated map of Scenic World

Photo taken by me.

Scenic World Webcam

Blue Mountains Cafes

Grab A Coffee Or A Bite To Eat After Your Walk

The Blue Mountains has some fabulous cafes. They are all very different, most combine coffee with another experience, a gallery, a deli, an antique store. Exploring Blue Mountains cafes is an experience in itself.
  • The Parakeet Cafe at the bottom of Katoomba Street is colourful and relaxed. Get a discount if you're a Youth Hostel member. There's always a gaggle of overseas backpackers here.
  • The Talisman Gallery on the Great Western Highway in Little Hartley showcases beautiful wrought iron and metalwork alongside the eatery where you can grab a coffee or enjoy a meal of woodfired pizza.
  • The Conservation Hut is a must-visit. Situated on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the beautiful Jamison Valley. Start or finish a number of lovely walks from here into the Valley Of The Waters across to Wentworth Falls or the beautiful Nature Track circuit. Enjoy good coffee and a lovely cake selection in front of a warming open fireplace.

While you are up this way..

..you really should check out Jenolan Caves

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A Little Piece Of The Blue Mountains For Your Wall

A Must See on Your Short Stay in the Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains
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Let me know what you think.

Have you visited The Blue Mountains?

  • RawBill May 21, 2012 @ 7:07 pm | delete
    Yes, I have been there a few times and love it. It is so spectacular! I actually made a lens covering my recent trip there too. I will add this one as a featured lens on that one. :-)
  • ozylizzy Feb 6, 2012 @ 3:51 am | delete
    Yes and I loved it, I want to go again. magnificant scenery.
  • BarbRad Feb 5, 2012 @ 3:25 am | delete
    I think I'd like to visit the Blue Mountains. I'll have to get some hiking boots first, though. Around here all I need is sneakers.
  • OhMe Feb 3, 2012 @ 9:43 pm | delete
    The Blue Mountains look like somewhere that I would love to visit. Your photos are great and I enjoyed your descriptions.
  • mbgphoto Feb 3, 2012 @ 7:16 pm | delete
    No, but I'd love to visit.
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Blue Mountains Map 

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It's a good idea to carry a map with you if you intend to do any lengthy walks in the Blue Mountains. And make sure you register with the police - let them know where you intend to walk, who with and when you intend to return.

Personal Beacon 

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Most of the trails and walking tracks in the Blue Mountains have limited mobile phone range so if you are planning to go on a long walk it is a good idea to carry a personal beacon in case you do get into difficulty.

Day Pack 

Osprey Resource React Day Pack (Glacier Blue)

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For any walk make sure you take water, snacks and something warm as the weather can change dramatically in The Blue Mountains

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