It’s finally springtime and the heathland was in bloom, our perfect excuse to head back to the Blue Mountains. We were mainly here for the screening of the 6th Reel Rock Film Tour; a film festival that features palm-sweating and nerve-wracking climbing flicks from around the globe. It was also an opportunity to catch up with our friends (Jim and his partner Regina) who have a house in the Blueys (Blue Mountains’ moniker) and a gorgeous World Heritage Listed National Park for a backyard.
This annual film festival was quite exciting for my limestone-hugging partner who at some point in his life has travelled around three continents mostly for rock climbing. I was also looking forward to doing some outdoor rock climbing and abseiling after gaining a bit of confidence from trying out the indoor climbing gym near our place.
Sandstone Hills
Summer is just around the corner and the lovely spring weather gave us the energy for some active, calorie-burning endeavors. It’s been a number of months now since Charles proposed to me in one of his favorite spots in the Blue Mountains, and now we were back once again, this time literally bush bashing our way to the top of an overhanging cliff.
Checking out the cliff
We started our walk a few steps from Jim’s wooden cabin in Blackheath on a walking track that was supposed to be for Hazard Reduction Purposes (bushfires) and probably should be off-limits to visitors. Walking on the marked trail was effortless but pushing our way through the thick scrub once we left the track was rather laborious. It was my first taste of real bush bashing which managed to yield a few minor scratches on my exposed shin.
Lovely heathland vegetation but tricky to navigate without a trail
The view however was breathtaking. Colorful flowers were in bloom punctuating the drabness of the open heath, a low growing shrubby vegetation common in the Blue Mountains. Eucalypt trees spread out in the valley below, ringed by spectacular rust-colored sandstone cliffs. The highlight of our walk for me was seeing a few kangaroos that seemed to be a tad friendlier than their wild neighbors in Queensland.
Flora and fauna
In between double-checking my harness and anchor, Jim shared that the town of Blackheath possibly got its name from what looked like charred open-heath vegetation. I surely won’t forget it after all the scratches it gave me. The surroundings were a bit hazy at the time and for me it looks clearer and more desirable for photos in the morning and during cooler months.
Are we there yet?
A little while later, it was my turn to abseil down the exposed 30-meter wall. It was only my second time, but my first abseil was down on a 50-meter waterfall in the Philippines so I didn’t really feel scared. We abseiled a few times and alternated belaying each other. I reckoned it was more to prep me up for a more difficult route the next day where other friends would join us.
Jim was the first to go
I had so much fun (especially since it was easy and quick to go back on top) but after three attempts, I was more keen for a cold Strongbow Cider and hot chips. I had been craving for fish and chips even before we started the walk and I was unsurprisingly quite famished. It was a long day for us after all. We woke up early and travelled for two hours by train from Sydney before meeting Jim in Leura and went straight into the bush after just a few minutes of idleness at his place in Blackheath.
The cliff wall where we abseiled
Less than an hour later, we were in the company of cold bottles of beer, chilled wine, slices of rock melon and a bowl of chips unhesitatingly consumed under the Aussie sun. Their friend Allison who also drove up to the Blueys to check out the film tour joined us for the afternoon drinkie followed by a quick dinner at Mt Victoria Hotel. My craving for fish and chips was overruled by a hefty serving of mee goreng while Charles gorged on kway teow (we are obviously still suffering withdrawal from all the delicious Malaysian cuisine that we feasted on during our recent visit to the country)
We capped the night watching the palm sweating and death defying collection of climbing movies from Reel Rock Film Tour in an old-fashioned local cinema at Mt. Victoria. Somehow it made me think whether these crazy stories of dare devils would really inspire new breed of climbing enthusiasts or just scare the crap out of them (or worse their parents) and give them an impression that it’s a dangerous sports. Either way, it was entertaining and after watching the films, “extreme” and “dangerous” suddenly have a whole new meaning.
Traveling with you. Abseiling with you. Rock climbing and hiking with you. This armchair traveler is having fun! Thank u, Claire!
There are several easy walks around this national park Tita Lili, I’m sure you will be able to reach the lookouts without doing any hardcore walking
I miss the Blue Mountains, and we’re heading there once we’re back in Sydney! I’d love to live within that region but it’s just too darn cold during winter.
