Fortress Creek Canyon is not one of the more spectacular canyons in the Blue Mountains, but it is quite nice and it is very accessible, being a short walk from the Mt Hay Road out from Leura.
It had been nearly 5 years from my last visit, so it was time to visit it again. Bob was keen too, so we travelled up the mountains. It was a hot day and it would be very good to chill out in a canyon.
The wild flowers along the track over the Fortress were very good. But it was too hot to stop for photos, we were keen to get to the canyon. I did stop on the track down to the creek to photograph a strange plant that I did not recognise. it turned out to be Atkinsonia ligustrina – a rare type of mistletoe, only found in the Blue Mountains.
Atkinsonia ligustrina
At the creek, it does not take long to arrive at the first swim – and it was cold! Perhaps we were not acclimatised to the cold canyons?
After that swim, there is a fair bit of creek walking, mostly nice and easy before you arrive at the main canyon section. This begins with either a water jump or a short nasty abseil. Then follows a bit of a swim. Then more walking to arrive at another long swim. The canyon is really nice here.
Then you arrive at the largest drop – a waterfall that requires a short abseil into a pool. Some people jump here. Then another swim. From there it is not far to the end of the canyon at the cliffs above Govetts Leap Valley.
This is a great place for views and for lunch. We could see where we had been a week before on Orang Utan Pass.
The day was finished by the walk out – back onto the Fortress with more great views and then across the heath back to the carpark.
More photos are online here.