
Blue Mountains near Leura – no crowds and no parties here!
New Year’s Eve in Sydney – either you embrace it, or you escape it. As much as I love the fireworks, I hate the crowds. I also hate being subjected to the parties going on until the early morning in the back yards of the houses down the hill or in the flats adjoining mine.
So, in a decidedly “bah humbug” frame of mind, I left Sydney after work on 30 December to spend two days in the Blue Mountains. My base for two nights was the Leura Gardens Resort.
On New Year’s Eve day, my plan was to walk the roughly 10km (6 miles) from Gordon’s Lookout in Leura to Scenic World in Katoomba.
First, though, a stroll around the resort’s gardens was called for. The grounds incorporate the Lady Fairfax Garden, created by Paul Sorensen for Lady Mabel Fairfax in 1933. (more about the gardens here)







Then I caught a cab to Gordon Falls Lookout (no point adding extra kilometers!) to begin the first leg of my walk. I followed the Prince Henry Cliff Walk as far as the Three Sisters in Katoomba.
The path, as you might guess from the name, runs along the edge of the cliffs and offers sweeping views over the hills and valleys, and also lovely, tranquil paths through the forest. The path was constructed in the 1930s – spare a thought for the men who built this trail with pickaxes and shovels, carving steps from the rock, building metal stairways, fencing off the lookouts perched at the edge of thrusting spurs with vertiginous drops. The walk was named in honour of a son of King George V, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who spent 20 minutes at Katoomba railway station in 1934. (source)
This walk is rated “medium” for difficulty. My book of walks (Blue Mountains Best Bushwalks) breaks it into two sections: from Gordon Falls to Leura Cascades, you descend 110m and ascend 150m; from the cascades to Echo Point (the Three Sisters), you descend 170m and ascend 90m.








click for larger image of Bridal Veil Falls
At Echo Point, it was time for a toilet stop and a cold drink. There are also fantastic views of the Three Sisters (a series of cliffs that jut out in a point), but I’ve seen them a number of times so skipped the view, although I have included an older photograph in the gallery below for reference.
Now came the fun part: the stairs.
Oh pooh pooh, you say, how hard can stairs be? Well, it’s not called the Giant Stairway for nothing. It’s 540m long and descends around 300m (or ascends, if you’re coming up!). Some 900 stairs are cut into the side of the cliffs making up the Sisters, or, in places where that is not an option, metal stairs are bolted to the rock. According to the book, there are “910 stone steps and 32 steel staircases of almost vertical descent”. These are not stairs for the faint-hearted or those who have a problem with heights. At times, there is only a metal grid between the soles of your shoes and the valley floor hundreds of metres below. Looking at the Three Sisters photo below, the stairway is on the other side; the path then runs out around the base of the cliffs and back.
Construction began in 1916 but was halted two years later. Work resumed in 1932 and was completed that year.







Once at the bottom, in the cool dappled shade of the forest, it was time to sit for a while until my leg muscles stopped trembling. I’ve gone down the stairway a number of times, but never up! I can’t imagine how a person’s legs feel after slogging up those stairs and ladders. The rest of this walk is a tranquil stroll among trees and ferns, past little waterfalls and over tiny streams. The sounds of birds fill the air, and if you’re lucky you’ll spot a brightly coloured parrot or two.



Of course, at the end of the walk you’re still a few hundred metres from the top of the cliffs. There are two options: walk back up to the top, or take the train. Yeah, you know what I opt for!
The Scenic Railway ascends 310m and is the world’s steepest passenger railway, at an incline of 52 degrees (click on the first picture below, I’ve circled the top and bottom points). When you get into the cars you are uncomfortably sprawled backwards, but as the train starts moving up that cleft in the cliff you are pushed forward. Hands shoot out to grasp the overhead rails and knees press against the padded rail in front.



The walk from Echo Point to the base of the railway is graded “hard” due to the stairs, but the actual walking is easy. After all that, I felt that I deserved a cool refreshment back on my balcony at the resort.

