Blue Mountains

[Herminator]

Hello and thank you for admitting me to this group.

I am an experienced hiker, mainly in alpine Italy. I have started to hike here in Australia and have been accumulating information books on various areas. This time I am looking for suggestions for a book that covers the Blue Mountains. Any help with tracks would be a great help too, thank you in advance.

[jonnosan]

Hi Herminator - welcome!

My suggestion for a guide book for someone new to the area would be "Blue Mountains Best Bushwalks" - https://www.wildwalks.com/books/guidebo ... 06243.html

One thing to be aware of is it is quite common for tracks to be damaged by floods, fire and landslides, so before you head out will need to check whether the place you want to go is actually open or not. A lot of tracks are still closed since floods earlier in the year. So keep on eye on the National Park track closures website here: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/vi ... cal-alerts

If you post some more details on the kind of walk you are looking for, people here will probably be able to make suggestions. For example, do you need something accessible by public transport, do you want half day, full day or overnight walks, how confident are you navigating with map & compass, do you want something flatish or are big slopes ok.

[Herminator]

Hi Jonnosan
Thank you for the reply. I have hiked many high and normal altitude hikes in the Alps, Piedmont Aosta Valley. I have done some hiking here, Grampians, and Queensland. I am a confident hiker with navigating skills with a map and compass, but it is a lot easier in Italy than here, but am eager to learn more here. I am Australian born but find the alpine regions in Italy so beautiful and quite different from the bush here in Aus. I have never camped overnight, only had a base in a village and would catch public transport to the start of the trail, then set a destination, and return to the start, mainly long distance and hiking all day. I do drive in Aus, but would prefer to catch public transport in the areas I wish to hike and if this is not possible, I would drive. I wanted to walk the 3 Capes in Tasmania, but unfortunately it is booked out up until March next year, so I keep looking. thanks again

[jonnosan]

Hi Herminator

I suggest a good place to start is to get the train to Blackheath and do the Grand Canyon track. It's a well defined track, usually lots of other people doing it, will give you a feel for what it's like hiking along creeks and under sandstone though.

After that, you can go from Faulconbridge station to Springwood station via various rough tracks,- one possible route is http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... gully.html.

You may also be interested in doing part of the 6 foot track from Katoomba (where there is a train station) to the Cox's River, and then staying overnight at the 6 foot track Eco Lodge (need to book first at https://sixfoottrackecolodge.com/ ) and returning the next day.

[Herminator]

thank you again, looks like I will be doing research instead of eating Christmas Dinner. cheers and Merry Christmas