A Sunday walk

Katoomba is the tourist centre of the Blue Mountains, catering for up to three million visitors a year. It is also the largest service town in the area and where we have been buying most of our supplies. Originally developed to support the early coal mining exploits, it soon became a hill- station resort for visitors from Sydney to escape the heat and crowds. The Carrington Hotel is a local icon in its own right, built to provide accommodation for the well heeled, and a building we are yet to visit.

Sunday's destination is the area known as Echo Point and where we wanted to begin our walk. From here we wanted to walk to The Three Sisters, then down the Giant Stairway to the Federation Track. This track then takes you along the side of the mountain to Scenic World, a tourist Mecca and the Katoomba Falls.

The Three Sisters from theFurber Steps

 

We had originally looked at these walks during the school holidays but had decided it was too busy and would come back later when it would be quieter. We didn't quite get that right! It was even busier this time, with bus loads of tourists from all corners of the world. Not deterred we set off on the track to the Three Sisters. These large rock outcrops are one of Australia most well recognised geological features, and are steeped in Aboriginal folklore. There are several different legends but it is the second one at this link I like the best:

Three Sisters Legends http://www.bluemts.com.au/info/thingstodo/threesisters/?c=f

From here it was a very steep descent of over 300m down the Giant Stairway. We didn't count the number of steps but are told there are over 800!

Taking it carefully down the Giants Stairway

 

 

The crowd also thinned out very quickly and by the time we got to the Federal track, the bird life was able to be heard. Not far along this track we stopped for our picnic lunch.

 

 

The signage told us it was 2.5km to the Scenic Railway and a 2-3 hour walk. It was mostly a level well maintained track that didn't take us anywhere that length of time. Unfortunately this network of tracks has no toilets and we would have to say that Australia has a similar problem to that of NZ in regards to toilet paper littering our tracks and picnic spots. The campervans can't be blamed in this particular area which makes you realise that the bad press against them is unfair. I am sure the day trippers in NZ are as much to blame as the campers as well.

Once we got to the base of the railway the crowds returned. Thousands of people are transported down this steep incline that was once used to haul coal trucks from the mines, to the cliff top. Once down here, there is plenty to see by walking along a well constructed boardwalk that is 1.8km long thorugh the rainforest. All along this boardwalk are interpretation boards explaining the history and flora/fauna of the area. There is even the face of a coal mine set up to show exactly what it was like over a hundred years ago. http://www.scenicworld.com.au/explore-our-world/heritage/

 

 

Originally we had thought we would take the train back to the top but there was an alternate route up the Furber Steps and past the Katoomba Falls.

 

 

This part of the track wasn't nearly as steep as the Giants Stairway and it rewarded us with some excellent scenery. It is amazing what you can learn along the way. Not far from the top was the Witch's Leap and it wasn't till I read the interpretation board that I discovered that the word Leap is the Scottish word for waterfall. Not sure how I didn't know this. This area must have been originally settled by a large Scottish contingency as there are other several other leaps such Govetts Leap.

 

 

We were very pleased to reach the cliff top and make our way back to the truck. It had taken us four hours to make the round trip and were glad we had made the effort. For those less inclined to walk those sort of distances, there is of course the train (not for the faint hearted as the descent is very steep)

 

or a cable car which also takes you further down to the lower levels of the board walk. For those with no desire to go down into the depths of the forest there is the Skyway, another cable car that crosses the valley above the Katoomba Falls. As I said it is very much set up for the tourists but there is also plenty for those who like to get a bit further off the beaten track. The tracks we did are only but fraction of what is there for the more adventurous. The network is extensive.

 

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