A well deserved cool beverage.
The next day, New Year’s Day, I had time for a short walk before returning to Sydney. I settled for a 4km jaunt from the resort to Inspiration Point and back. (I couldn’t find a map of this walk on the National Parks site, so the one in the gallery below is a rough approximation.) This little walk is graded easy, with ascents and descents both of 70m over gradually rising (or falling) stairs.
The two lookouts offer more stunning views of weathered cliff faces and gum trees sweeping to the horizon, all under the deepest blue sky imaginable. Then it was back to the resort to take a cab to Leura station for the train to Sydney.







click for larger image of the stunning view
Oh, and in Sydney, one of my neighbours had a party that started mid-afternoon and went on into the night, so my cunning plan to avoid the doof-doof-doof of music and the shrieks of drunken delight was not entirely successful.
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This post is my first contribution to Jo’s Monday Walk. You can find interesting walks by Jo and other bloggers on her site each week.
Fabulous, Elizabeth! I absolutely loved it 🙂 Jude took us into the Blue Mountains but not being as mobile as you there were limits. Isn’t it truly beautiful? More please, and many thanks for joining me. 🙂
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Hi Jo! I saw Jude’s Blue Mountains post, that’s what gave me the idea for this one. It is a breathtaking area — both the views and the climbs take your breath. 😉
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Limits indeed Jo 😉 but a nice little appetiser… and after this walk I am suffering even more!!
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🙂 🙂
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Good photos, especially the Blue Mountains view.
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Thank you. The weather was hazy on the first day so the grand vista shots are not as sharp and clear.
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Have you been there in the winter Elizabeth? Just wondering if the haze is there all year round.
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Winter?! Gasp. No!
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Haha, a bit cold there is it?
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Compared to England, no, and compared to Canada it’s like spring. But 5C is too cold for me these days!
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A totally wonderful opening gambit, Elizabeth ! – but by all the gods you must be fit. I could no more consider that than jump from one of the sisters to another. :-\
Congratulations on a fascinating post – even to a local ! 😀
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Thank you M-R, you are very kind as usual!
I’m nowhere near as fit as I used to be. I was feeling the heat and my legs were complaining by the end of the first day’s walk. You should have seen me hobbling around on Friday, LOL! 😉
Keep up your exercise regime and who knows, you’ll be up there soon yourself. Have you done walks in the BMs?
I couldn’t live up there, but I do love the walks.
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NEVAIRE !!! I’ve always been hopeless at ups; and even when there are downs it means there will be more ups …
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That’s exactly what I tell myself when the path dips down, or the stairs head down. 😦
What you could do is take the scenic train both up and down. The sections of forest walking (some boardwalks even) from the lower station are very pleasant and easy, and generally flat (ish).
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Then it will depend upon the (ish). We could go together, so that I could give you savage chinese burns whenever the ups became more up-like ! [grin]
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Oh, yes, it’s hard to resist an invitation like that. Hmm, I may be washing my hair that day.
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Beautiful, but I highly recommend trying to go up those stairs. It’s pretty challenging but exciting 🙂 Beautiful photos, thank you for sharing 🙂
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Hmm, I think my life will be complete without that particular brand of excitement. 😉 Thanks for stopping by.
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Wow! I’m still a bit breathless, that was some walk. The scenery is to die for 🙂
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As long as you pace yourself, it’s all good. There are convenient benches to rest on, too. 🙂 And as you say, the views are worth the effort.
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Wow what an amazing walk Elizabeth and such beautiful photos! The scenic railway sounds appealing too but you must get a real sense of achievement when you complete the walk! 🙂
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You’re quite right about the sense of achievement. I also get a real sense of anticipating a shower! 😉 Thanks for stopping by.
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Well, I enjoyed that. Sort of. I’d have difficulty going down those stairs actually as my knees become more painful going down than up! Up just makes me run out of puff!
I think the path I was on led to the top of the Scenic Rail eventually, but not such steep stairs (I don’t think it did, but of course I turned back). I almost booked 3 nights in Leura to be able to do some walking, but didn’t have time to fit it it. Maybe as well really… thanks for this 🙂
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I remember this beauty. A ‘proper’ walk 🙂 🙂
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No hot choc needed that time! I’m going up again this year to escape NY eve.
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I’ll cross my fingers for better weather for you. 🙂 🙂
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Thanks Jo! But I’ve seen the views many times, and I have a cute little two-bedroom house all to myself, and many books on my reader — so I could just settle in and chill out. 🙂
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