The Grose Head Lookout (and Grose Head South) via the Springwood Ridge Trail would be a great loop to do on a mountain bike – and perhaps a pleasant walk on a cool winter’s day… but in hindsight, it was a poor choice for an unseasonally hot autumn day. Much of the loop is a fairly dreary trudge along a ridgetop firetrail, although the lookout at the end offers some great views. (If doing this as a bushwalk, I’d recommend the shorter loop that combines the Shaws Ridge Trail and Blue Gum Swamp Track.)
My planned starting point at St Columba’s Catholic College was thwarted by multiple “private property” signs, so after re-checking the map I drive to the end of White Cross Road – which seems to be the most common trailhead. A well signposted firetrail descends to the start of the loop.
After passing the junction with the Shaws Ridge Trail, I turn left onto the Springwood Ridge Trail. This is the starting point of the loop, which I’m doing in a clockwise direction. This first section is very pleasant, with the bushwalking track passing through ferns and towering Blue Gum trees.
I’m soon at The Grotto, a natural overhang surrounded by ferns which is just a few metres off the trail; in front of it is a low stone wall.
The Grotto has an interesting history, with the Catholic Bushwalking Club placing a statue here on a ledge under the overhang in November 1952. The marble statue, modelled on the fresco Madonna Della Strada, was officially blessed by Monsignor Duane on Sunday 27th September 1953. The Catholic Bushwalking Club held a picnic here every September for many years, until the statue was moved to a safer site in 1983.
From its earliest days in 1943, the Catholic Bushwalking Club fostered the idea of a shrine to Our Lady of the Way… eventually a Club sub-committee recommended a grotto in Blue Gum Swamp Creek, Springwood, at the outer edge of the St Columba’s College property, then the minor seminary for students for the priesthood. The site was known to the students as St Joseph’s Bower.
Blue Mountains Local Studies
The Springwood Ridge Trail continues through the dense ferns as it follows Blue Gum Swamp Creek.
Crossing one of two side-creeks over a timber bridge, I spot an enormous native freshwater crayfish (Euastacus spinifer) making its way slowly along the creek bed.
Unfortunately the fun soon ends, as the Springwood Ridge Trail ascends from the valley up to the ridge.
The Springwood Ridge Trail now follows the top of the ridge for a loooong time, passing the back of St Columba’s Catholic College where I had originally intended to start.
There’s a brief respite from the firetrail as I head off-track in search of a few Aboriginal rock art sites; although with the temperature now around 30 degrees, I’m soon looking forward to the firetrail as I bushbash through the scrub. I locate the two sites I’ve been looking for – and a bonus car, which looks like it’s been abandoned a long time ago.
Although I’m stopping more frequently than I normally would due to the heat, I make good progress once I’m back on the Springwood Ridge Trail. As I pass the firetrail down Bees Nest Hill (I’ll be returning this way) there are a few filtered views across the valley towards Faulconbridge Ridge to the west.
I’m happy to finally reach the Grose Head Lookout, which offers a spectacular view over the lower Grose Valley.
Although this vantage point offers the best views, I’m keen to “bag” the trig point on Grose Head South… you can clearly see the top of the hill to the north-east (it forms the northern end of Springwood Ridge).
It’s only another kilometre of walking, but the first few hundred metres is the steepest part of today’s walk as the rough track heads up the side of the ridge.
The track levels out and even descends a little, before the final ascent to the top of Grose Head South.
The Grose Trig is intact, and there is a nice view from near the trig point – but the views are much better from the lookout at the base of Grose Head South.
I re-trace my steps back down the hill, encountering three mountain-bikers who have started some distance away at Bilpin, and still look far fresher than me… I see a total of seven people along the entire route and most of them are on bikes, further proof that doing this bushwalk today was a dumb idea! At least most of the way back is downhill, as I head down the steep Bees Nest Hill Firetrail down Bees Nest Hill. It was possibly named after William James Stratton (1875-1950), who had a bee-keeping business in Springwood.
The last leg of my Grose Head South is along the Blue Gum Swamp Track, which follows the Blue Gum Swamp Creek.
Despite the heat and tired legs, it’s a very pleasant walk under the tall canopy of trees, with the constant chime of bellbirds (or more correctly bell miners, Manorina melanophrys).
Although I was hoping to cool off in the Blue Gum Swamp Creek, there are dense ferns between the firetrail and the creek – and in the few places where I can see the water, it’s rather murky and uninviting. A couple of the smaller creeks that flow across the firetrail into Blue Gum Swamp Creek have clear and running water, but are not deep enough for a swim.
Once back at the junction with the Springwood Ridge Trail, it’s a short and not-too-steep climb back up to the carpark.
Getting to Grose Head Lookout via the Springwood Ridge Trail
The best starting point for this loop – or the slightly shorter loop via Shaws Ridge (15.3km) – is from the end of White Cross Road in Winmalee. It’s about an hour’s drive from Sydney, via Springwood. (Originally known as North Springwood, Winmalee was officially established as an independent town on 28 April 1972. The name Winmalee came from a local 14-year-old student who won a competition to find a new name for the suburb.)
More information
- Blue Mountains Local Studies – The Catholic Bushwalking Club and the Shrine to Our Lady of the Way at Springwood
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