Scenic Railway – Ruined Castle – Mt Solitary – Kedumba River – Wentworth Falls
Download & Print Map and Notes3 Days
2147 m
Experienced only
Free Beacon Hire
Scenic World
(0km) Scenic World → Scenic Railway (Bottom Platform)
300 m
26 mins
8m
-210m
Very easy
(0.3km) Scenic Railway (Bottom Platform) → Landslide
1.3 km
46 mins
175m
-178m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the wide track and signposts towards the ‘landslide’[2] (keeping the cliffs on the right). The walk winds along a bush track with small boulders strewn along it. There are a number of old mine shafts just off the track and some interesting historical items. The track continues under Malaita Point before breaking out of the vegetation to a worthy view of the valley, just before the landslide. As the track comes to the old landslide site, it become rougher with plenty of boulders over the track. There are also excellent views of the cliffs above and the landslide as the vegetation is quite sparse here.
The Landslide
(1.64km) Landslide → Miners Campsite
3.8 km
1 hr 33 mins
232m
-252m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Federal Pass – Ruined Castle’ sign[3] along the flat wide track, keeping the valley to your left. This track follows the old horse-drawn coal tram route. The track leads through a tall rainforest filled with fern trees[4] and vines[5], with the occasional lyrebird. After about 1.3km the forest opens up[6], letting in more light and exposing some distant filtered views. After wandering through the more open forest[7] for about 250m, the track passes a small campsite[8] (on the right). This walk continues for another 700m along the main track through the bracken fern forest[9] to find a larger campsite[10] (just up to the right) with a short stone wall on one side[11]).
Miners Campsite
Northern Ruined Castle campsite
The Ruined Castle
(5.45km) Miners Campsite → Northern Ruined Castle campsite
300 m
7 mins
16m
-11m
Moderate track
(5.75km) Northern Ruined Castle campsite → Ruined Castle
730 m
20 mins
82m
-17m
Hard track
(6.48km) Ruined Castle → Intersection South of Ruined Castle
390 m
12 mins
1m
-123m
Experienced only
(6.87km) Intersection South of Ruined Castle → Bottom of Korrowall Knife-edge
1.3 km
35 mins
132m
-38m
Hard track
(8.2km) Bottom of Korrowall Knife-edge → Top of Korrowall Knife-edge
200 m
12 mins
86m
-2m
Experienced only
(8.4km) Top of Korrowall Knife-edge → Corowal Plateau campsite
450 m
19 mins
119m
-15m
Experienced only
Corowal Plateau campsite
Mt Solitary Lookout
(8.85km) Corowal Plateau campsite → Chinamans Gully Campsite
820 m
19 mins
8m
-120m
Hard track
Chinamans Gully Campsite
(9.67km) Chinamans Gully campsite → Chinamans Gully view
390 m
8 mins
0m
-50m
Experienced only
End of day 1
(9.67km) Chinamans Gully campsite → Singa-Jingawell Creek Campsite
1.8 km
55 mins
179m
-206m
Experienced only
Singa-Jingawell Creek Campsite
(11.48km) Singa-Jingawell Creek Campsite → Solitary Pass
1.2 km
29 mins
61m
-105m
Experienced only
(12.67km) Solitary Pass → Int of Kedumba Camping and Solitary Tracks
1.2 km
40 mins
11m
-428m
Experienced only
(13.87km) Int of Kedumba Camping and Solitary Tracks → Kedumba River
1.4 km
31 mins
2m
-206m
Hard track
Kedumba River Campsite
End of day 2
(15.27km) Kedumba River → Int of Kedumba River track and Sublime Point trail
2.2 km
1 hr 8 mins
345m
-17m
Hard track
(17.46km) Int of Kedumba River track and Sublime Point trail → Int of Sublime Point trail and Kedumba Valley Rd
430 m
10 mins
38m
-2m
Easy track
(17.88km) Int of Sublime Point and Waterboard Servicetrails → End of Kedumba River Rd
3.2 km
1 hr 26 mins
350m
-73m
Moderate track
(21.04km) End of Kedumba River Rd → King’s Tableland Intersection
5.2 km
1 hr 41 mins
163m
-102m
Easy track
Turn right: From the end of Hordern Rd, this walk heads north along the management trail, away from the power lines, and after approximately 100m passes a large wire gate. Another 100m on from here, the trail passes a large green gate and sign saying ‘Kings Tableland Track’. After this, the flat management trail continues until coming to an intersection with another management trail, signposted as the ‘Rocket Point Track.
