Charles Darwin, it is said, was not too impressed by Sydney, but he wouldn't have had too much to complain about along this track in the Blue Mountains which now carries his name. He was in fact impressed by the huge canyons and waterfalls of the area.
The Darwin Walk is picturesque. It follows a small creek that meanders down to Wentworth Falls. Here and there small banks of sand form miniature beaches under small rocky overhangs packed with ferns, providing good photo opportunities for the numbers of tourists who want to follow in Darwin's footsteps.
Six of us set off on an overcast spring morning, taking in the Darwin Walk down to Wentworth Falls and continuing on for another 5 or so kilometres along the Undercliff and Overcliff Track to the Conservation Hut. We'd been warned that the track was poor. And sure enough, parts of it had been washed away together with some of the supports and barriers. Nevertheless, we were able to negotiate the narrow slushy bits and then up the never-ending stairway - which only the fittest survived - to the Conservation Hut. The walk back was short and swift, which was just as well, as the weather turned bad just as we got to our cars.
This was my second walk as an official walk leader with the club and it's not so scary after all.
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