The train travels up into the mountains
There just was one change of train involved and I arrived soon after 11am.
Knowing that I had some significant walking ahead I topped up my reserves with a lovely coffee and some raison toast. The raison toast was extra fruity and rather rich but it was providing fuel for the walk.
Once I got going it was a 25 minutes walk to the information centre at Echo Point. Here it is.
View from Echo Point of The Three Sisters
Can you see the blue haze coming off the trees. It is eucalyptus oil and gives rise to the name Blue Mountains.
I had done a bit of research the previous evening and saw that there was a really nice looking walk with the big snag that it started with a 900 step descent down the side of a sheer cliff. I am bad with heights and get vertigo 5 feet up a ladder. It was a shame but I could not do this walk.
I went into the information office to get a free map of local walks with the intention of coming out, sitting in the sunshine and selecting an interesting walk. In practice they said there were no free maps and they suggested the giant stairway route, so moments later I had parted with $3 for a map and committed to the scary walk. What is wrong with my personality to allow this to happen ?
The entrance to the Giants Stairway.
Some time later (I lost all sense of time and reality) I emerged at the bottom of the staircase, dripping with sweat, and legs like jelly. My quadriceps were so tired that I could not have made a longer descent. I just remember horrifying drops and bits of metal stairway with see-through steps tacked onto sheer rockfaces. The stairway often traversed around corners and there always seemed to be another more frightening aspect around it.
At the bottom of the stairway.
I sat on a wooden bench to recover and drink water. Luckily there had not been many others on the stairway so I had been able to go at my own slow pace. After 20 minutes I had cooled down a little although my hair was still soaking wet. I set off towards the scenic railway. My quads were still feeling like jelly and did so for the rest of the day. This made climbing and descending steps a bit slow.
As I made my way along the mountainside trail there were occasional glimpses across the canyon.
The track itself was not challenging and was enjoyable.
Here is a Turpentine tree.
Eventually I arrived at the scenic railway. This is a train of small cage covered seats that goes up to the top of the canyon in about 60 seconds. I managed a photo on the way.
The view from the top
The route took me along the Prince Henry Cliff walk. I was able to look back and see the Skyway. I definitely would not go on that.
Along the cliff walk there are various lookouts and it is the best part of the walk for stunning views in the afternoon sunshine.
I arrived back at Echo Point and enquired about bus services to the station at Katoomba. I had just missed one. So another 25 minute walk ensued. I took this photo on the station.
At 4:12pm the train to Sydney Central pulled onto the platform. It has lovely views along the way and the trip took two hours. It had been an exhausting but exhilarating day. They say that to keep fit, you should do something scary each day. I certainly felt that this day was going to do something for my fitness.
Peewit
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