Posts Tagged ‘Grand Canyon’


Hyperventilating from the cold, I swam on my back between the canyon walls, my backpack with drypack floating on my stomach. I wanted to get to the towering walls of green – my favourite place in my canyon repertoire.

This is the side track from the main Grand Canyon walker highway (described by Walk my World). I found myself here after cycling to Evans Lookout from Blackheath and taking the endless stairs down. Turning off the path into the canyon I was suddenly transported into solitude with nature. A few scrambles over logs and mossy boulders, and I made it to the swim. This is the barrier that stops people following. Drypack and determination were my friends.

I didn’t sleep well last night – too tired from yesterday’s Hat Hill Falls adventure, and I found myself getting up at 5:30 to go for a walk around Govett’s Leap. Better than lying in bed not being able to sleep.

Cripps Lookout

The early start and big Grand Canyon walk meant that I decided not to cycle to Lithgow. Instead, I caught the train. I am getting slack in my old age.. 🙂


The Grand Canyon walk in the Blue Mountains is a very popular 3-4 hour walk. What fewer people know are the little side trips deep into the gorge, away from the hoards and into the bosom of nature.

The start of the trip is a short cycle from Blackheath station in the Blue Mountains.

Start: Blackheath Station
End: Blackheath Station
Total distance: 20km
Strava link

At the start of the Grand Canyon walk

At the start of the Grand Canyon walk

The main path drops down into the valley. At two points, rather than following the sign to the canyon walk, go in the opposite direction upstream. It is beautiful.

Upstream in the Grand Canyon

Upstream in the Grand Canyon

The light penetrates into the Grand Canyon

The light penetrates into the Grand Canyon

A bit of scrambling over logs

A bit of scrambling over logs

You can only get so far going upstream until a swim is required. Being a bloody cold day, I made this the end of my little foray.

A cold dip

A cold dip

The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon