Your Guide To The Blue Mountains Bookshop Trail

You won’t need your hiking boots for this Blue Mountains trail.

You’ve heard of the countless incredible nature walks in the Blue Mountains. But what about those of us who prefer to stay inside and exercise our minds rather than our bodies?

There’s a different kind of trail enticing travellers to the region, replacing water bottles with cups of coffee and hiking boots with books. Stopping at 11 bookshops along the way, the Blue Mountains Bookshop Trail is perfect for everyone who loves a good read, from the well-read bibliophile to bookish beginners.

1. Blue Dragon Books, Glenbrook

The trail begins at the foot of the Blue Mountains in Glenbrook, known for its hip cafes and friendly community. Located in an unassuming arcade, Blue Dragon Books is stacked with second-hand tomes. With over 18,000 books lining the walls (and sometimes the floor!), it’s truly a book lover’s paradise.

New stock is added almost every day from donations, which the staff may exchange for store credit if you bring something they’re looking for. Buy as many books as your hands can hold, everything is priced affordably. And before you leave, peruse the handmade bookmarks and trinkets at the front desk.

Blue Dragon Books is brimming with second-hand reads.

2. The Turning Page Bookshop, Springwood

Your next stop is Springwood, home to The Turning Page Bookshop and the recently closed Springwood Book Lounge, which whittled the list down from 12 to 11. Located on the main drag, The Turning Page is bright and homely, with soft music guiding you through the rows of books.

A shelf full of staff favourites and recs greet visitors upon entry, adding to the air of friendliness and familiarity. Many happily fall into the trap at the door; a collection of bookish paraphernalia including bookmarks, pencil cases, tote bags, socks, stationary, cards and notebooks. They make for the perfect addition to a book-filled purchase.

3. Chapters and Leaves, Faulconbridge

Two of a bookworm’s favourite things combine at Chapters and Leaves in Faulconbridge: tea and books! The teahouse has over 150 delicious teas on offer, which you can sip in-store as you read or purchase to take home.

The locally owned space is all about community. Chapters and Leaves sells a range of ‘Mountains made’ gifts and hosts regular book clubs, craft groups and charity events. Whether you opt to sit outside with your favourite brew and a plate of homemade scones or browse the shelves for a good book inside, Chapters and Leaves is sure to delight.

4. RoseyRavelston Books, Lawson

Stepping into RoseyRavelston Books in Lawson is like visiting your favourite grandma. From the classical carpets to mismatched photo frames and a big leather armchair in the corner, it’s comfort at its finest. With an extensive collection of fiction, non-fiction and rare books, it’s a shop any book lover could spend hours in.

It can even be hired out for private groups, meaning you and your friends can have the whole place to yourself for up to two hours. RoseyRavelston isn’t just any old bookstore either, it’s making a difference, one book at a time. As a strong advocate for refugees, 50 per cent of profits made at the shop go to local refugee charities.

RoseyRavelston in Lawson is the epitome of cosy.

5. Good Earth Bookshop, Wentworth Falls

Next on your bookish adventure is Good Earth Bookshop, where the idea for the Blue Mountains Book Trail originated. Good Earth is all about making the world a better place with books. The cosy store is brimming with preloved books, with a small selection of new editions as well.

You can also join one of the many groups hosted here, from a variety of book clubs to zine-making sessions and crafty collabs with a side of tea. Make sure to add a few vintage collectables, games or toys to your cart on the way to the register, too. Located within Renae’s Arcade, this is one you don’t want to miss.

Good Earth Bookshop in Wentworth Falls, NSW

Snuggle up with a good read at Good Earth Bookshop.

6. Wyrd Books, Wentworth Falls

Just down the road, you’ll stumble into Wyrd Books. With a specific focus on fantasy, sci-fi and horror, this bookshop may not have something for everyone, but it’s still worth a visit. And for those who love these three genres, it may just become your new favourite.

The shop also prioritises first-edition hardcovers, meaning your collection just got a whole lot cooler. If you can’t make it to the store, fear not. The prized collection at Wyrd is completely catalogued on their website and available for purchase. Book blurbs online also come with reviews and recommendations!

7. Megalong Books, Leura

Megalong Books is a favourite among locals and tourists alike, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s the quintessential bookstore; soft music, packed wooden shelves and that bookish smell that every reader loves.

Megalong houses almost every genre you can think of. From gardening to cooking, history to politics, poetry to classics and everything in between, all bookworms are catered for here. And if all this book shopping is making you hungry, you’re in luck. There are plenty of cosy cafes in Leura to dine at before you hit the trail again.

Megalong Books is a reader’s paradise. (Image: Taylah Darnell)

8. Mr Pickwick’s Fine Old Books, Katoomba

After fuelling up in Leura, make tracks for Mr Pickwick’s Fine Old Books, just a page-turn away in Katoomba. As the name suggests, this store is a haven for old and rare books. Those visiting the area may be thrown off when they enter the store, as the ground level is adorned with everything vintage. Think clothes, homewares, toys, jewellery, furniture and art.

But downstairs is where the real magic happens: the bookstore. There are plenty of modern novels, but just like upstairs, there’s a whole lot of vintage, too. Collectors will have a field day here, with books dating back to the early 1800s.

