Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains are an unusual natural feature - they're upside down, with the normal height of the towns and roads on top of a plateau, and the wonderful views *downwards* from high cliffs into forest valleys. They should be called 'Blue Valleys' as a better description of what they are. Whatever the name, they are stunning.

Here is a picture, from a lookout called 'Sublime Point', across the main valley. Notice the continous escarpments running far into the distance - and the lush green grass? well, that's not grass, that's the forest canopy:


The scale is difficult to appreciate - my estimation was that it was about 1000 foot (325m) from where we were at the top of the cliffs to the valley floor; and we could see about 10 miles to the horizon.

The following picture, of a rock formation called 'The Three Sisters', taken from another lookout, Echo Point, perhaps gives a better idea of the vastness of the area:
Here is a picture of one of the many types of fern seen in the forest:


We had a fantastic day, walking along the cliff edge, then descending into the valley accompanied by streams and waterfalls, walking in the forest to the cable car to take us back up to the top of the cliff.