BLUE MOUNTAINS - A great place to unwind, indulge in the chilly weather by drinking wine and eating cheese, and explore nature.
I’m not going to get too touristy here because to be honest, when we visit the Blue Mountains we’re usually with a bunch of friends, we hire out a couple of houses close to one another and live like the locals. So no Three Sister trips etc, but still some really great activities and establishments to add to your travels!
We normally stay in Blackheath because we are fortunate enough to have a very generous friend who owns two houses on the same street and therefore accommodates us all comfortably. Our usual Blackheath weekends look a little like this:
Day 1. Morning coffee and breakfast is usually at a little joint called Anonymous on the main road, the Great Western Highway. Urban and rustic, they serve up that much needed caffeine hit, bake their own bread and use locally grown produce in their menu.
Once you’re finished, walk up Govetts Leap Road and spend the morning perusing the Victory Theatre Antique Centre. You’re bound to walk away with something, if not the memory of trying on absurd hats and playing with weird and wondrous paraphernalia. There is also a great little café out the front of the store if you wish to brunch there.
Hop into your car (hopefully you have one, if not you’re right at the Blackheath train station) and head to Evans Lookout to walk off the bacon and eggs. It offers majestic expansive views towards Grose Valley and its sandstone cliffs, and leads down towards some adventurous tracks. However, what goes down, must come back up so get ready for the incline. It truly is a beautiful place, lots of photo opportunities surrounded by the majesty of nature. This can take anywhere from 3 - 5 hours depending on which track you choose and if you complete the loop (I'll expand on this below). If you only wanted to check it out for a couple of hours, it's easy enough to meander down to a certain point and then return.
Day done. Buy a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers and spend the late arvo indulging in a good book. If you want a bit of Mountain nightlife head to Station Bar and Woodfired Pizzas for dinner and a bevy. The pizzas are well known and for good reason!
Day 2. If you’re in the mountains on a Saturday or Sunday during the beginning of March to the end of July, you’re in luck because it's Apple season! Head out to Logan Brae Orchard, Blackheath, and spoil yourself with their delicious fresh hot apple pies and warm apple juice for brekky. It’s lovely to meander the apple orchard and out the back offers some more breathtaking views while you nibble on your delectable delights!
I would then head off to Leura to check out some of the local shops and homewares. There are some beautiful things on offer and you’ll spend at least an hour walking up and down each side of the main road. Once you’re done buying that ornate cheese board and vanilla scented candle, there’s a fantastic café/restaurant called the Leura Garage that serves up a tasty cuisine of fresh produce, share plates and hardy meals for those brisk and chilly days. Also the décor is super cool!
Head home for an afternoon nap or reverie, accompanied by a glass of wine.
Make reservations for dinner at Avalon Restaurant and Cocktail bar in Katoomba. You’re in for a hearty and satisfying meal, accompanied by some wicked cocktails! You enter via the Savoy Theatre foyer and continue up the stairs where the old theatre has been cleverly converted into a quirky retro inspired, antique filled restaurant. Honestly, I didn’t quite know what to expect and was seriously pleasantly surprised. Check it out, it's super fun!
A couple of alternatives that we’ve done to shake it up:
The Hydro Majestic
Aside from it being a stunning hotel which has been reinvented in recent years, the main dining hall offers an incredible breathtaking view of the Blue Mountains, whilst hosting a gorgeous High Tea with a live pianist for added ambience. This High Tea experience is a must! Be sure to make a reservation before you go and always opt for the champagne!
Japanese Bath House
If you’re sans children and up for the ultimate indulgent experience, book yourself into the Japanese Bath House located approximately thirty minutes from Blackheath. A single entry into the Onsen for up to three hours will set you back $85, but when do you ever get to do something like this? There are multiple outdoor pools, which you would think in winter would deter you (I hate being cold). But on the contrary, the brisk air is a lovely departure from the hot baths as you pool hop! The views are also beautiful, gazing out into nature while you soak your body in the mineral rich spring water. There is also an indoor area complete with steam room and additional hot and cold pools.
A Tea Room awaits should you wish to appease your appetite with a light Japanese lunch and extensive selection of teas.
Wentworth Falls
What a remarkable place! The great thing about Wentworth Falls is that there are a number of circuits to embark on ranging from one hour to 4-5 hour round trips, therefore suitable for the avid hikers and leisurely walkers alike. The walk begins with a leisurely decent on a well maintained track and then moves to deeper descents via stairs which take you to a fenced off area partway down of the waterfall. Lots of photo opportunities capturing the wonder and vastness of the valley below. A walkway then leads you around the mountain and continues the descent. More breathtaking views ensue and you are now able to view the waterfall from a front angle. Cockatoos sweep the skies and the carved orange sandstone of the mountain contrast the deep green fauna of below. On this occasion I opted for the one hour round trip, with the hopes of coming back to tackle one of the 4-5 hour circuits. What goes down must come back up!
Highly recommend, it’s a free activity in the fresh mountain air, overlooking stunning views. Something to do while it’s crisp, you definitely generate the heat on the way back up. Not suitable for prams. There is a car park and plenty of street parking if it’s full.
Grand Canyon Track
In the lead up to the Kosciuszko walk, I thought the Grand Canyon Track would be a good training exercise, experiencing a steep incline. Boy! Was I right, except I think this walk was harder! But well worth it! Be prepared for about a 1km descent into what I describe as Fern Gully (remember that cartoon, circa '92, with fairies in a rainforest, which I just found out was set in Australia!). A canopy of ferns and trees protect you from the elements above and you are immersed in green foliage and sandstone rock. The descent continues along further evolving pathways, both narrow and wide, traipsing down carved rock steps and under jutting sandstone. The walk is a 6.3km loop which you embark via Evans Lookout, however you end the walk in another location close by, about a 1km walk back to your car. National Parks NSW advise the suggested time of 3 - 4 hours, however I did it in about two hours and twenty minutes. Be prepared for the climb out of there, but at a slow and steady pace its easily conquered!
The Blue Mountains are an easy one hour and forty minute drive from Sydney. I never get sick of the experience and really crave it when I need a rest. If I had some extra dosh, it’s where I’d be investing in a holiday home ;)
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