This is the first of 2 photo sets that deal with my trip through the Blue Mountains. It was a gorgeous area that I found challenging to photograph. The sun was bright, the air was hot. Both good things that I find make photography harder.
We set off early in the morning. It was a mildly chilly morning that steadily grew warmer the closer we got to the Blue Mountains. To get to the path that would take us to the Ruined Castle, we took a steep (and old) rail system deep into the valley. These were the cliffs that surrounded us.
From below, the paths seemed tropical. Slightly unusual because peeking through the bush the distant scenery looked like Canada.
The sunlight was bright and harsh. The shrubbery reflected the light without abandon. It made sections of the path quite magical.
This particular spot came after a long and dark section through the forest. A friendly hiker warned my group of a Brown Snake sleeping on the path. We didn't meet the snake.
This is the flower of New South Wales and it seemed clear that we were slightly lucky to see one. We only saw a few the entire hike, and this was the only one that was accessible via pathway.
This curious fellow stole part of a hiker's lunch. They're clever, and were waiting patiently for us to leave our food unoccupied.
These Blue Tongue Skink (I think at least) were everywhere once we reached the Ruined Castle. They bathed in the midday sun and weren't bothered by the birds or us.