The Blue Mountains

The 1st of July - Canada Day - was spent driving and hiking through the World Heritage Site listed Blue Mountains. These mountains are part of Australia's Great Dividing Range which extends 3500kms from the northeastern tip of Queensland to Victoria. The Blue Mountains are named this because the blue appearance of the mountains that is the result of a fine oily mist given off by eucalyptus trees. This blue appearance can be very subtle and was not strikingly obvious to us at first.

We drove through small towns and along winding roads until we made our first stop (this was a day of getting in and out of the car, and traipsing down many different trails) to stretch our legs. At first the trail at 'The Walls' was sheltered by eucalyptus trees but it quickly became exposed to the wind and sun. It was great to be hiking with Elaine - everything was new for her and it gave us reason to pause and take a closer look at our surroundings. For me it was great to be with someone who is more than willing to slow the pace down in the name of a 'good shot'.

As I arrived to the trail end, I was greeted by Dave and Ruben insisting that I lie down and peer over the edge. NO WAY was I going to do that. The trail ended at the edge of a sheer cliff - one that dropped at least 200-300 feet! There were no safety guards to ensure the unsuspecting hiker did not tumble off the edge. We were all in awe of the view and what a perfect place to stop to eat our lunch!

Now we were really excited to see what else was in store for us for the day. We all piled back into the car and headed to the next stop - Govetts Leap. Again another stunning view and several options for trails to explore the area. We decided to head towards the waterfall we could see from the top of the cliff. Little did we know this option involved hiking down, and eventually back up, 486 steps - the kids counted each one! Govetts Leap looks out over the Grose Valley and over to Pulpit Rock.

We had one last stop on our Blue Mountains to-do list - the Three Sisters. When you are hopping from one lookout point to another it is hard to imagine the next will be equally as stunning. But if there is one thing I have learned here, it is that Australian landscapes continue to impress no matter how many red rocks, cliff faces or beaches we see. The Three Sisters were no exception. This lookout is a lot more built up and touristy than the others we had seen this day - I think it has something to do with its proximity to the town Katoomba - but this did not detract from its beauty.

After an amazing day hiking along the wind swept cliff tops of the Blue Mountains, we walked around and had dinner in the mountain town Katoomba. It felt a lot like winter, with the crisp breeze, cold temperatures and skaters twirling around the outdoor rink.

Now back to Sydney to take in some of the local beaches.

love Heather, Dave, Gemma and Ruben