This weekend was Albert’s birthday walk to the Red Rocks.
I went up the mountains early with Digi Dave and we later met up with Roger and Jeremy at Katoomba. Before this we had been out to Narrow Neck to look for some reported pink flannel flowers that were in flower. We easily managed to find them – very close to the climbers carpark a short way out along the Narrow Neck Rd. These plants, Actinotus forsythii, are quite rare – and need two things for long dormant seeds to grow and then flower – a bushfire and then a fair bit of rain. I had last seen them a few years earlier at Kanangra Walls. When they do flower – its an amazing site. They burst into flower in profusion! Thanks to bushwalker and botanist Wyn Jones for letting me know about this flowering.
After photographing the flannel flowers, we headed to nearby Eagle Hawk Lookout for photos of The Three Sisters and Jamison Valley just as the sun was setting. At the lookout we met another photographer, Peter Sedgwick, of Three Peaks Photography. We had an interesting chat. Then off to the Family Hotel for dinner and to meet Roger and Jeremy. We camped that night near the barrier on Narrow Neck.
Next morning, Digi Dave and myself got up early and walked a few hundred metres along the fire trail to a lookout. It was quite overcast – with low cloud and we were not very hopeful of a nice sunrise. However, we were rewarded with some nice sunbeams streaming across the Jamison Valley.
Then off to Blackheath – to meet up with the others and the drive to Newnes in the Wolgan Valley.
We then walked up Little Capertee Creek and turned off up a side creek that soon took us to the top of the cliffs overlooking the Capertee Valley – the Red Rocks. From their it was only a short distance to our party venue and campsite for the night – The Room. This is a special place – surrounded by pagodas, hidden by pagodas, hard to find and a place you enter via a small canyon. From The Room, another small canyon leads to a balcony with fantastic views. You can camp either in The Room or on the balcony.
We enjoyed wine and cheese and other snacks on balcony as we watched the sunset. We then withdrew to The Room for dinner and dessert. A very pleasant evening.
Next morning, after a very ordinary dawn, some of the party headed back down the sort way back to Newnes.
Most of us – completed a section of the Red Rocks Traverse – walking towards Mt Dawson. This is excellent walking and involves some easy scrambling. Great views are ever present.
We then returned to Newnes from higher up Little Capertee Creek.
On the way back down the mountains, Digi Dave and myself went out to Anvil Rock Lookout for sunset (it was very nice) – and camped at Perrys Lookdown. Again – the sunrise was very ordinary.
More photos are online – Pink flannel flowers and Katoomba Lookouts, Red Rocks Walk, and Anvil Rock Sunset.