Serendipity Canyon
Serendipity Canyon
Rock, water and sunlight woven together for one unforgettable adventure. A place where icy pools and slippery ledges turn nerves into laughter and a few spectacularly ungraceful landings. This week we swapped hiking boots for wetsuits and took on a canyoning adventure through Serendipity Canyon.
Quick Details
Length: 11.3km
Elevation: 708m (total)
Grade: Moderate
Best season: Warm months
Suitable for kids: Not for young children. Teens only with a competent guide.
Starting the Adventure
The sun was shining, the day warming up, and we were huddled round a wooden table filling our backpacks at Blue Mountains Climbing School headquarters. The walls were lined with gear, neatly organised and waiting for any adventure imaginable. Our guides for the day, Hugh and Bridie, moved around selecting ropes, clips and everything else we’d need.
Harnesses, helmets and wetsuits — oh my, the wetsuits. We tried them on to get the right size: twisting, stretching, jumping — and that was just to get them on. Let me tell you, I have a newfound respect for Catwoman. The goal: nice and tight, but still able to breathe. We zipped them up and no one passed out — goal achieved. Back into our regular clothes for now.
We piled into the van and headed off to where so many adventures start — the Mount Wilson fire station. It was here Jess noticed she had two helmets in her bag — and somehow I had none. Not sure how that happened, but thankfully there were enough helmets to go round. After reclaiming my helmet, we threw on our backpacks and headed off on the trail.
Five of us set out, with our guides Hugh and Bridie making it a team of seven in all. Normally I’d feel a bit nervous going into something like this, but after our previous adventure with Blue Mountains Climbing School, I knew we were in great hands — and we were all excited for what the day might bring.
The trail was easy to follow, although a little steep and slippery in places. As we reached the point where we could hear running water, Hugh went ahead to set up the first abseil and us girls emptied our bags and did the wetsuit-shuffle. Helmets and harnesses went on, and Bridie showed us how to secure the important stuff (like our lunch) in the dry bags.
The First Abseil
We soon caught up to Hugh, who had the ropes all set and ready. The first part was a rock slope made slippery by the water running over it, leading to a sharp edge and a short drop on the other side. Bridie went first to demonstrate and Hugh explained what she was doing and why. Bridie really makes these things look easy for the rest of us.
The first part definitely seemed easy enough: just walking backwards down the rock slope and trying not to slip on the green slimy stuff covering the rock — and even if we did slip, we were clipped into the ropes. All was going well for me until I reached the edge of the drop. “There should be a foothold down on your right,” called Hugh. I leaned in to find it when — whoosh — my legs went up, my butt went down, and I’m still not entirely sure how I ended up completely upside-down.
“That’s ok, just twist your legs round and slide down on your bum,” said Bridie — although she was a little hard to hear over our friend Annie doubled over in laughter. I was the only one to stack it on the first abseil — everyone else made it down without any issues.
Through the Canyon
Once we were all down the first abseil, we had a bit of distance to walk and wade to get to the second. Single file we went, over rocks, through water, under fallen trees — it felt a bit like playing Follow the Leader. The canyon was beautiful, moss- and fern-covered walls, pools of crystal-clear water. The perfect way to spend a sunny spring day.
The Beatles
Serendipity Canyon also goes by another name — “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” Named after a favourite track from The Beatles’ White Album — at least they didn’t go with “Rocky Raccoon Canyon.” I may not like the song, but I love the silly name it once had.
Back to the Canyon
Some of the pools we waded through were chest-deep — which was quite the shock when the cold water hit. Neoprene may not be the easiest walking attire, especially with thermals on underneath, but I can’t imagine how cold it would be without those extra layers.
The Second Abseil
“Welcome to the most awkward canyon abseil in the Blue Mountains to rig and run,” said Hugh, precariously balanced on a stone wedged between the boulders. Bridie went down first, followed by Jess. “Jess is a bit of a stealth abseiler,” said Hugh as she made it down perfectly. Next was Annie: “Try to keep your feet on the rock this time, hey Sam,” she said as she moved over to get clipped into the ropes.
Annie disappeared from view and thirty seconds later we heard her screaming below us. Hugh leaned over the edge: “So, Annie’s chosen to take the waterboarding route under the waterfall… maybe don’t do that.” Brilliant. Now she can’t make fun of me for stacking it on the first one any more. I clipped into the ropes and headed over for my turn.
I started my descent slowly as Hugh guided me on where to place my feet to navigate the tricky twists in the rock. “Now move your right foot down.” — “I can’t… all my weight is on that foot and it’s the only thing stopping me from spinning off to the side.” This is where my learning curve with abseiling currently is — figuring out not just how to move my body, but how to shift my centre of gravity before everything rests on one foot.
What I loved in that moment was that Hugh could see the problem I’d got myself into and knew exactly what to do. Instead of telling me to just get down the rope to keep the group moving, he took the time to help me get it right. Hugh pushed the ropes as far as he could to my left, taking the pressure off my right leg so I could take the next step and safely reach the pool at the bottom.
We were now in a tight constriction of the canyon with little light reaching us from the twisted walls above. Rachel and Bree soon made it down and we all shimmied through a gap between the rock and a log wedged above it into the next section, eager to find the sunlight to warm up.
