Exploring the Blue Mountains beyond the tourist icons like Echo Point can be a bit daunting. Look out over the Jamison or Megalong Valleys and you can't help but think that the going looks mighty tough down there.
As with any large wilderness, a bit of local knowledge makes for a safer and more rewarding trip through the mountains.
The changeable weather and difficult terrain mean that it's unwise to just charge in with the four-wheel drive and the family, particularly unaccompanied - unless you know where you're going and are equipped with the right driving skills, clothing and emergency supplies.
A four-wheel-drive tour is a much better introduction to the Blue Mountains wilderness. Several companies run tours, while the National Parks and Wildlife Service also does guided trips. On some tours, you travel as a passenger, others are tag-alongs, where you can bring your own four-wheel drive.
Cox's River Escapes, run by Ted Taylor, is the Blue Mountains' leading tour operator. Ted is passionate about the mountains. On one of his tours you will not only travel through some otherwise inaccessible areas, you'll also get the benefit of his encyclopaedic knowledge of the region's history, geology and every living thing around you.
Cox's River Escapes tours are fully inclusive. You travel in one of Ted's 4WDs, enjoy a gourmet lunch prepared by his wife, Cheryl, and can usually be picked up and returned to your accommodation.
We recently travelled with Ted on his Cox's River/Black Range Nature Tour, a full day trip.
The morning leg took us through the Kanimbla Valley on Cox's River Road, past some of Australia's first large grazing properties, owned by early colonial luminaries such as Samuel Marsden, William Charles Wentworth and William Redfern.
We then entered private land, and the track became rougher and steeper as we headed down into the Megalong Valley. Lunch was at the Cox's River Reserve, near the junction of the Six Foot Track.
This is a well known bushwalking track, which if you're fit enough to handle several hard, long climbs, is a three-day hike from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves. It was opened up in the 1880s to provide access to the caves for tourists.
We returned via the Cox's River Reserve-Jenolan Caves Road section of the track, through several deep, narrow, fern filled gullies and the rugged Blacks Range on the edge of the Kanangra Boyd wilderness. Beautiful eucalypt forests, including apple gums and snow gums on the higher ridges, are a feature of this section.
When you get right into the nooks and crannies of the Blue Mountains, it is difficult to believe you're only 100 km or so from Sydney. Blacks Range in particular is seriously wild country.
Cox's River Tours also has combined four-wheel-driving/bushwalking adventures, which incorporate part of the Six Foot Track in the morning. Specific bushwalking tours (of two to four hours duration), Jenolan Caves trips and specialist fly fishing and birdwatching itineraries are also available.
The Cox's River Camping and Bushwalking tour is a great way to spend a weekend in the mountains. On day one, you walk the Six Foot Track (the easy section) from Katoomba through Nellies Glen to Cox's River, which takes seven or eight hours. All you need to carry is a day pack and water - all meals are provided.
An overnight camp at Cox's River gives you the opportunity to go on a spotlight walk in search of nocturnal animals. There's also plenty of time to go exploring from the camp next morning, or, in summer, have a swim.
Instead of slugging it on foot back up the mountain to Katoomba, you'll be driven out of the valley via a scenic cross-country route.
If you're tough enough to tackle the full Six Foot Track route on foot, but don't fancy carrying all your supplies, Cox's River Tours also does a guided trip. It takes three days/two nights, starting at the Explorers Tree, midway between Katoomba and Medlow Bath, with overnight camps at Black Range and Cox's River. Again, all meals are included, plus tents, thermal mattresses, luggage transfer between sites and return transport to Katoomba.
You can take your own four-wheel drive into the Blue Mountains, with an experienced guide to lead the way. There are several operators to choose from.
NSW National Parks can be closed at times of bushfire and bushfire danger. It is advisable to check with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service before you set off. Either phone 1300 361 967 (within NSW) or (02) 9253 4600 or visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au.
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