All The Gear But No Idea: Walls Ledge, Colliers Causeway & Centennial Glen

Walls Ledge, Porters Pass & Centennial Glen 11-12-2021

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Route: Walls Ledge Loop Track, The Grotto, Centennial Glen, Colliers Causeway, Porters Pass, Lamberts Lookout, Fort Rock, Centennial Glen, Centennial Pass, Wall Ledge

Date: 11/12/2021
From: Centennial Glen Road

Parking: Centennial Glen Road
Start Point: Walls Loop Track
Finish Point: Walls Loop Track
Region: Blue Mountains / Centennial Pass Recreation Reserve

Route length: 6.7km
Time taken: 03:00
Average speed: 3km/h
Ascent: 324m
Descent: 306m

Points of Interest: Walls Ledge, The Grotto, Colliers Causeway, Porters Pass, Lamberts Lookout, Fort Rock, Centennial Glen

West of Blackheath is one of the Blue Mountains' hidden gems, Centennial Glen, which includes the spectacular Walls Ledge track and Colliers Causeway. Being outside of the National Park means this area receives fewer visitors than more famous areas nearby, such as Govetts Leap and the Grand Canyon. It also means that your four legged-friend can accompany you also.

A small parking area and toilets stand at the top of Centennial Glen with a few paths shooting off in different directions. Rather than begin with a direct descent into the valley, we opted to take a more circuitous route to make an approach along the Walls Ledge Track. It had been very wet in the preceding week, so we were expecting some interest once we reached the waterfalls.

The Kanimbla cliffs from the Walls Ledge Loop Track

Looking across the Kanimbla Valley as the path makes its way to the Walls Ledge

The path starts from an elevated position and there are immediately fine views of the cliffs looking towards Mount Victoria, as well as the lush, green Kanimbla valley. The rocky path heads south at first before doubling back on itself to meet the beginning of the Walls Ledge Track.

The Shipley Valley

The Kanimbla Valley

Descending towards the Walls Ledge

Walls Ledge

A view of the Shipley Valley through the trees

As the name implies, Walls Ledge is an interesting track that follows the halfway ledge between the upper and lower cliffs of the Shipley Plateau. In places, it is narrow enough to warrant a few protective rails to prevent an unwelcome tumble into the valley below. The sun-soaked cliffs are extremely popular with climbers and there were several groups out today, even if things were a little on the damp side.

The Walls Ledge Track below the sandstone cliffs

In some places, a metal fence guards the edge of the track

The Shipley Valley

Walls Ledge

Looking along the route of Colliers Causeway which runs below the cliffs

Walls Ledge

Towards the end of the Walls Ledge route is a fine view of the cliffs and valley below before the path enters the rainforest. We passed around a large basin and started a descent into Centennial Glen.

The final section of the Walls Ledge Track

Some agricultural signage along the route

A steep set of metal steps descent into the canyon, meeting a signed path at the bottom. Before continuing the walk, a short detour leads into a dark slot canyon (The Grotto) with a waterfall at the far end. Reaching the waterfall requires a tricky shuffle along a rock shelf with a short, awkward move around an outcrop of rock. It's actually a little exposed, though a fall would lead to little more than getting wet.

The cliffs above Centennial Glen

Descending to Centennial Glen

The Grotto

The small waterfall at the far end of The Grotto

After exploring The Grotto, we returned to the track junction and continued in the direction of Colliers Causeway. The path makes a spectacular descent alongside the lower waterfalls of Centennial Glen – the amusingly named Slippery Dip Falls. The carved stone steps and metal rails certainly get you close to the action, more so today as parts of the path were flooded thanks to the recent heavy rain that we've received in New South Wales.

The path squeezes beside a large boulder and was flooded to ankle depth

The path as it negotiates Slippery Dip Falls

The flooded path

Slippery Dip Falls

Water pours down the stairs - usually this section is dry

Slippery Dip Falls

After crossing the creek, we headed out along Colliers Causeway. Colliers Causeway is one of the less well-publicised tracks in the Blackheath area of the Blue Mountains and is quite spectacular in its own right. The path winds along a series of ledges and terraces, passing beneath the occasional overhanging cliff or waterfall. Though the overall length is quite short, Colliers Causeway possesses a great deal of variety along its length.

Crossing Centennial Glen Creek

Centennial Glen Creek

Colliers Causeway

The Porters Pass cliffs seen from Colliers Causeway

Colliers Causeway

Colliers Causeway - approaching Porters Pass

Crossing Porters Pass Gully

There is a trough carved into the rock where the track crosses the creek

We soon arrived at the base of Porters Pass, one of the oldest tracks in the Blue Mountains, dating back to 1888, though it is probable that Indigenous people pioneered the routes down the western escarpment thousands of years before. Steps, typical of the Blue Mountains, make a steep climb up the Porters Pass gully. At the top of the gully is Lamberts Lookout (located just off the main track) which has a sweeping view of the valley from one of the many rock outcrops.

Porters Pass Gully

Porters Pass

The view from Porters Pass

The path climbs a little further before dropping down again, crossing an open expanse of hillside above the cliffs. This leads to Fort Rock, a large, isolated rock at a junction of paths.

Porters Pass

The top of Porters Pass

Porters Pass Gully

Views from the Cliff Top Track

The path traverses an open area above the cliffs

The slopes of Mount Blackheath

The Kanimbla Valley

Looking back towards Porters Pass

The view from Fort Rock

Fort Rock

From Fort Rock, we descended down once again, into the northern end of Centennial Glen. The lush, shady canyon features a series of waterfalls and sandstone overhangs and, like Walls Ledge, is popular with climbers. We passed through the canyon to re-join the Walls Ledge track (we'd passed the junction earlier in the day. This short part of the loop makes a final climb back to the car park above the glen.