According to their tourism guff Blackheath is a beautiful blue mountains village with a busy shopping centre providing everything from cafes, restaurants & hotels to antique & collectable shops, pre-loved goods & book shops. It is home to delectable gourmet pies and offers extensive automotive services and the surrounding Megalong Valley and Centennial Glen offer a choice of Horse Riding and other adventure activities.

Many of the accommodation choices in Blackheath are in idyllic mountain settings - B & B's, Guest Houses, Cottages, Motels, Romantic & Executive Retreats, Self contained accommodation, caravan parks and hotels.

Some of the best blue mountains bushwalks are in the Blackheath area and other bushwalks and beautiful vistas are ten minutes in either direction in the Katoomba and Mount Victoria areas.

But what concerns us is the riding.

Hanging Rock

The firetrail to Hanging Rock (also known as Baltzer Lookout) starts around 500m North of the Blackheath train station. If arriving by train, exit the station to the East (Great Western Highway) and turn left (North). Proceed until you meet the firetrail (Ridgewell Road) on the right.

From here it's a fairly easy 6km ride out (one way - don't forget to leave energy for the return) to the end,

Anvil Rock & Perry's Lookout

The firetrail to these two scenic points starts a little further from the station, 2.7km to be precise, at the end of Godson Ave, although there is an alternate entry end of Hat Hill Road.

It's around 5km ride out (again one way) from the end of either of these roads to Anvil Rock. Visiting Perry's Lookout will add an additional 2km or so.

All up then, there is an over 20km ride to be had here if one visits all these lookouts - certainly a worthy trip for the views alone.

It is worth noting that there is a firetrail that connects Hanging Rock trail to Robb Ave which means one does not have to return to Blackheath station to join the two.