NSW Central West - Day 4

A glorious day for my first hike in Warrumbungle National Park - I wasn’t expecting 22 degrees and clear, sunny skies in the middle of August. The conditions made for some great viewing from the lookouts and peaks along the way.

I undertook the Breadknife and Grand High Tops loop walk with a bonus detour to the peak of Bluff Mountain - it only added 3km but over quite a steep track. The views from the peak made the extra effort of the side trip well worthwhile.

This “up” part of the loop is quite an accessible walk - the first half even features section of brick pavement and some comfortably wide stairs. It’s not until after Breadknife that it begins to feel like a “real” hike, with the trail becoming narrower, more winding, and rockier underfoot.

It was busier than I expected, with a few groups as well as singles and doubles out on the path. I dislike encountering large groups on a trail, as they move slowly as a rule, are often loud, and can be a pain to pass. There were certainly some loud groups but most people I passed were friendly and cheerful and let me pass as soon as I approached from behind.