I think this walk is a staple of the Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club. It uses a rock climbers access track, from Bells Line of Road, then deviates through untracked bush, and then you descend to a lower ledge, which you follow around into Jungaburra Brook. This takes you to the rock climbing area – Bell Supercrag. You then cross Jungaburra Brook and continue in the other direction – downstream, on the same ledge, past more of the crag, and then eventually you can climb up an easy pass to Wilkinson Hill and then back to Bells Line of Road.
I had long wanted to explore the area around Wilkinson Hill, and Bob suggested doing the ledges as well. The sounded like a good plan.
We travelled up the Mountains and Bob parked on Bells Line of Road between Watertrough and Flagstaff Hills. We then walked along the old road formation, past the original water trough –
We then set out along the climber’s track. we passed an amazing amount of Spotted Sun Orchids.
Thelymitra ixioides
There were plenty of other wildflowers on display –
Waratah
The untracked part of the spur was easy to follow.
Of concern were these large cracks in the sandstone. Due to subsidence from the old Canyon Colliery.
More Thelymitra ixioides –
Thelymitra sp.
we now looked for a way down to the ledge below.
Boronia sp.
we found an easy way down, and then it was pleasant and easy walking along the ledge.
This section took us into an amphitheatre –
And here there was a large pool of water.
We now swung around into Jungaburra Brook gorge.
We wondered about this layer. Probably due to lichen.
The wild flowers along the ledge were absolutely stunning.
A lot of the cliffs we walked under had been ride bolted by climbers.
We now used a climber’s track to cross the creek, and then we continued in the other direction – downstream. More amazing flowers.
We looked for Aboriginal art in the overhangs we walked through, and in once cave we found some charcoal art –
We now left the climbing cliffs.
Drossera sp.
We could look back to the ledge where we had started –
And we had a great view of the Grose Valley. Thor Head is on the right –
More Thelymitra sp. Orchids –
We then climbed around to near Wilkinson Hill.
Thor Head
Thelymitra ixioides
Dalpura Cliffs
Grose Valley
Than more meadows filled with wild flowers.
We then reached the Dalpura Canyon exit track on Jinki Ridge. This took us back to Bells Line of Road.
To get back to Bob’s car, we had to walk west along the road for a kilometre or so, but to avoid all the noise of cars we took the old road around Flagstaff Hill. Here, I spotted another orchid –
Microtis sp.
Travelling back down Bells Line of Road, we stopped briefly at Mt Tomah, to look for an explorer’s monument known as “Explorers Rock”. This is a short way along Rainbow Ravine Road.
And at North Richmond, we stopped to look at another heritage horse trough.
This is an Annis and George Bills Trough.