Blue Mountains Journal

Sorry CDP bloggers.  No bicycles down here so I can't participate in this month's theme day. I like those spotty trees behind the rocks.

Even though the creek is still running beside me the water is barely whispering now.  The path, soft with leaf litter, muffles my steps and the ferns grow in abundance … a perfect spot of fairies.

 I was going to go back up now but the track looks level and is beckoning … Ok will keep walking until the next flight of steps.

The falls aren't that great but looking about it's a very pretty spot. Makes we wonder why I leave it so long between visits.

Some more steps and we reach the bottom.  I like the sense of history on these tracks.

I often think, of the aboriginal people when I step past rock shelters.  It looks like it is not that long since someone has lit a fire here.

That's nice.  About the mid point there is a little branch track where you can get a nice view of the tumbling water.

I am grateful for the people who long ago cut these paths and laid the steps that let us enjoy the delights below.  Let's hurry along, I can hear the water tumbling and calling.

The track cuts across the creek at top of the falls.  Ooops it's not in good shape.  I take it very gingerly. Don't want to fall through and find myself slip sliding over the top of the falls.

It is not long before we come to a little lookout where we can get the first glimpse of the falls through the trees.  There is a bench here too  "In loving memory of Maisie and Robert who loved these mountains" But it's too soon to sit down  … let's keep on walking.

It's like the last walk -- banksia and wattle in flower, dry first then going down to the rain forest.  But it won't be long, I can already hear the water falling.

It's confession time.  I've been lazy and driven down to the southern car park.  There are some old fire places here.  Would be nice to have someone barbecuing sausages to eat on the way back.

It's chilly outside but should be good for walking so let's go down and find another waterfall.  I have remembered to take my hiking stick this time which will make it much easier on the rough downwards steps.

Let's take a little rest here before we trudge back home.    That's the end of the walk, I will see if I get up the energy to visit some more of the waterfalls soon.

  I think these colours and textures are wonderful.

We are back at the top in the dry land.

Up we go.  Already the waterfall is a fading shhhhhush.

We pass by the mossy bits.   Little native violets are often found in these parts but none in flower today.

It's time to climb out again, up where those trees are reaching.

At the foot of the falls the water pounds relentlessly on the stone below before rattling it's way into the creek.

The water splashes and sparkles.

Come let's take a closer look at the water fall.  I am not the first to have stepped this way today.

Around the corner and here we are at last Adelina falls.  Here the water rushes and tumbles in a noisy shower.

 I have tried a zillion times over the years to get a good shot of this mossy log beside the dripping cliff ... still haven't succeeded.

Next we reach the cliff wall fed with from the hanging swap above.  Here the water drip, drip, drips like the sounds you hear in the aftermath of a big rain storm but here it drips all the time.  On a dark night you can see glow worms here too.

Soon we reach the creek.  Here the water babbles over the stones.

The track is getting quite damp and slippery now.  A big change from the top. The sound of water is growing.

Here's another winter flower -  styphelia I believe.

I love the tall white trunks of the slender gum trees, the pink of the anaphora now fading since it's Autumn bark shed, some trees still shedding and the cocoa pop bark of the banksias.

We reach the first lookout, we are pretty much at the point where the dry forest becomes rain forest here.   You can hear the waterfall, a whispering hush at this point and only catch a glimpse of it through the trees.

Down we go some more.  The Blue Mountains are a puzzle to many visitors.  Naturally they are expecting to see mountains looming above us but our towns and villages are actually on the top of the mountain ridge and all the action is down, down, down. Participating in this months City Daily Photo theme day - upside down.