Claustral Canyon

It was over five years since I last did Claustral which is the most impressive canyon in the Blue Mountains. There had been access issues with the old track no longer available, but there was now a new path in from a completely different direction.  After a false start and a bit of a bushbash to get back on track (people who go canyoning with me are used to this), it was an easy walk down into the mossy-green subsidiary canyon which leads into Claustral Brook.  A fairly short walk then brings you to the top of the Black Hole triple abseil – the highlight of Claustral - which leads down into the dark depths of the bottom of the slot.   A swim and a wade round the corner takes you out into the beautiful, (cliché-alert) primeval, fern-lined chamber where Ranon Canyon comes in.

From here 700m of superb canyon follows.  Very few pics as my six year old Olympus finally let in some water – I watched as the lcd screen turned purple and the camera turned itself off . I switched to the waterproof camcorder and took enough footage that a multimedia presentation could well follow if I get organised.  After the junction with Thunder canyon there was another 600m of blockups, climbdowns and swims before reaching the old exit up Rainbow Ravine.  After doing half of the uphill of the old route, you turn off and go steeply back down into Claustral Brook for a forest walk and a couple of ‘refreshing’ swims before turning back up the subsidiary canyon we came in on.  Flog back uphill - definitely running on reserves at this stage of the eight hour day - and back to the car.  Amazingly, on a beautiful summer Sunday, there were only two other parties doing this magnificent canyon.