Mummy, my legs hurt

Near Wolgan Valley Distance: 7.5km Duration: Around 2.5 hours A magical walk we did in winter, with crystallized frost on the grass and an interesting assortment of ruins from the old mining days. You've got to be pretty self sufficient for this one; Newnes itself is one hotel and a road - that's pretty much it - so bring lots of snacks and water, more than you think you'll need as you're a long way from anywhere if you get delayed! There's interpretive signage everywhere so you can see what's what. You can just explore a little area or do the entire site if you feel like it. We were lucky enough to see a wombat in broad daylight, hanging around the nearby campground and generally nonplussed about us staring at him. The kids got really close before he skittered back into his burrow! This was a really lovely walk with something everywhere you look to keep the kids occupied. The ruins are scattered on the side of a s...

Where: Middle Head, off Chowder Bay Rd Distance: 5.5km Duration: a bit over 2 hours Richie comes up with all the good ideas. Today we decided to go east for a change, heading towards the harbour to explore middle head forts. Complete with underground tunnels dating back to the 1870s and lots of gun turrets, ammunition stores and lookout points, it was a fantastic place to bring the kids. Very little was 'out of bounds' and they could go in around and over all the old structures, which kept them interested for a couple of hours.  The forts were built in the 1870's, used later during WWII, and the area is still active today with HMAS Penguin naval hospital located at the site. Although it was mid morning on a weekend, we only saw a handful of other people, and had lots of space to run around and explore. Apart from a few sketchy cliff edges and former ammunition stores to fall into like the one below, it was a great place for the little peo...

Near Newnes NSW Distance: 5km Duration: 2.5 hours including snack breaks We have been planning to get out to Newnes again for a while now, especially considering that the continued conservation of this magical areas hangs in the balance due to pressure from coal mining companies. I hope that it will be protected for years to come but just in case, we want to explore it thoroughly while we can, whilst it is still relatively untouched. Although there is definite evidence of human interference already; the native bush areas are in stark contrast to the endless clearfelled forestry-owned areas that you drive through to get to the walking tracks. The Newnes plateau is best known for its unusual rock formations known as pagodas; craggy stepped outcrops that have formed over millions of years. From the NPWS website: "The geological evolution of this park has produced Triassic Narrabeen sandstone cliffs, slot canyons, grand mesas and the beautiful, yet often strangely delicate...

Distance: 12km  Duration: 2 1/2 hours including plenty of photo stops and a snack break Everyone has seen photos of this iconic spot - the ubiquitous wide shots featuring the token silhouetted adventure seeker out on the precipice.  But I'm embarrassed to say, I wasn't even 100% sure where hanging rock was . 'Top of the mountains?' was as close as I could guess without checking Google maps. So on one warm kid free day, Richie and I decided to explore Burramoko trail (the 10km return walk to the cliff edge), and hanging rock itself, an additional short but very steep and hairy downward scramble along the top of a sheer cliff face, with bugger all in between you and the bottom of the Grose valley. The walk itself is easy with only a few smallish hills. It's long and exposed to the sun though, so slip slop slap if you don't get out there nice and early. The main fire trail walk is pretty and relatively easy going, but it's...