Dunns Leap (of faith?)

More a leap of youthful carelessness perhaps. Dunn was 14-year-old Charles Dunn, who in 1908 managed to fall over a 50 metre cliff, yet survived to tell the tale. He was running around in the cave far above when he slipped over the edge.

It seems he landed on ferns and soft mud, broke not a single bone in his body, and walked home while his friends were coming down to look for his dead body. Today there's a wire strung along his trajectory down the cliff face, though you can't quite see it in my picture. You do get an idea of just how lucky he was though!

Most of the geographical 'Leap' names you see are in fact waterfalls, (like Govetts Leap), that being an old name for waterfall. This one however celebrates a real leap!

Dunns Leap is one of the many attractions, along with caves, a Fairy Bower, and scenic rock platforms with views over the Kanimbla Valley, that you can walk to in the Mt Piddington area, right near the settlement of Mt Victoria. The highest point in the area, One Tree Hill, at 1111m, is in fact the highest point in the Blue Mountains, though you'd never pick it. Mt Banks and Mt Hay, the usual suspect bumps on the horizon from Sydney, look a lot higher.

A group of us explored the area yesterday, and revelled in the fine weather and interesting terrain. Some of the walking tracks are in excellent condition, though as we progressed a bit further it all became a bit more adventurous, slippery, and obstructed by fallen trees etc. We were particularly taken by the sheer cliffs under Mt Hourn (or Mt Horne as some of the signs spelt it), with markings and pegs for the brave rock climbers who frequent the place. There were also two mysterious large square pits, now full of water, hidden away in the bush.