See Sam Sew: Winter escape to the Blue Mountains

We had the most lovely weekend away in the mountains and in the little cottage that we had rented for the weekend. Quaint is the word that comes to mind - the decor was interesting but it was warm, cosy and we had lots of fun.

Cottage in Leura

small but very cosy lounge room

some of the 'interesting' decor

I have the title of fire builder and Sophie got over her initial fear of the fire and very quickly wanted a fire built all the time and I happily obliged her. Olivia and Sophie even went outside in the dark with a torch each to see the smoke coming out of the chimney and Sophie did not freak out and want to call the fireman so I think she is over her anxiety there. They felt like explorers going out in the cold and dark to see it. Where we were there was no street lights either so it was really dark, there were so many stars that you just dont seem to see here in suburbia as it is too light. The wood fire along with the gas fires had us so warm and toasty inside. On Sunday evening I was so hot I was sitting watching the tennis in short sleeves and no socks. Outside it was about 1degree C though.

When we arrived on Friday afternoon we headed into Leura and had hot chocolates at the Wayzgoose. We love this little cafe and their hot chocolate is gorgeous and Todd loves the traditional lemonade that they sell too. Then in the eve we headed out into Leura and into Katoomba to see if there were any places we could go for dinner and thought why not, we got to Echo Point just at dusk and saw the 3 sisters as the sun was going down. It was gorgeous and the girls loved running around and Todd and I chasing them and they squealed with delight. It got cold as soon as the sun went down.

Todd and our hot chocs

Echo Point as the sun goes down

Olivia loved going out and it being cold enough to see your breath when you breathed out. It was the coldest that the girls had ever experienced.

Saturday we went to Leura Cascades after Jenny and Lisa had both said to go there and the walk was child friendly. I absolutely love waterfalls and had never been to these little falls and so was more than happy to head there.

Top of Leura cascades

view from bottom of Leura Cascades

It was a lovely walk and Todd and I said to each other as we were going down and down' 'what goes down must come up' in reference to the stairs that we would have to climb as we headed back up. I must get fitter. Poor Todd actually carried Soph for a little way too. She was being a bit of a lazy lump. At the top near the car park was some swings and grass area. Afterwards the girls had a swing and started to play 'it' or 'tip' as it is called here and we said don't run it's slippy and literally the next minute Sophie slipped and fell and skidded along the grass.


One good as gold, one puling faces


My favourite picture of Leura Cascades

We headed home to clean little ones up and then went to the 3 sisters in the daytime to get some good shots. We certainly did that.

The 3 Sisters at Echo Point

Megalong Valley from Echo Point

Then into Leura for some shopping at the little boutique shops in the centre of town, with names like Moontree, The Cats Meow, The Christmas Cottage and of course the Toy Shop.

On Sunday we decided to have brunch and then headed into Leura for a wander, some more and then head up to Clarence where the zigzag railway goes from. We got there at 12.45pm and the train left at 1pm. Todd got the tickets and we piled into a carriage. I think I was more excited than the girls. Literally as a whistle was being blown Sophie said she was not feeling well and Todd jumped up with her and off the train with no hesitation. Liv and I followed. Thank goodness we did. Not 2 minutes later I took her to the toilets and the poor little thing was poorly. She had been complaining of a sore tummy and we just thought she had eaten too much. We said it over and over thank goodness we got off that train as there were no toilets on it. It would have been dreadful. We got our money back and on the way home I saw the sign for Govetts Leap and said lets go there. It was a beautiful bright sunny day but unlike Friday and Saturday that didn't feel too cold, oooh it was cold, the wind was biting. We got rather rugged up just to get out of the car and take some photos.

Me, Olivia and Sophie, cold


Govetts Leap waterfall

We had a relaxing, fun, beautiful time in Leura and feel so relaxed even after just a couple of days. Monday, sadly, we packed up and left our little cottage and before we started the descent down the Great Western Highway back to Sydney we took the girls to a park to just play. On the way home we stopped one more time at Wentworth Falls and looked at the spectacular view one more time this trip. We talked about the walks we would like to do, but they are for when little legs are a bit bigger. Another beautiful Winters day in the mountains and the cold biting wind of the day before had dropped again, thank goodness. So final pictures of my picture heavy post are of girls squealing whilst twizzling on swings, Wentworth Falls and the surrounding valley.