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For all you artists or artists at heart, a beautiful 2-storey artist’s studio in a charming Leura Garden setting is available now for a short term rental. The studio is of Japanese architectural style and is very private and perfect for the artistic work at hand. Wonderful place for reading, meditation or taking tea in the garden. Call Jane Canfield for bookings on 0409 692 780. We love this space and in spring it should be Leura at its best!

And for a “pat on the back” to Leura’s Silk’s Brasserie: among the NSW Awards for Excellence, Silk’s won the 2010 Contemporary Australian Restaurant, Blue Mountains. This is a wonderful kudo for the staff and owner, Stewart Robinson and we aren’t surprised. In June, we stepped into Silk’s out of the Blue Mountains chill for lunch – a tender breast of chicken served on subtle greens — lite enough fare for lunch but warming the tummy in June weather. The “special” Silk’s bread is worth a thousand words on a wintry day.  We arrived early, but by 12:30pm tables began to fill. At a nearby table, a couple were celebrating with a bottle of bubbly — perhaps newly “in love,” but certainly enjoying the window table at Silk’s. Give yourself a Silk’s treat on your next visit to Leura.

Today, the mountains came alive (especially Katoomba) with Winter Magic and magical it was. So many people, so much fun — kids and teenagers alike dressed for the occasion.  The sun warmed us and the chill didn’t come in until early afternoon when clouds began rolling in.

We made the mistake of driving today and we strongly recommend when planning for next year’s Winter Magic that you consider the train — much faster and much easier on the nerves. Stop & go traffic brings out the worst in our car!

We stopped by Leura for a very late lunch. Wayzgoose Cafe was packed to the rafters as was Bon Ton Cafe and Silk’s Brasserie. Every table at Silk’s was filled. The Post Office Cafe lit their wood burning fireplace, so it felt quite festive and cheery. Each had a great soup on the menu. Coming in out of the Katoomba cold, something hot and steamy was high on our wishlist.

Of course afterwards, we just had to do a little window shopping. After all, Leura is the shopping mecca of the Blue Mountains, but we’ll save that for later.  . . a post for just the gals.

There are many artists in the Leura/Katoomba/Wentworth Falls surrounds and those we have met  are terrific…thought you would like to know as several have studios you can visit or make an appointment to visit.  Last week (19April) we met Jane Canfield at her studio on Craigend St. in Leura. (Studio is opened to the public the last Sunday of each month).

We love her oils on canvas and often the theme is a mountain village, train stations, fishing villages or beaches. There is a geometric design to Jane’s work — sharp roof lines, steps, train tracks, windows on a fishing cottage, the occasional triangle of a lamp post — and always a brash & bold colour standing out upon a subtle background. It’s her use of  texture that is so pleasing and on her bigger works the layering is quite dramatic.  (Jane has won a number of awards in the past 18 months.)

From Leura Mall, a 10-minute walk delivers you to Jane’s tiny studio in the lovely garden of her mom’s guesthouse, Argyll House. Call for an appointment if you are in Leura on a weekday or not on the last Sunday of the month,  0409 69 2780

Wednesday(April 7) Leura was definitely in a holiday mood — groups of international student and otherwise travellers filled the streets along side parents & kids (Australian school break) enjoying another perfect sunny day.  At times, we want solitude; other times we love being in the middle of what seems like a party — laughter, voices, walking along a crowded mall — the human party. And this was Leura at her best — as though all her invited guests had shown up and she, too was enjoying the party.

From the Gourmet Deli, we broke our ‘dieting will’ and chose a blood orange ice cream — our only defense, ”low calories”.  The blood orange was fantastic, yummy! Stopped in at Megalong Books, the favorite independent  in the Blue Mountains looking for a very dated novel — 1930’s. The staff is amazing — they actually read! Couldn’t recall the author’s name and voila, they recognized the title and identified the author.

We walked down to Canfield Studio http://www.canfield.com.au/ on Craigend Street. (see map http://www.leurabluemountainsguide.com/blue-mountains-maps.html)  Artist Jane Canfield opens by appointment and also the last Sunday of the month. This amazing young artist . . . well, we’ll save this part of our ‘perfect autumn day in Leura’ for another post . . .

Sublime Point Lookout, Sublime Point Road, Leura

We suggest you consider this walk because of its stunning beauty and, because it is out of the way many visitors to the Blue Mountains fail to find it.

The walk out to Sublime Point Lookout is an easy walk but is NOT recommended for small children.  http://www.leurabluemountainsguide.com/blue-mountains-maps.html  This map is for illustrative purposes only, but it will give you a visual of the lookout and the escarpment along the Leura side of Jamison Valley.

Unfortunately the sightseeing buses do not drive out to the point, but will drop you off approximately one kilometer from the site – trekkers walking through the residential area to the parking lot is a common sight.

