7. Adam studying the guide book.


8. It's fabulous airy climbing, most of it with big holds.


9. I was glad to let Adam lead this pitch - it was about pitch 6.


10. Getting near the top.


11. A happy team on top with the storm clouds building up behind us.


12. We just beat the storm - it started to torrent down as we reached Adam's van.


13. Looking across the valley from Pulpit Viewpoint at what thought was Mount Hay and the Margarine Ridge but Adam tells me I've got the wrong crag - if so, it's almost certainly unclimbed.  There is still an awful lot to go for in the Blue Mountains.





Sydney, New South Wales

I've just got back from a great trip to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, to see my eldest son Joe and Family and get in a bit of climbing in the Blue Mountains, where you can find any amount of superb sand stone climbing of every grade both trad and sport. There are several guide books but the best and most recent is "Blue Mountains Climbing", 2007 Edition. You can pick it up in climbing stores in Sydney and Katoomba.

If you are venturing on the trad climbs, you need a conventional rack and there is the occasional bolt - most of them are carrot heads and you need to carry a few hangers with you - best home for them is your chalk bag.


1. My first venture was with son Joe, second from right and friends Iain and Ed..


2. We went to Mount Piddington, justly one of the most popular crags in the area and climbed Angular Crack - a modest but very enjoyable 11, with chain anchors at the top for abseiling.


3. A few days later I went with Simon Carter - brilliant climbing photographer and publisher of the guide and many other books - have a look at his web site, www.onsight.com.au.  We did Ssweet Dreams, a lovely multi Pitch route with a 17 alternative finish on Sublime Point, the southern end of the climbing area and closest to Sydney.


4. We led through but i was careful to get the easier pitches!!


5. I next joined Adam Daragh who took me to Mount Hay above the Grose Valley to climb Margarine Ridge, at 1200 feet probably the longest climb in the Blue Mountains.  It has one or two pitches around 15 but most of it is 8.  It is however a lovely long mountaineering route with some fantastic situations.

Sadly, the guide book - Rock Climbs in the Grose Valley is out of print, but you should be able to find it. From Leura, take the dirt road to its end just short of Mount Hay and find the top of the Mount Hay Canyon Exit.  Follow the very steep path with one one abseil from in situ bolts till you can see a prominent ridge to the right, leave the path as it trends left and pick your way down and right through the bush to the foot of the ridge.  The most awkward bit of the climb is where you traverse in under an overhung shelf to reach the crest of the ridge - from there follow your nose and have fun.


6. Margarine Ridge in profile from the path down.