Saturday BL – Ruined Castle 🏰 day hike [beginner]

Get excited for one of the best day walks in the mountains!

The Ruined Castle is an unbeatable introduction to the Blue Mountains wilderness, as well as a bucket-list destination for avid hikers.

The summit offers 360 degree panoramic views back to Katoomba, out to Mount Solitary, and all around the Jamison Valley. It even has a great side-on vantage point of the modern engineering feat that is Scenic World.

You will encounter some of Sydney’s most fascinating native species: Pied currawongs, superb lyrebirds, king parrots, water skinks, and many more.

The plan is to carpool from the campground to the trailhead, leaving together at 8:00 AM.

It is a 35-minute trip to Cliff Dr, Katoomba, where we will find street parking and begin the walk from Narrow Neck Lookout.

Walk details

• 12km out-and-back
• 300m elevation gain
• 4-5 hours total time
• AllTrails link

Challenging sections:

• Golden stairs – A steep but well-maintained staircase on the Narrowneck plateau.
• Ruined Castle – A short rocky scramble up to the small sandstone block that serves as the main lookout on the summit. It’s not big enough for everyone to stand on top at the same time.

This walk is suitable for most fitness levels.

Packing list

• Sturdy shoes or boots
• Day pack that can fit everything listed below…
• 2-3L water
• Snacks (high-energy like muesli bars, fruit, nuts, etc.)
• Packed lunch (or just extra snacks)
• Light jacket
• Raincoat
• Hat and sunscreen
• Personal medication
• Torch or head lamp, just in case

Optional gear:

• Personal first aid e.g. bandaids, blister packs
• Camera/electronics

I’ll create a Facebook Messenger group chat to communicate our campsite meeting time/place before everyone arrives. Please note there might be no signal at the campground, so check your messages before you arrive!

Sign-ups open: 8am, Monday 5 October

Note: You need to be approved for the main Boree Log event to attend these trips. Please sign up for only ONE trip per day. If you get rejected you can then sign up for another trip, this just makes it easier for volunteer trip leaders. Please be aware that as the weather is unpredictable, trip leaders may need to alter trips accordingly.

In your sign-up comment, tell me about your HIKING EXPERIENCE, and IF YOU HAVE A CAR! 🚗