Undaunted by the preceding three days of rain in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, a dozen stalwarts arrived by train at Warrimoo Station under very grey skies. After a welcome and short briefing by Leader JohnG, it was off through the suburban streets of Warrimoo to Florabella Pass and then the steep descent down… and down… and down… to Florabella Creek – by which time the grey skies and the rainforest gloom was almost enough to require torches! Very fortunately, although there had been more than 30 mm of rain prior to the walk, the creek level rise was fairly modest and no-one got their feet wet crossing.
Good morning tea (and lunch) spots are hard to find on this track, so it was a case of pick a comfortable rock, or step, on the track for our first stop after we climbed up and away from Florabella Creek.
After morning tea another steep descent for our second crossing of Florabella Creek – again with no wet feet! The next section of the walk follows high above firstly Florabella Creek and then Glenbrook Creek on a fairly level section of track with some lovely Blue Mountains bush and high sandstone cliffs. Only a few wildflowers are out at this time of year – some colourful ‘Mountain Devils' (Lambertia Formosa), a few Banksias and a couple of bedraggled Flannel Flowers.
Another steep descent took us almost to the level of Glenbrook Creek before the inevitable ascent up the other side of the valley – with lunch part-way up to ease the climb. Then it was onwards ho! – still high above Glenbrook Creek on a fairly rough and narrow track (best not looking down the downhill side of the track to work out where one would stop if one slipped off the track on this section…) until Pippa Pass was reached and we finally turned away from Glenbrook Creek to follow another creek towards Blaxland.
And then, almost before we knew it, we climbed out of the bush and popped out onto a street immediately behind Blaxland shopping centre!
With optimum walk timing, we had more than enough time before the (hourly service) train home, for excellent coffee at ‘Dan’s Coffee Haus’ – although the walkers at the table looked more like ducks on a pond – as heads kept bobbing under the table to check for (and remove) hitchhiking leeches!!!
As Regular walks go, it was a fairly hard – if shortish – walk, but it seemed all agreed it had been well worth the effort to get back walking again in the Blue Mountains – with an added bonus that we dodged the forecast rain!
'.... a dozen stalwarts arrived by train at Warrimoo Station under very grey skies. After a welcome and short briefing by Leader JohnG ....,'
Steps down,..and down. A track up that falls away at the side.... The joy of beautiful bush and a path through the rocks
A Grey Gum Eucalyptus punctata; a pool in Florabella Creek; a landscape of False Bracken Calochlaena dubia.
John M picked a great rock for morning tea. But he arrived a little late for a good lunch seat.
Fungi very evident...
Hairpin Banksia Banksia spinulosa Mountain Devil Lambertia formosa Sunshine Wattle Acacia terminalis Flannel Flower Actinotus helianthi
'... excellent coffee at ‘Dan’s Coffee Haus’ '. Everyone except SueS.
Leaders Ros and John walked with HelenA, DonB, Rhondda, Mary, Dawn, JohnM, SueS, Lyn, and visitors Louis and Keith.
Thanks to 1st Aiders Mary and Ros, Tail-Ender Don and a special thank you to Dawn who accompanied the leaders for their recce and undaunted turned up for the walk itself!
Walk Report by JohnG
Photos by Helen 1-4, 8-10; Ros 7; Sue 5,6,11-19. Ros and Sue identified their flora contributions.
At left: What else? Duck-diving for leeches.