Today began in a slight haze, as neither of us had slept well. This place is not as nice as you first think. You can’t turn the outside lights off so there is always light into the bedroom. The bed was not that comfy and when temperatures dipped at night, the room was cold.
We had breakfast and drove to our first hiking location in the Grose Valley. The hike, Perrys Lookdown, had been recommended to us bu the local information centre. It took us a while to find the start and after half an hour of clambering down high steps we decided it was not for us (well actually for Fiona). The whole hike would have been steps and there is more to hiking than walking up and down stairs.
We walked back and drove to one of the main information centers in Katoomba where we were able to access a Blue Mountains hiking map. We found another hike called the Ruin Castle Pass. For more info about hiking in this area see: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/ .
The hike took us down steep rocks, then along the forest floor where we came across, large spiders, small brown tree snakes (very poisonous), the brightest red and blue parrots, thousands of bright yellow lady birds and very curious black and white crows.
The birds in the tropical forests made the most unusual songs. On occasion the noise loud and mesmerizing.
The temperatures were up as we neared the first rock formation, just part of the Ruined Castle vista. We managed to climb to the top of the rock where we were joined by another friendly bird, black with the brightest yellow eyes.
After taking in the views for a while, we clambered down the rock and walked on to the second outcrop. This time, John had to take off his back pack, so he could crawl through the small gap in the rock in order to get to the top. At the top, we met a couple of guys who were enjoying themselves abseiling down the side of this huge rock.
After a while, we clambered down and walked on to the highest rock outcrop in the area, another hours hike in forest, followed by steep rock climbing. Once again we were rewarded by yet more stunning views of the blue mountains. We sat on the flat rock for a while, taking in the atmosphere and eating some lunch. We had to keep flicking off the lady birds.
We walked back in two hours, climber up the Golden Stairs at the end of the walk. We arrived back at the car exhausted.
We drove back to the Lodge, via the super market. After a fish salad and some trashy TV we went to bed.
We had breakfast and drove to our first hiking location in the Grose Valley. The hike, Perrys Lookdown, had been recommended to us bu the local information centre. It took us a while to find the start and after half an hour of clambering down high steps we decided it was not for us (well actually for Fiona). The whole hike would have been steps and there is more to hiking than walking up and down stairs.
We walked back and drove to one of the main information centers in Katoomba where we were able to access a Blue Mountains hiking map. We found another hike called the Ruin Castle Pass. For more info about hiking in this area see: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/ .
The hike took us down steep rocks, then along the forest floor where we came across, large spiders, small brown tree snakes (very poisonous), the brightest red and blue parrots, thousands of bright yellow lady birds and very curious black and white crows.
The birds in the tropical forests made the most unusual songs. On occasion the noise loud and mesmerizing.
The temperatures were up as we neared the first rock formation, just part of the Ruined Castle vista. We managed to climb to the top of the rock where we were joined by another friendly bird, black with the brightest yellow eyes.
After taking in the views for a while, we clambered down the rock and walked on to the second outcrop. This time, John had to take off his back pack, so he could crawl through the small gap in the rock in order to get to the top. At the top, we met a couple of guys who were enjoying themselves abseiling down the side of this huge rock.
After a while, we clambered down and walked on to the highest rock outcrop in the area, another hours hike in forest, followed by steep rock climbing. Once again we were rewarded by yet more stunning views of the blue mountains. We sat on the flat rock for a while, taking in the atmosphere and eating some lunch. We had to keep flicking off the lady birds.
We walked back in two hours, climber up the Golden Stairs at the end of the walk. We arrived back at the car exhausted.
We drove back to the Lodge, via the super market. After a fish salad and some trashy TV we went to bed.
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