King’s Tableland
(26.21km) King’s Tableland Intersection → The archway intersection
430 m
9 mins
7m
-48m
Moderate track
Turn left : From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Rocket Point’ sign down the narrow track (with the main valley to the right). Soon the track comes to an unfenced rock platform on a right-hand bend in the track, with great views over the valley (but not of the falls). From the view, the walk follows the stone steps down along the rock face to soon come to an intersection just before the large rock archway at the ‘Rocket Point Lookout’ sign.
(26.64km) The Archway Intersection → Rocket Point Lookout
20 m
1 mins
0m
-13m
Moderate track
Rocket Point Lookout
(26.64km) The archway intersection → Top of Wentworth Falls
140 m
5 mins
12m
-27m
Moderate track
Turn left : From the intersection, this walk follows the track away from the ‘Round Walk’ sign to zigzag down the hill a short distance to the well-managed and fenced track below (marked with a ‘Rocket Point Circuit’ pointing back up).
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk keeps the handrail on the left and cross a small creek using the stepping stones. The track soon leads to a large pool, Queen’s Cascades and a fenced creek crossing, the top of Wentworth Falls.
Queen’s Cascades
(26.78km) Top of Wentworth Falls → Weeping Rock waterfall
100 m
2 mins
10m
-3m
Moderate track
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Weeping Rock Circuit’ and ‘Darwins walk’ signs up a few steps and between the rocks. The track soon leads to a great view of Weeping Rock, then heads down some steps onto a slippery rock platform, beside a pool at the base of Weeping Rock waterfall.
Weeping Rock
(26.89km) Weeping Rock waterfall → Int of Charles Darwin and Weeping Rock Tracks
40 m
1 mins
2m
0m
Moderate track
(26.92km) Int of Charles Darwin and Weeping Rock Tracks → Wentworth Falls Railway Station
2.7 km
51 mins
116m
-58m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads upstream beside the creek. This track goes along a mixture of boardwalk and bush track until continuing on a long section of boardwalk. The walk crosses the creek and goes up a steep set of stairs, then past a beautiful section of creek where the water cascades down the rocks. Shortly the cascades, the track crosses the creek using a foot bridge and comes to a signposted intersection with ‘Parkes Street’ track (on the left). From the intersection, this walk follows the clear track upstream (keeping the creek through the bush, on the right). The track bends right passing a bench seat and crossing the creek on a footbridge. On the other side of the bridge the walk climbs the stairs then gently meanders along the side of the creek till coming to a clearing. On the other side of the clearing the walk comes to an intersection just before the pipe bridge.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows ‘Village’ sign along the track and under the large pipeline (keeping Jamison Creek on the left). The track meanders alongside the creek over some timber platforms and through a lovely Banksia grove. After a short time the walk passes a ‘Charles Darwin walk’ sign and comes to an intersection with a timber bridge on the left of the track.
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads up the stairs (away from the bridge and creek) and turns left. The walk almost immediately comes to an intersection with a set of stairs (heading up to Page Ave on the right) and a sign pointing to ‘Wilson Park’.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows ‘Wilson Park’ and ‘Village’ signs down some steps and along the track (keeping the creek to the left). The track soon passes a bush regeneration information sign and heads into an open pine forest. The walk then crosses the creek on a small timber bridge and heads up the hill. Soon the track passes under the ‘Charles Darwin Walk’ arch and enters Wilson Park (just next to the tennis courts).
