The main attractions
Inhale that final lungful of hot, urban air as you step onto the train at grimy Central station, and a couple of hours later step off into the clean, fresh, fragrant alternative. Sydneysiders prize the Blue Mountains for the walks and nature so close to the city; there are enough paths here to keep you busy no matter how many return trips you make, and to suit most abilities. We visited before the bushfires in the area, but the Blue Mountains are open to and encouraging tourism again.
Katoomba is the largest town and provides most of the accommodation, dining and shopping opportunities in the area, but can feel a bit unloved in places. Leura, a quick 3km down the road, is posher, with a villagey high street containing enough homeware stores to furnish the whole region (at a price), and a handful of restaurants and cafes.
Great walks
A whole industry has inevitably grown up around them, but amazing walks among beautiful nature remain the real reason to visit this World Heritage site with its distinctive eucalyptus fug. If your budget doesn’t stretch to an overnight stay, grab an early train from the city and head for the hills –you’ll still have time for a decent wander before heading home. The walking is spectacular: through valleys or along cliff tops, depending on your energy levels; an embarrassment of lookout points providing vistas each more lovely than the last.
From the centre of town, we stroll out to Echo Point where busloads of visitors (and us) stare at the Three Sisters through camera viewfinders. It’s already a bit of a scrum and this is a weekday, in spring – you won’t find peace here. But start walking, and while you won’t encounter total solitude, you’re soon enveloped by the forest and its enchanting vistas. Buy maps from the Visitor’s Centre – and indeed emergency wooly hats if, like us, you misjudge the temperature a little.
A saunter along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk to Leura Cascades shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours, even allowing for various gasps as the Jamison Valley’s splendour is revealed. And for something a little more challenging, you can head down to the valley floor and walk through Leura Forest. The walks are around 3.5/5km each, decently signposted and you can add jaunts to either end for that few extra kilometres when you can’t imagine why you’d ever want to stop doing this: starting at Katoomba Falls or finishing at the stunning Gordon Falls. The valley walking is more demanding, but none of this ever feels like a chore: a verdant, lush landscape deadening the stresses and sounds of modern life; the cool air just perfect for walking.
The Cascades at Leura catch you almost by surprise, the rush and sparkle and tumble of water providing a contemplative moment at the end of a satisfying bush meander. A good place to plan the following day’s walk. (And the next, and the next)
Lazy afternoons
If you’re happy to tackle steps, clamber up inclines and amble along for a few hours, I’m not sure how much I think stumping up for Scenic World is necessary. But if you’re keen for a gentle walk, have children with you, or want to get the bottom quickly, it’s a jolly way of seeing the valley. Kids around us were sent wild by a trip to the floor in the world’s steepest railway – all heading straight back up to the top for another go – and when you disembark, there’s an easy boarded promenade though the forest. You can also walk easily to Echo Point afterwards, having made your way back up in the view-tastic cablecar.
Leura is a trove of expensive things you don’t really need – from a jumble of antiques and vintage clothing, to posh handbags, handmade (and delicious) chocolates and pricey boutiques. But mostly, it is the place to come to buy a new sofa, dining room table, or chest of drawers. Some of it tends towards the twee, but you’ll find nice pieces at Peponi Home, Leura Whisk and the Leura Woodwork Gallery among others. And if it’s raining? There’s a decent bookshop, while knowledgeable, friendly service at Leura Cellars left us with empty pockets and a boozy glow for our stay.
There’s something really quite odd about visiting a formal garden that affords glimpses of the Jamison Valley from every vantage point. A real crash of wild nature and man’s attempts to control it. Which somehow makes a visit to this house and garden designed by Paul Sorensen more compelling – the clipped European hedges and modernist swimming pool and squash court, backed by the raw, rugged splendour of the bush. Both pretty and slightly mindboggling.
Sleep
The Old Dairy at Leura has been offering its charming, ecologically sound, rustic-luxe cottages – from studios to five bed barns – for a while, but the appeal of rain on a tin roof, logburner ready stacked, and a generous breakfast tray doesn’t wane. Rates are fairly steep –around $300 a night per couple – but the details here are properly attended to: after a good long walk, a soak in the outdoor hot tub, cockatoos cawing madly in the tree above as dusk falls is really pretty special; the decor is as far from chintzy guesthouse or corporate hotel as you could hope.
On a tighter budget, in Katoomba, Shelton Lea comes highly recommended. (Weekend doubles from around $150)
Eat and drink
The newest arrival is Leura Garage, a funky cafe bar open through till midnight, with small plates and pizzas in the evening. A bustling place to hang out if tea rooms aren’t quite your thing, with decent – if not knockout – food: a steak sandwich is flavoursome, pizza (both $22) comes laced with unctuous roasted garlic, frites are thin, crisp and salty. Good coffee too.
Hana can’t match the Garage when it comes to decor – this is a Japanese restaurant housed within an ugly Swiss chalet for reasons I still can’t fathom – but the sushi here is fresh and fantastic, and a decent dinner for two will set you back less than $70.
A necessary economy, perhaps if you're going to splash out at Darleys, hatted, properly glamourous and a short drive away in Katoomba. Roaring fires, a lot of gold (in a surprisingly good way) and impeccable service complement strong European cooking: three courses from a short menu cost $125, with seasonal, local ingredients favoured. Puddings are a highpoint.
Practicalities
Getting there
By train from Sydney's Central station takes two hours, with services running regularly. The drive will take around 90 minutes.
When to go
Leura gets very busy at the weekends, particularly as the temperature rises. It's worth booking in advance. To beat the crowds, head out during the week from Wednesday onwards. (Many businesses close on Monday and Tuesday).
It does get cold, but the combination of a bracing walk and a warm hotel makes early spring and late autumn good times to visit, as well as the summer months.
• Guardian Australia travelled with Destination New South Wales
