A streak of light reaches the floor of The Altar over 70 metres from the surface

The shiny green moss was wet and slippery from the overnight rain.  I couldn’t find a suitable place to put my left foot that would hold my weight and every time I tried to reposition myself I hit my head on the rock I was trying to crawl under and around.  It was dark and cramped and somewhat concerning.  I eventually pulled myself up on two little handholds until I could contort my body through the narrow gap in the rocks and squeeze my way through.  From there I could see light again and managed to crawl out with a sigh of relief.  I had just managed to negotiate the exit of The Altar, so called because it resembled a magnificent cathedral of towering rock in a rarely seen recess of the Blue Mountains.

Getting out of The Altar was no easy thing. It involved squeezing through small wet tunnels and using a rope for the tough spots

Getting into The Alter was easier than getting out

Climbing high up on the escarpment above the ruins of the old mining town of Newnes a group of us led by Geoff scrambled through this bush, up steep slopes and through tight holes in ancient rocks to finally reach The Altar.  This is a crack in the huge rock that is an astonishing 70 metres deep but in some places only 1 metre wide.  To stand in this cathedral of stone and marvel at not only how it was formed but how many millennia it took to form makes you feel seriously insignificant.

Some intrepid walkers on a walk I led for the bush walking club. The places you can see with two strong legs!

This summer I’ve had the chance to explore rugged and trackless terrain around the Wolgan Valley with a group of similarly-minded bushwalkers in the Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club (the UBMBC to their mates) and the Bush Club.  These two clubs organise and lead a huge range of walks from those that involve leading your dog from latte to latte in the quaint old mountain villages to full exploratory expeditions where the walkers are completely dependent on their GPS and advanced bush skills.

Stunning scenery from every lookout, including this one overlooking our property in the Wolgan Valley

Leader of the pack – standing on top of Nipple Rock and enjoying spectacular 360 degree views

I’ve also had the chance to give back a little of the enjoyment I’ve had in walking through new unknown areas by leading a couple of walks myself, one of which started from our private property.  And with every new place we explore I keep detailed waypoints on my GPS so that I can bring family and friends back to these same amazing places.

The pagoda rock formations provide spectacular paths for exploring the rugged terrain

I just can’t get enough of the view from Constance Point

From the front, Yuri, Michael and Brian, bush walkers extraordinaire

One of the real pleasures I’ve had this summer is walking with three of the most experienced and influential bush walkers of the Blue Mountains.  Michael Keats, Yuri Bolotin and Brian Fox have an astounding 3,000 documented bush walks between them and have written about a dozen books on the history, flora, fauna and walks of this area.  They are also well known for their environmental work and Michael, the senior statesman of the trio, has been awarded recently with an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) by the Queen.  These guys set the high bar for bush walking in remote and untracked areas and it’s been a real hoot to walk with them.

Huge pagodas and heavily dissected rock formations cover this rugged terrain which means the exploration can be challenging but the rewards are immeasurable

A split in the rock creates a bit of a challenge and a photo op

The exit gully from one of our walks involved descending through this deep rainforest micro-environment with huge palms and moss-covered rocks

Feeling fairly small – some of our party on the edge of the escarpment with the valley far below

This is the Pagoda of Death, called that due to its immense size and dangerously steep climb to the top. I am the one standing highest on the pagoda.

Standing sentinel over the entire valley is Gindantherie’s Pinnacle – quite a striking scene

I can see your house from here – Some huffing and puffing to get there but huge views from the top

This is how its all done – sometimes the views are too good to pass by

If you want to learn more about bushwalking in the Blue Mountains, or read a bit more about the amazing stuff that Michael, Yuri and Brian are doing then try the Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club, which I am a member of, at www.ubmbc.org.au, or www.bushclub.org.au which is a larger group catering for a broader audience. Finally, don’t miss www.bushexplorers.com.au/ which is the website of Michael, Yuri and Brian and highlights not only the the multiple of books they have written but the outstanding environmental and conservation efforts they are committed to.  Well done guys!