Blue Mountains – March 2010

For the traditional annual family weekend away this year we chose the Blue Mountains and a comfortable 3 bedroom cabin with a loft!! Talk about soft! But we were glad we did because we had a day of mist and drizzle sandwiched between two clear sunny half days, and it was very cosy in the cabin on the foggy miserable day!

The first afternoon we hiked from Echo Point down the Giant’s Staircase beneath the Three Sisters (895 steps) along to the Furber Steps and back up beside Katoomba Falls. Lovely to hike below the sheer sandstone cliffs and tumbling waterfalls and amongst the trees and ferns. A beautiful walk back along the cliff top to Echo Point, with great views to the Three Sisters again in late afternoon light.

Sunday was drizzly and very foggy, so we drove down to Hartley where it was clear and looked at the few remaining historic buildings there, then headed to a garden centre and bought two bird baths. After lunch, the garden-lovers among us visited “Everglades” which we last saw in about 1987 when it was just starting to be restored. An interesting house and beautifully tended garden, it must look stunning in spring! Other members of the party entertained themselves with various pursuits, some less energetic than others! We rounded off the day with a lovely roast dinner, a selection of Mike and Meg’s wonderful photos of Tassie and an entertaining game of Pictionary.

On Monday the weather was fine again, and we chose the walk from Govett’s Leap along the cliff top to Pulpit Rock, a spectacular walk with great views over the Grose Valley and back towards Blackheath. The bush was fresh and sparkling after the rain. Lunch at Govett’s Leap and then a long drive home (way too much traffic on the M7!)

photo Photos

Click any photo to enlarge. While enlarged click the left/right side of the image for the previous/next image, or use the left/right arrow keys for the previous/next image. ESC or clicking "close" closes the enlarged view.

View from part the way down the Giant's Staircase,  Blue Mountains, 6/3/2010 Brightly coloured eucalyptus bark, Blue Mountains, 6/3/2010 Tree fern against a cliff,  Blue Mountains, 6/3/2010. Katoomba Falls from below,  Blue Mountains, 6/3/2010 Happy hikers and the Three Sisters,  Blue Mountains, 6/3/2010 The Three Sisters again, in afternoon light,  Blue Mountains, 6/3/2010 Old house at Hartley, built around 1840, Blue Mountains, 7/3/2010 Old house at Hartley,  Blue Mountains, 7/3/2010 Theatre at "Everglades", heritage garden at Leura, Blue Mountains, 7/3/2010 Beautiful green lawn at "Everglades", Blue Mountains, 7/3/2010 Beautiful glade, gums in the mist, "Everglades, Blue Mountains, 7/3/2010 The swimming pool - now a pond. Looking towards the vista point, no vista today! Blue Mountains, 7/3/2010 Roast dinner - yumm! The waterfall named Govett's Leap, Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 View towards Pulpit Rock, our destination, Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 Horseshoe Falls, aptly named, Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 Bright green new growth near the cliff edge. Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 View back towards Horseshoe Falls. Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 Ironstone in some convoluted formations, Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 These ones are even more weird! Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 View towards the east from Pulpit Rock, Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010  Govett's Leap in the distance. Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 Spectacular cliffs near Pulpit Rock, Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010 The walk back - views to Govett's Leap.Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010  Nearly there -almost time for lunch! Blue Mountains, 8/3/2010

Posted on March 19th, 2010, tagged with events

Comments are closed.