Day one – down and out in Victoria and GroseAccess was by train to Mount Victoria Railway Station. From there it's a dogleg walk to the point where the Western Highway is crossed. Finding this point was a little tricky but eventually it was spotted, and I was unhappy. The crossing is on a curve, busy, and very scary to get to the north side. Next time I'll take a taxi.
Across the highway one car went past, and despite having space did not pick me up. I plodded on. It was 90 minutes walking from the rail,most on a good dirt road, to the start of the walk proper at Victoria Falls picnic area. A short way from the start the Victoria Falls Walking Track dropped steeply, although not as steep as later. A few minutes into the descent I saw a junk food bag, complete with rather a lot of uneaten food. Not good.
After 45 minutes the base was reached, and I then did a short side trip to the falls. Amazingly, the base of the falls was littered with toilet paper. While flat ground is unusual here, some people … Back to the pack, then downstream on a pad that was a little hard to follow at times. Lunch was at Burra Korain Camping Area, pretty enough except for the litter in the fireplace. Snooze in the warm sun with a lizard for company. Creakingly I continued downstream, with a track that was reasonably well defined.
I met a few parties here, all going upstream. It will be a bit squashed camping at Burra Korain.
One thing in at least a few parts of walks around Sydney is very different from the places I usually visit – Sydney water is often not potable. On all my Sydney walks I had to carry water from start to finish. At least the pack got lighter quicker.
The track notes said that Hat Hill Creek was the best water around, that is, least polluted, so I topped up here, keeping the known clean water separate. A short way after this I stopped at the Hungerfords Track junction, where there's a pleasant clearing with no litter. Peace descended in the quiet of this majestic setting.
Day two – Up, up and awayIt would have been nice to stay but I had to be back, and it seemed there was a small climb at the end. The track kept getting better until it became a veritable bushwalking four lane highway approaching the Blue Gum Forest. This is very pretty – big straight trees in a huge clearing with minimal understory. There were a few tents, and – to my amazement – people setting an orienteering or rogaining course. This is a very steep place way from the valley floor!
Govetts Creek had a few bumps and one section that needed steps to manage the erosion. Junction Rock has lovely cascades; it's a pity that the water is polluted. The track is about 350 metres above sea level, and the destination – George Phillips Lookout – is 980 metre. So, 630 metres of climbing, rather a lot but I've done more.
From Junction Rock the track slowly got steeper and steeper, twisting in the forest, crossing the creek many times. Then it became steeper, with steel steps on scaffolding fixed to the cliff. The track was often wet, with waterfalls and groundwater creating mud. There were many rests. I've done steep, done big climbs, but this was a challenging combination. I like the usual way I do walks. Climb the mountain one day, downhill on the second day.
A stream of bushwalking parties went down, morphing into tourist day trippers as I staggered higher. The views were spectacular, with the Grose Valley laid out before me, blue haze mellowing distant peaks.
I wanted to have lunch on the top. To have lunch and then face more steepness did not appeal at all, so I plugged on, reaching the car park at 12.45 pm, wrecked.
The Blue Mountains has enough bushwalking for a lifetime.
Bushwalk
