Have you ever been driving to the foothills of the Blue Mountains and thought, “Hey, I’d love to hike this trip?" Well, now you can, because the final path has been laid on the Great West Walk. The relatively flat 65-kilometer route opens up a glorious patchwork of Western Sydney landscapes, from the station exit at Darcy Street onto Parramatta Park, through the protected Cumberland Plain woodland and part of Western Sydney Parklands, then stretching to the Nepean River and finally the mountains.
If you were to take on the whole walk in one outing, you’d weave through dense thickets, along babbling creeks, past colonial structures and even through shady suburban lanes. If you are tackling it in one go and would like to rest your weary head along the way, you can find accommodation in the nearby town centres. Luckily, you can approach it in bite-sized strolls, with the Western Line trains stopping frequently along sections of the trail.
For more details on trail highlights, places to pause for a wee and water, and other handy trail hints, be sure to keep this info kit handy.
Should you pack snacks? Absolutely. If you're tackling this stunner in one hit or over a few days, you’ll want to be well-stocked. But if you do run low on food and water reserves, there are many shopping opportunities along the length of the walk as it weaves through populated areas like Seven Hills, Blacktown, Rooty Hill and Jordan Springs.
