Bob was keen on another trip to Mt Banks to check out some of the ledges. The year before we had both traversed a ledge across the face of Mt Banks. That ledge followed a shale band called the Wentworth Falls Claystone. But neither of us had visited the Half-way Ledge on Mt Banks. This ledge is lower and follows the Mt York Claystone layer. Bob had found some information to access the ledge here on the Sydney Rockies website.
We set off from the Mt Banks carpark and straight away left the road and tracks and headed into the bush in the general direction the notes suggested. It was actually quite easy going. Not too scrubby and not too steep. At one point, we had to cross a small gully and it was not far past this that we started looking for the ramp described in the Rockies notes.
At first we had gone a little too far along. We could see a possible way down a short distance below us. The views were amazing.
So headed back and down to a rock formation. Here the ramp started. It was the right place – we soon spotted an old rope attached to a bolt. We climbed down a bit further and then abseiled off a tree down to the half way ledge. This was an easy short abseil and it looked quite OK to scramble back up on the way out (we had brought prusik gear, in case it was tricky, and we left our abseil rope in place).
From the bottom of the abseil, it was easy to traverse the Half-way Ledge. There was a faint pad which we followed.
We stopped a few times to take photos or consult the notes.
We traversed until we reached a stone bivy shelter used over many years by rock climbers ascending the main face of Mt Banks.
Inside the shelter were some old bottles and containers. They seemed to contain tea, sugar etc. There was also a tin with some paper inside. We took this outside. The paper had entries from a few recent visitors.
Outside the bivy was a fireplace.
We then returned along the ledge back to the rope. It was easy getting back up. No need for any prusik gear. But probably safer to abseil down this short section – since there is a big drop below. From the top we could get a great view of our new pass on the side of Lockleys Pylon. I have marked our route in red –
And great views looking up the Grose Valley.
We then retraced our route back to Bob’s car at the Mt Banks carpark. We had lunch at one of the picnic tables. It was too early to return home, so we then took the opportunity to visit another nearby ledge. This is a climbing area called “Banksy“. It was easy to get to via a track that started a short way west along the Bell Road. ( It looks like the access route which we used is no longer open due to some rare plants ).
We started out along an open ridge, with excellent views. The climbers track goes past a rock formation that looks like a stone house at one point.
We had great views of the ledges of Mt Banks
It the winds around and passes through a cave. Here we found what looks like goat droppings.
It then descends into a cleft to reach the Half-way Ledge. It is tricky in one place and there are staples to assist.
Once down, we followed an assist rope to reach the climbing area. It seems that some rare plants (Isopogon fletcheri) grow here – so this rope traverse should not be used. See the website above for alternative access (which sounds trickier).
From the ledge at the base of the rock climbs we passed some climbers. We continued along the ledge.
We then returned the same way.
It had been an interesting day.