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emailposted by admin on 23 Feb 2010
by Jeff Lewis
The 7am start wasn’t what I was accustomed to on a Saturday morning. I managed to rouse myself out of bed but with a weekend planned in the Blue Mountains ahead of me it wasn’t long before I was wide awake with a sense of adventure.
The train trip to Katoomba was a breeze from Macquarie University and within two hours we were stepping into the fresh mountain air.
Katoomba, the heart of the Blue Mountains, is a compact little village with everything you need within walking distance from station including interesting shops and cafes with unique and delicious mountain treats.
Our first mission was to find a place to stay so we exited the train station and walked 3 blocks down Bathhurst Road and scored a dorm bed at "The Backpackers Hostel" for $30 a head.
Back on the hilly streets of Katoomba, it was time to have a look around. The best way to get around the Blue Mountains is on the Blue Mountains Trolley Tour. You can purchase a Day Pass for the Trolley that allows you to be picked up or dropped off every hour from 30 different stops around the Blue Mountains Loop.
We bypassed the first few Trolley stops of the tour, which were mostly shops and museums, opting for the more adventurous stop at Gordon Falls (stop 11). From there we hiked the 3 mile (4.8 km) trail to Leura Cascades which winds through lush landscape alongside a massive cliff with views extending the breadth of the Blue Mountains.
With the trail frequently revealing breathtaking views it was no surprise the hike took us about 3 hours at a fairly casual pace.
The destination of the hike is the underside of Leura Cascades and the views from the bottom of the canyon are breathtaking. Looking up 300ft, your eyes follow the water as it falls gracefully into the pool, right beside where you stand awestruck. This isn’t the only waterfall in the area so keep moving if you want to see them all.
The hike back up is a bit more challenging, unless of course you're an avid stair climber. From the top, the Trolley picked us up and drove us to the Three Sisters, one of the Blue Mountains' most iconic features. At the Three Sisters we took the obligatory photo opportunities and grabbed an ice cream cone at the nearby shops.
Exhausted, we retreated to our hostel for an evening of hostel cooking and Australian pub music at the pub next door. It was a riot!
The Blue Mountains are a spectacular place to visit and really easy to get to from any train station in Sydney. Everything you need is within walking distance of Katoomba station and with the Trolley Tour Day Pass you can skip around without a car no worries at all. The hikes are filled with incredible lush scenery and Australian bush beauty. A perfect weekend retreat if you’re into the outdoors or photography and on a budget. It is definitely a trip you won't be forgetting soon! Go on, get up there!
For more of Jeff’s adventures and more images, check out Jeff's travel blog.
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