Let’s catch up soon with Chris! This is also where we originally planned to settle down but Charles didn’t find work that would allow him to work from home a few days a week and two hours commute to the city everyday seemed too much for him.
now that’s adventure. nice that wild creatures still flock the beautiful ravine.
Yeah, we’re kinda surprised to see some kangaroos during our walk, they aren’t that common in the heathland. Hopefully, I would see some wombats next time to complete my list of Aussie fauna
beautiful claire, so beautiful. somehow, this post gave me goosebumps. I hope to also do these types of adventures in the future!
For sure, I will see you doing a headstand on top of some cliff, it’s not long now till your Big Trip!
I am SOOO envious! Would love to do that, too. Good thing you and Charles share the same adventurous spirit. What a match eh?
Somehow it’s a good match in many ways and also a mismatch in some ways, which makes it even more interesting
whoa. what a view. the place is definitely perfect for those seeking adventure with nature. awesome post.
It’s also a great place to unwind and enjoy the view without indulging in adventurous activities. Some lookouts are even wheelchair accessible
Wow, you are impressively adventurous! Living vicariously through you:-D
It’s just something Charles and his friends like doing during their free time and fortunately I find it enjoyable as well.
Look at that! Definitely not a choice for an acrophobic like me hah.
With this vast continent, I think the things it could offer is endless. Majestic cliffs with freely roaming wild animals… That is just great. simply great. But claire, I think I can not do what you have done here, it rocks my nerves into fear. haha.
Anyway that was a great adventure and if ever I will try this big,I will start in a 20 feet cliff with practice hehehe.
Whether you believe it or not, I’m also acrophobic, I just avoid looking down when I abseil or rock climb to keep me from panicking. Even when I went bungee jumping in Macau, my eyes were closed when I first plunged from the ledge
I learned one new word today – abseiling! Had to look it up. Thanks!
But now that I know what it means, I don’t think it’s for me. I’m certainly not as sporty and outdoorsy as you, Claire. Would love to see the heath and the Blueys though.
The photo captioned “are we there yet?” and the last one are hardcore cliffhangers!
)
It’s not really as difficult as you think and it’s quite safe. The funny thing was after watching the movies at the film fest, everything we did the next day seemed elementary or perhaps even “nursery level”
A great part of Australia to experience But I had never thought of abseiling happening on those cliffs. Loved seeing the kanga!
It’s pretty common in the Blueys. They even have tour groups for abseiling and rock climbing. We’ll prolly try canyoning next time
what an experience… scary pero challenging..
Parang nalampasan ko na yata fear of heights kaya hindi na ako masyado kabado, mas challenging sa akin ngayon yung diving.
I’m just reading Bill Bryson’s “In a Sunburned Country” for my next trip next year. I’m so excited and happy to read your stories about Australia too. This post about Blue Mountains and the pictures…breathtaking!
My ex-wife was 8 months pregnant when she did her first absiel , this post brings back fond memories Claire.
Wow almost on her way, it goes to show abseiling is quite safe right. Maybe I should let my mum try it at least once
breathtaking claire! kaso nalulula ako sa ganyan lalo na pag nasa edge ako
I feel the same way but perhaps not as bad as before after climbing cliffs became a staple part of our outdoor activities.
Wow, sobrang ganda ng view! I’m not a fan of mountain climbing but your pictures have convinced me to give it a try sometime. Though challenging yung pag-akyat, sobrang worth it naman yung magandang view sa taas. And proposal in the mountain, is just so romantic! ♥
Madali lang yung mga trails sa Blue Mountain, meron 5-minute walk lang kita mo na yung view. Medyo nahirapan lang ako kasi nag-diverge kami sa trail.
Wow! I know what MY reaction would be to the film festival – I’d be scared witless! Heights is SO not my thing – so I’m filled with admiration!!
Thanx so much for visiting Jim’s ‘Red Alert’ guest post on my blog, and for showing me a piece of OZ I haven’t visited in – hhhhmmm – 30 years!
It’s not so bad when you’re up there, it’s not my thing as well but I got used to it eventually because most of the adventures we do involve dealing with heights.
The view reminded me of the Shawangunk Ridge in upstate New York but I sure hope to do abseiling there one day – what you did was totally exhilarating!