Katoomba to Mittagong - Day 7
Emmet's Flat to Hilltop
- 6.6 km
- 2 hours 27 mins
- Total ascent 457m
- Total descent 90m
I have walked from Emmett’s Fat, up Starlight’s Trail, to the gate at the end of Wattle Ridge Road several times before. So I knew what to expect. I think David and I were both feeling pretty good on this day and we moved pretty quickly up towards to top of Point Hill.
While starlight trail was very distinct and very easy to follow it was much more overgrown than I remember it.
This sign has seen better days.
We had a quick morning tea break, half way up the hill, but other wise walked pretty non-stop to the gate.
The phone reception at the gate was a little marginal, but it was enough to call a taxi.
When the taxi arrived it was some sort of van and the driver was a bit cranky that he had to bring his van down a slightly eroded fire trail. This surpised me a bit, I though pickups from the end of Wattle Ridge Road would have been pretty common place, but I didn’t press the issue.
As it turned out it was going to be touch and go whether we could get back to Mittagong station in time for the next train. As it turned out we arrived with 2 minutes to spare, just to hear an announcment that our train was delayed by 20+ minutes. Neither David or I minded too much because we were both about to travel a long distance for $2:50 using our Senior’s Cards.
The climb up Starlight’s trail is, for the most part, a gradual ascent. The trail was originally used to move cattle in and out of the valley which explains its relatively gentle slope. Having said that it is still a 450m climb, so by the time you get to the top at Point Hill, you know you have done some work.
While waiting for the taxi we both had time to reflect on our last week in the bush and we were both pretty happy we had done the walk. In the space of a week we had crossed the Cox’s River, the Kowmung River, the Jooriland River and the Wollondilly River.
We had seen views that 99.999% of Sydney siders will never see.
