Scenic Railway to Mt Solitary via the Ruined Castle
Download & Print Map and Notes11 hrs
1345 m
Experienced only
Scenic World
(0km) Scenic World → Scenic Railway (Bottom Platform)
300 m
26 mins
8m
-210m
Very easy
(0.3km) Scenic Railway (Bottom Platform) → Scenic World
870 m
28 mins
248m
-46m
Hard track
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads up the stairs. After the first section, the walk flattens out slightly as it zigzags up the hill. The track also goes under several large overhangs before coming to an intersection and a ‘Vera’s Grotto’ sign.
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Scenic Skyway’ sign up the wooden steps and across the short wooden boardwalk to the other side. The track continues with the hand railing on the left, until reaching the base of the Furber Steps. From here, the walk continues up the concrete steps, zigzagging steeply up the side of the cliff, until reaching the Furber Lookout at the base of the last flight of steps.
Continue straight: From the Furber Lookout, this walk heads up the concrete stairs, climbing to the top. The walk passes the ‘Furber Steps’ signpost and continues along the bush track, winding up along the side of the hill until coming to the intersection of the Furber Steps and the Lynes Point tracks.
Turn left : From the lookout, this walk follows the bush track, heading down the short metal staircase to the intersection of the Lynes Point bush track at the bottom.
Continue straight: From the lookout, this walk heads up the stairs, climbing to the top. Here it continues along the bush track, winding past a large rock overhang with a bench seat underneath and through the forest for a short while, to the signposted intersection of the ‘Underfalls Walk’.
Continue straight: From the intersection, the track follows the bush track heading up the hill, winding up through the forest for a short while. Soon the track bends slightly around to the right and comes to the Rainforest Lookout, at the base of the set of wooden steps.
Turn left : From the Rainforest Lookout, this walk heads up the wooden steps, climbing to the top where it comes to a ‘T’ intersection with the ‘Round Walk’ track.
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Scenic Skyway’ sign down the wooden steps, then flattens out for a short distance before continuing up the other side, climbing up the long, steep set of wooden steps. At the top, the walk comes to the intersection of the Round Walk and the Juliets Balcony track (unsignposted).
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads to the top of the metal stairs. The track then continues steeply up through the bush, climbing to Vanimans Lookout.
Turn left: From Vanimans Lookout, this walk heads up the wooden steps, climbing up the hill through the bush until it comes to the intersection with the Prince Henry Cliff Walk.
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the only unsignposted bush track up the gentle hill. It winds up the wooden steps, bending around to the left until it flattens out at the intersection with the Scenic World footbridge.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads along the wooden footbridge that winds around the back of the Scenic World multi-story car park, to the concrete footpath. The walk continues around the main building, climbing up some concrete steps to the main entrance of Scenic World.
(0.3km) Scenic Railway (Bottom Platform) → Int of Scenic Railway Boardwalk and Landslide Bush Track
190 m
6 mins
25m
-17m
Very easy
(0.49km) Int of Scenic Railway Boardwalk and Landslide Bush Track → Landslide
1.2 km
40 mins
150m
-161m
Moderate track
The Landslide
(1.64km) Landslide → Bottom of Golden Staircase
1.6 km
42 mins
128m
-123m
Moderate track
(3.19km) Bottom of Golden Staircase → Scenic World
3 km
1 hr 26 mins
420m
-213m
Hard track
Turn left: From Botting’s Lookout[12], the walk heads up the hill where the track then turns left. The walk continues, steeply in a couple of places, up some eroded sections of track[13] and through a couple of switchbacks. Soon the narrow track mostly flattens out. leading to the signposted ‘Golden Stairs’[14] car park[15] on Glenraphael Dr[16].
Veer right: From the Golden Stairs car park, this walk follows the dirt road north, down the gentle hill and along the ridge as it undulates up and down for about 1km, before reaching the Sydney Water management trail – this is closed to the public at all times.
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the dirt road heading up the hill and undulating along the ridge for about 1km, before it climbs up to the intersection with Cliff Drive.
Turn sharp left: From the intersection, this walk heads up Cliff Drive briefly, then follows the management trail on the right, just past the house. At the end of the trail, this walk turns right onto Violet Street, following this to the front entrance of Scenic World.
(3.19km) Bottom of Golden Staircase → Miners Campsite
2.3 km
51 mins
104m
-129m
Moderate track
Miners Campsite
(5.45km) Miners Campsite → Northern Ruined Castle campsite
300 m
7 mins
16m
-11m
Moderate track
Northern Ruined Castle campsite
(5.75km) Northern Ruined Castle campsite → Ruined Castle mine campsite
550 m
12 mins
12m
-31m
Moderate track
(5.75km) Ruined Castle mine campsite → Intersection South of Ruined Castle
380 m
11 mins
10m
-46m
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
Maps for the Scenic Railway to Mt Solitary via the Ruined Castle 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 to Mt Solitary via the Ruined Castle bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Scenic Railway to Mt Solitary via the Ruined Castle
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 | 16.2 km | ||
Time | 11 hrs | ||
. | |||
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 may impact on navigation and safety (4/6) | ||
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
2.7km of this walk has short steep hills and another 2.6km has gentle hills with occasional steps. Whilst another 2.1km is very steep and a 590m section is very steep with difficult rock scrambles. The remaining 490m is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
5km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 2.1km follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely. Whilst another 590m follows a rough unclear track and the remaining 490m follows a smooth and hardened path.
Signs
5km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection and another 2.4km has minimal directional signs. Whilst another 490m is clearly signposted and the remaining 200m Has no directional signs.
Experience Required
3.7km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience and another 2.4km requires a leader a with moderate level of bushwalking experience. Whilst another 2km requires no previous bushwalking experience and the remaining 200m requires a leader with a high level of bushwalking experience.
weather
6km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation) and another 1.7km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety. The remaining (930m) is affected by forecast, unforecast storms and severe weather events that may impact on navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
6km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced) and another 1.7km has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged). Whilst another 490m is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) and the remaining 200m has no facilities provided.
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Scenic Railway to Mt Solitary via the Ruined Castle walk starts and ends 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)
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/srtmsvtrc
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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