Continuing Through The Canyon
We swam to shallower water where we could stand up again. The bags on our backs acted a bit like flotation devices because of the dry bags inside, so it was easier to float on your back and kick your legs. Honestly, there were a few barrel rolls from those of us with less experience.
The next section felt like a real adventure — swimming and wading through icy water, scrambling over rocks and squeezing between tight constrictions of the walls. “Just use your arms like chicken wings and brace yourself between them.” The canyon was as incredibly beautiful as it was fun to travel through.
The Third Abseil
On the third abseil Hugh and Bridie carefully measured out the rope needed to get us down. We’d be landing in a deep pool, and this way we’d only need to pull out a short length of rope on one side and unclip the safety rope before swimming away.
It was a little awkward going down this one, as the rock receded away from you as water cascaded down through the gap. I know I definitely ended up under the waterfall about half way down — which was actually kind of fun — not sure if that happened to anyone else, but we all managed to get down safely. The walls above us opened up, the sunlight lit the water and its reflections danced over the sandstone around us.
We sat in the sun to warm up while we waited for the others. The wetsuits helped stop our bodies from freezing, but our hands and feet were starting to feel the chill.
The Fourth Abseil
On the fourth abseil Hugh explained that it was kind of a jump… only he would be controlling when we jumped. Rather than us having control over the rope, Hugh would lower us down and, when we were close to the water’s surface, he’d let the rope go, dropping us in. We watched as Annie disappeared from view, shortly followed by the BANG as she hit the water.
“Who’s next?” said Hugh, looking at me. I stepped forward, quickly recounting the events of the day and whether I’d been nice enough to Hugh that he wasn't about to drop me from a great height in revenge. I must have been nice enough — I was almost in the water before he let go.
We reached the end of the canyon as we were all starting to feel cold and ready for lunch. We walked out over a sandstone ledge as Serendipity Canyon opened up to the Wollangambe River.
The Wollangambe
We headed upstream through crystal-clear water that shone the most amazing blues and greens in the sunlight. The water was warmer here — it felt more like wading through the ocean on a tropical island than through a canyon in the Blue Mountains.
Just a few minutes of wading upstream and we scrambled up to a rock to change out of our wetsuits and into dry clothes. A few in the group jumped off the rock into the water before getting changed. We opted out of the jump — I’d reinjured my knee a week ago, which was now starting to hurt, and Jess wasn't feeling up for it. Most importantly though, it was now time for lunch.
The sandwiches were a little squished but tasted amazing — shoutout to Altitude Cafe in Blackheath for their incredible coffee and sandwiches. Hugh and Bridie handed out thermoses of hot tea to warm us up as we finished lunch and repacked our bags.
“How bad is the knee?” asked Bridie. “Because we can take some stuff out of your pack to make it easier on you…” — “Absolutely not,” I said. There was no way I was letting someone else carry my gear out — in case you haven’t realised by now, my pride is typically my downfall.
The Climb Back Up The Hill
We threw our packs on and started walking. The first part was more of a rock scramble with little shade. It was tough going. Half the group who were ahead stopped to catch their breath and wait for the rest of us. I was struggling. I turned to find Bridie, hands on hips: “So, can I take stuff out of your pack yet?” — “Still no,” I said, turning and marching up the hill to the others.
The trail got easier and soon became more of a foot track rather than a scramble. We stopped again by a Geebung tree — which I suspected was deliberate — when Hugh suddenly launched into reciting “The Geebung Polo Club” by Banjo Paterson. Honestly, it was pretty impressive.
All too soon we were back at our cars and the day’s adventure was over. From rocky scrambles to jumping into pools, abseiling down cascades to wandering between canyon walls. From The Beatles to Banjo Paterson, the day was over — and we were already planning the next adventure.
Our Guides for the Day
The Blue Mountains Climbing School has been around since 1984, and is owned and run by local guides who are genuinely passionate about the outdoors. Between them, the team has a huge wealth of knowledge and experience. They offer a wide range of activities across all skill levels — from climbing and abseiling to canyoning and more. Whether you’re after a half-day intro or a multi-day expedition beyond the Blue Mountains, they’ve got something for everyone.
Their courses and guided trips run with small groups, so you’re not just another helmet in the lineup — you actually get time to learn, ask questions, and get the most out of the day. The best bit? They’re super flexible. Whether you’re chasing a new skill, want a fun day out, or have a specific goal in mind, they’ll happily tailor the experience to suit you or your crew.
Tips and Tricks (and Thanks)
Thanks to Rachel, Bree, and Annie for being so much fun to hang out with on the day’s adventure — we hope you’ll all be there for the next one.
If you’ve never been canyoning before, the Blue Mountains really is the best place to try it… as well as rock climbing, abseiling, hiking, and every outdoor activity in between.
We highly recommend booking your outdoor activities with the Blue Mountains Climbing School. They really know their stuff, they’re super friendly, and they have so much on offer.
A massive thank you to our amazing guides Hugh and Bridie — thank you for the extra photos, for keeping us safe, and making it such a fun and supportive experience.