Today's Regular walk was the Shaws Ridge/Blue Gum Swamp Circuit whilst the Plus walk added the extra challenge of ascending Bees Nest Hill to the Grose Mountain Lookout. The meeting place for today’s walks was at the end of Whitecross Road Winmalee. This is the boundary of the Blue Mountains NP. The walkers assembled in their respective groups for the leader’s talk before setting out in sunshine with the occasional gusty winds.  The Plus walkers set off first with fourteen Regular walkers following at a slower pace along the fire trail which follows Shaws Ridge.

                                                                                             Looking forward to the a lovely walk in the Blue Mountains NP

Our morning tea stop was about forty five minutes from the start of the walk.  There was much friendly banter as we passed the plus walkers who had surprisingly already stopped for morning tea.  Were the plus walkers extra hungry or saving their energy for the ascent up Bees Nest Hill..........

 Morning tea spot above the track and wonderful rock formation captured by our photographer

................and here come the plus walkers refreshed from morning tea

                                                         Leaders Bert and Kurt with Claude.....I wonder if they were thinking what a great morning tea spot as they passed by!

                 Photographers at work............Deidre taking a photo of the regular walkers at morning tea and plus walker Barbara also taking the regular walkers at morning tea

                                                                                                                                Fire trail walking............

The group carefully negotiated the descent from the Shaws Ridge fire trail crossing Blue Gum Creek to continue the circuit along Blue Gum Swamp Creek.

Welcome to Blue Gum Swamp....Blue Gum Swamp is so named for the stand of tall Sydney blue gums Eucalyptus deanei that grow here.  The valley floor here has been blocked sometime in the ancient past and allowed to fill with deep, rich alluvial soil.  Trees here may reach 40  -  50 metres in height.  The soil supports a wide range of plants including ferns and understory shrubs that grow thicker and taller than on the surrounding sandstone derived soils.  It is a unique habitat, much appreciated by birds and other wildlife.

                                                                                                                       Walking with the blue gums

                    Common Fringe Myrtle Calytrix tetragona                                                                                                                    Flowers among the blue gums

     

                            Robyn Mi and Don Wo embracing the beauty of the blue gums.......

                                                                                                                            It was find a rock for lunch!                                                                                               

 Arriving back at the cars at 1.00pm all walkers agreed it was a beautiful walk.  Coffee was at the Winmalee shopping village.

For the record Deidre led Barrie, David and Annette, Aileen, Andy and Sue, Lilian, Helen L, Lydia, Rex and Robyn, Margaret P and Don Wo.  Thank you very much, Barrie for being our tail end charlie.

Words by Deidre

Photos Deidre (1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10,13,16-18), Lydia (3, 15), Don Wo (6-8, 11, 12, 14)