We left Sydney pre-dawn to beat the holiday traffic and took the trip to Tianjara Falls, an isolated spot about three hours south of Sydney. It was a stunning day and apart from some friends we met at the crag we had the whole place to ourselves. It was a nice change to be out in the wilderness without crowds and climbing in almost absolute silence.
The climbing was great, after a couple of warm-up routes we got on progressively harder climbs, ending the day on a tricky, thin and sharp climb that I got close to getting clean. Maybe next time.
Rather then head back to Sydney we instead camped out overnight at a nearby bush clearing. It had been an early start, and after a hot meal and some red wine it wasn't long before bed called.
Saturday was another gorgeous day, perfect weather for climbing. We had camped nearby the next crag, and after a few kilometers of actual four wheel driving we made it to the cliff line.
Rather than hike in we set up a fixed rappel rope to get down, it took all of my core strength to remain upright during the long abseil to the bottom wearing a hiking pack full of climbing gear.
Once again we had the cliffs to ourselves and a small group of friends. The climbing was great, lots of varied routes in a beautiful remote location. Apart from the trashed Landcruiser that had somehow been driven off the top of the cliff (quite an effort, never underestimate bogan ingenuity) it felt untouched.
After a decent amount of climbing the day before I wasn't too eager to push myself, but after ticking some great long and steep routes I tried a few harder things. I got shut down on them, but it felt great to do better than expected. I was running out of strength and skin, so we called it a day. After a afternoon bush coffee enjoyed in the peaceful setting we made the long drive home to Sydney
I love exploring new places, and I can't wait to return to get on some more routes. There is plenty to keep me busy, and with ample places to bush camp, no crowds, and a fun and muddy 4WD access it ticks all of my boxes!
Photos here
After a day of rest I was eager to climb once more so I joined a friend at Vaucluse to climb at the nearby sea cliffs. It was another stunning day, and climbing so close to the sea was a great way to spend the afternoon. We warmed up on a really steep and exposed route at the end of the cliffs which drew a small crowd on the boardwalk across the gully.
As the light was fading we jumped on a couple of shorter climbs, scrambling out of the gully a few moments after the sun faded. A great finish to a perfect weekend.
Photos here
