There are few things better than sightseeing in Sydney but after a couple of weeks enjoying city life I was really looking forward to escaping to the great outdoors of Australia and the Blue Mountains National Park. My new travel buddy, Har, and I headed to the town of Katoomba for a couple of nights. A gorgeous little town, just two hours (and £5 on the train!) outside of Sydney and a mile or so from the entrance to the park.
We arrived just before the sun set and we were treated to some stunning views of the valley and the famous Three Sister’s rock formation.
After a burger, a few beers and a night’s sleep we were ready for some proper exploring. We set out to do roughly a 5 mile walk along the top of the park, through the valley floor and then back up the daunting Furber Steps.
We started off by heading to get a closer look at the Three Sisters and were dismayed to find we couldn’t go climbing on them!
We continued walking around the perimeter and then descended steeply to the valley floor, crossing streams and scrambling through the dense bush.
After a couple of hours walking and a ham sandwich refuel we approached the 1,200 Furber Steps wondering whether we would have the energy to climb back up. It didn’t help that a slightly older couple were just finishing off coming down and said we were crazy if we were looking to climb up. The pre-steps selfie showed one of us looking more confident than the other!
Before we could think of any more excuses not to tackle the steps we launched ourselves up.
And up and up and up
Luckily there are several look out points on the way where we could regain our strength and enjoy a good view. By the time we reached the top one of us was still looking fresh and the other not so much.
Despite getting lost once or twice, and somehow taking the wrong path to the right place (?), the trekking was fantastic. The views are wonderful as you descend in to the valley, it wasn’t too hot in the shade of the trees and you really feel like you’re deep in to the Australian bush. Katoomba is a great town to stop off in and I really recommend hitting True to the Bean, an ‘Espresso and Waffle’ cafe to regain your energy after a big trek.
I hope you enjoy the park as much as we did!
davecoles 