THE PULPIT ROCK LOOKOUTS, BLACKHEATH
BLUE MOUNTAINS NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA
Pulpit Rock is a prominent landmark in the Grose
Valley, near Blackheath in the Blue Mountains of NSW, Australia. It is best seen
from Govett’s Leap Lookout and appears in tens of thousands of photographs
taken of the view of the valley from this place.
The Grose Valley from Govett's Leap Lookout 1958 |
What few visitors realise is that the view from
the other side of the valley, looking back from near Pulpit Rock, is equally
spectacular. The two are linked by a cliff top track, which we will describe in
another blog entry.
To access the lookouts at Pulpit Rock by road,
turn right along Hat Hill Road, Blackheath, which is the second road after the
traffic lights at the Great Western Highway/Govett’s Leap Road corner, coming
from the direction of Sydney. 5km along this road, Pulpit Rock Road branches
off to the right. Follow it down to the parking area at the end of a one way
loop.
There are bush toilets and a rustic shelter shed near
the parking area. Allow 15-20 minutes each way to follow the track to the
lookouts. This is a wild, wind swept place with a great
wildflower display in spring in particular.
There are three levels of lookouts
and, if you are game, make sure you go right to the last one. I don’t think
there is another Blue Mountains lookout quite like it.
Pulpit Rock itself can’t be seen from here but you
can see Govett’s Leap (right) and the Grose Valley.
Mt Hay and Mt Banks stand
out on your left. I haven’t been able to find any reference which uses the name
“Pulpit Rock” earlier than 1875, but such a prominent feature would have been
named quite early. The Grose Valley, as seen from the present Govett’s Leap
Lookout, was first recorded by surveyor William Romaine Govett in 1831.
The Pulpit Rock Lookouts were officially opened to
the public in December 1935. There were numerous tracks, lookouts and
improvements made in the Blue Mountains at this time as part of government
relief programmes during the depression and the Pulpit Rock Lookouts are among
the best of them.
You will find my You Tube video on this walk here .
https://johnsbluemountainsblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/links-to-all-blog-entries-and-relevant.html All Blue Mountains blogs and videos
All New England and other Geology blogs and videos
Limestone Caves of NSW
Song Studies. Bible studies based on hymns and songs
Shoalhaven District Geology.
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