Once in the parking lot, it will take you only 5 minutes – approximately 750 metres – to walk to the lookout, down steep steps, so use caution. Wear shoes that grip and in winter, warm clothes and gloves. The steps are steep and rocky and after a rain, can be muddy. Stuff your hat in your backpack as the wind can come up the canyon suddenly and hats go flying.

We’re adding a link to a podcast of the walk, http://www.leurabluemountainsguide.com/blue-mountains-bushwalk. html. The podcast will give you a full description of the walk, the scenery and the joy we experienced upon discovering Sublime Point. Often, the lookout feels as though it is yours alone – an early morning visit and you may be the only person there.

Enjoy!

On www.leurabluemountainsguide.com we’ve placed a signpost of the distances from several Aussie cities — Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra — those within driving distance, albeit 13 hours driving might be a bit much. We thought it might help those of you who have heard of the Blue Mountains, but not much beyond the name.

So today, (21March) we will describe traveling to Leura by train from Sydney Central.  Please note, if you plan to stay overnight purchase a one-way ticket as a “return” or “roundtrip” must be used on the same day.

For accommodation, you’ll find all types, some are upmarket, others moderately priced. Descriptions can be found on http://www.leurabluemountainsguide.com/qpaccommodation.html .  If you are a backpacker, nearby Katoomba’s hostels are quite nice — very clean, nice lounge facilities and other amenities. (Katoomba Station is one stop beyond the Leura Station.) Both hostels are close to the main streets of Katoomba and the train station. Now back to our initial intent: traveling to Leura by train.

Recommendation 1: We recommend traveling early and light if possible as on most trains,  overhead luggage space is rare and you cannot place luggage in the aisle. We travel this route often and travellers with three and four pieces of luggage are the bane of the commuters on their way to work. Rule of thumb: if you can sit on it (luggage) or put it under your feet, you’re in good shape. Going early — it’s a 2 hour trip – allows you a full day to explore and there is much natural beauty to see. An overnight is well worth the $$$ you spend as with two days, you can see and do so much more. March is a great month in the mountains — fog is minimal and temperatures usually moderate though you may need a sweater or jumper on some nights.

Recommendation 2: On the trip up the mountains to Leura, grab a seat on the left side of the car. On the return trip down the mountain, again sit on the left side — two distinct impressions. The views, once you are in the mountains are stunning — sandstone walls so close you could touch them and broad vistas looking out across the huge world heritage national park. Check the schedule at Central Station - you want the Blue Mountains Express with limited stops as the first hour of the trip is quite ordinary — city suburbs — and you’ll want to limit those stops. At Emu Plains, you’ll see the first of very old and charming train stations — most are architecturally similar and each year the station masters compete for the “station most beautifully landscaped” prize. After the Emu Plains stop, be prepared for some neck craning and a thrilling climb up to the first Blue Mountains village, Lapstone.  Beyond Emu Plains Station, the train stops at every village — among them, old villages that existed before the rails were built in the 1800(s).

For you history buffs, this link, http://www.leurabluemountainsguide.com/blue-mountainshistory.html will fill in  details about the birth of Leura and it reason for being even today. It remains a charming Edwardian village, very upmarket, but unique in the Blue Mountains.

Final tip:  The local sightseeing buses (fee approximately $20 AU)  offer a “hop-on, hop-off” pass and run hourly along the scenic route between Leura and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.  If this is your first visit to Leura, use the buses — Blue Mountains Explorer or Trolley Shoppe Tours – for a quick education to familiarise yourself on the scene between Leura and Katoomba.  There are scheduled pick ups at all the attractions and along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. Each stop is clearly marked, usually on a nearby utility pole. The drivers are tremendously helpful. This is a great way to get acquainted and plan your schedule to see as many attractions as possible in the Blue Mountains.

Next week, we’ll talk about a short Leura walk out to a stunning vista, Sublime Point Lookout that many visitors never find.

Saturday (27Feb) was a Leura day one longs for — moderate temperatures, a deep blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds high above and absolute calm brought out visitors and locals alike. We arrived at Post Cafe & Bar a bit early,  before lunch was fully in the shoppers’ minds. The veggie quiche was quite tasty, though the portion might be a bit small for a male appetite. My friend ordered the ‘fish&chips’ and thought it very very good.  By 1pm, every seat was filled both inside and out on the shaded patio. Everyone seemed in a terrific mood. The service is quite good @Post Cafe, prices are moderate and the menu is traditional Aussie fare.

Picnickers lined the grassy mall, shoes kicked off and getting a few rays. After lunch, we cruised a few shops, made a great purchase at Cicero’s and hopped on the train for a leisurely trip down the mountain.  The day will be a nice warm memory once the cold arrives in June!