Continue straight: From the the archway in Wilson Park, this walk heads away from the tennis courts, keeping the creek on the right. At the far end of the park, the walk comes to the Great Western Highway and turns right. After about 150m, this walk crosses the highway at the traffic lights and heads up Station St, past the shops and up to Wentworth Falls Railway Station on the right.
Maps for the Scenic Railway – Ruined Castle – Mt Solitary – Kedumba River – Wentworth Falls walk
You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.
Six Foot Track | 1:50 000 Map Series | Six Foot Track | NSW-six-foot-track |
Jamison | 1:25 000 Map Series | 89302N JAMISON | NSW-89302N |
Katoomba | 1:25 000 Map Series | 89301S KATOOMBA | NSW-89301S |
Katoomba | 1:100 000 Map Series | 8930 KATOOMBA | 8930 |
Cross sectional view of the Scenic Railway – Ruined Castle – Mt Solitary – Kedumba River – Wentworth Falls bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Scenic Railway – Ruined Castle – Mt Solitary – Kedumba River – Wentworth Falls
Daily actual walking time estimates
Day | Walking Time | Length |
---|---|---|
1 | 4 hrs 57 mins | 10.1 km |
2 | 2 hrs 35 mins | 5.6 km |
3 | 5 hrs 34 mins | 14.3 km |
Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length | 29.3 km | ||
Time | 3 Days | ||
. | |||
Grade 5/6 Experienced only |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Very steep and difficult scrambles (5/6) |
Quality of track | Rough unclear track (5/6) | ||
Signs | No directional signs (5/6) | ||
Experience Required | High level of bushwalking experience recommended (5/6) | ||
Weather | Forecast, unforecast storms and severe weather likely to have an impact on your navigation and safety (5/6) | ||
Infrastructure | No facilities provided (5/6) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
8km of this walk is very steep and another 7km has short steep hills. Whilst another 7km has gentle hills with occasional steps and a 5km section is flat with no steps. The remaining 3km is very steep with difficult rock scrambles.
Quality of track
7km of this walk follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely and another 7km follows a smooth and hardened path. Whilst another 6km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and a 6km section follows a clear and well formed track or trail. The remaining 3.4km follows a rough unclear track.
Signs
12km of this walk is clearly signposted and another 7km has directional signs at most intersection. Whilst another 7km has minimal directional signs and the remaining 3.6km Has no directional signs.
Experience Required
11km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience and another 7km requires some bushwalking experience. Whilst another 7km requires a leader a with moderate level of bushwalking experience and the remaining 4.8km requires a leader with a high level of bushwalking experience.
weather
18km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation) and another 7km is affected by forecast, unforecast storms and severe weather events that may impact on navigation and safety. Whilst another 4.9km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety and the remaining 450m forecast, unforecast storms and severe weather likely to have an impact on your navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
12km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) and another 7km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced). Whilst another 6km has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) and the remaining 4.8km has no facilities provided.
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Scenic Railway – Ruined Castle – Mt Solitary – Kedumba River – Wentworth Falls walk starts at the Scenic World (gps: -33.728585, 150.30095)Your transport options to Scenic World are by;
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
The Scenic Railway – Ruined Castle – Mt Solitary – Kedumba River – Wentworth Falls ends at the Wentworth Falls Railway Station (gps: -33.709737, 150.37644)
Your transport options to Wentworth Falls Railway Station are by;
Train. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Fire Danger
Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.Weather Forest
This walk starts in the Central Tablelands weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/srrcmskrwf
Gallery images
There are other downloads I am still working on.
You will probably need to login to access these — still all free.
* KML (google earth file)
* GPX (GPS file)
Special Maps/ brochures
* A3 topo maps
* PDF with Lands Topo map base
* PDF with arial image (and map overlay)
I wanted to get the main site live first, this extra stuff will come in time.
Happy walking
Matt 🙂
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