Mr Pickwick's Old Fine Books in Katoomba, NSW

Head downstairs to check out the bookshop at Mr Pickwick’s.

9. The Little Lost Bookshop, Katoomba

Hidden down Hapenny Lane among a selection of small stores perfect for wandering through is The Little Lost Bookshop. The two-story reader’s haven is a peaceful place promising plenty of books. On the first floor, visitors will find a range of fiction and non-fiction reads, as well as a good selection of Blue Mountains-based books.

Upstairs, second-hand books await their new home. You can pick up board games, cards, bookmarks and unique gifts, too. Fitting 12 bookshops into one day may be a challenge for some. With so many great places to stay in Katoomba, spend the night to wake up refreshed and ready to round out the trail the next day.

The Little Lost Bookshop in Katoomba, NSW

The Little Lost Bookshop sits on Hapenny Lane. (Image: Taylah Darnell)

10. Gleebooks, Blackheath

Popular Sydney bookstore Gleebooks has set up shop in Blackheath. Fans of the Dulwich Hill and Glebe locations will know this one is a must. Sitting between an art gallery and an antique store on the main drag, Gleebooks is another one of those bookshops that readers could while the day away in.

Shelves upon shelves of books entice many “just one more" comments from browsing bookworms. Gleebooks Blackheath also hosts community events throughout the year, including author talks, live readings and book launches. All are welcome!

Gllebooks Blackheath is the 11th stop on the trail. (Image: Seamus Reece)

11. A Reader’s Heaven, Lithgow

If the name doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will. Follow the Great Western Highway down the Mt Victoria side of the mountains and you’ll find the cosy town of Lithgow, home to A Reader’s Heaven. This bookshop may be the last on the Blue Mountains Book Trail, but it’s worth the extra bit of travel time.

Home to a vast collection of both new and preloved books, visitors here are sure to get lost among the shelves. The couple who own and run A Reader’s Heaven, Paul and Jo, are very friendly, always offering fantastic book recommendations, and they love their bookstore so much, that they even got married there.

A Reader's Heaven Bookshop in Lithgow, NSW

Get lost among the maze of books at A Reader’s Heaven.

Memories of a childhood in Japan were the inspiration behind Aqua Ignis, a new Blue Mountains bathhouse.

A new revolutionary bathhouse in the Blue Mountains is redefining wellness by drawing on ancient bathing traditions from around the world. Aqua Ignis co-founder Taku Hjelgaard says it was the experience of visiting an onsen near his grandparents’ home in Osaka that first inspired this contemporary take on a bathhouse.

“I remember riding on a bike around the narrow winding streets of Osaka, immersing myself in these giant baths and then lying on my back in the tatami room feeling relaxed and rejuvenated,” says Taku, who was born in Japan, but raised in the UK and Australia.

“I would ride home with the wind in my hair at night through these beautiful Japanese streets. These memories are etched in my mind and ultimately inspired the creation of Aqua Ignis,” says Taku.

the front of Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

Aqua Ignis is the newest bathhouse to open in the Blue Mountains.

The name Aqua Ignis draws from the Latin: Aqua (water), which represents the bath and steam room elements; and Ignis (fire), which represents the sauna. Taku says the two words capture the core experience of visiting the Blackheath bathhouse.

“It’s that interplay between hot and cold, water and heat. One of the things I really love about Japanese bathhouses is that it’s therapy for both the mind and the body. It’s engaging in a hot and cold treatment, soaking up the magnesium, and then having a really restorative rest in our beautiful spaces,” says Taku, who also works part-time as a counsellor.

Taku’s brother-in-law, Korean-German architect Siki Im was behind the transformation of the old Art Deco property that houses Aqua Ignis. Taku’s business partner, carpenter Lee Nias, was also involved in the transformation of the heritage structure. The building was reimagined as a ‘room within a room’ concept that allows for fluid transitions between spaces.

inside Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

Not only does the bathhouse feature onsen-like baths, but it also has steam rooms and saunas.

Taku says Aqua Ignis also nods to Turkish hammams with its herbal-infused steam rooms.

“My business partner Lee’s heritage is a real mix. He’s part Chinese, part Indian, part Irish, part English. Our architect is Korean but lives in Germany. And my heritage is Japanese so it makes sense that we blend a lot of different global traditions together,” he says.

Both Lee and Taku grew up in the Blue Mountains and say Aqua Ignis is a way of giving back to the community. Taku says the ultimate goal is for visitors to experience a uniquely Australian form of wellness. “It’s wellness that respects diverse cultural practices while creating something entirely new,” Taku says.

“We are eternally grateful to the Blue Mountains, the people, the landscape, the trees, the water that has shaped us. Our way of giving back to community is by creating this bathhouse, which reflects the country’s rich, complex cultural landscape,” he says.

Taku says he and Lee have been consulting with a local Gundungurra woman to incorporate Indigenous Australian elements through a eucalyptus cleansing ceremony.

the sauna at Aqua Ignis bathhouse, Blue Mountains

The hot rock sauna is a nod to the European tradition.

Aqua Ignis has a hot rock sauna, herbal steam room, magnesium mineral bath, cold plunge and rest areas. Together, Taku says the treatments provide visitors with a space to reset.

You can find Aqua Ignis at 239 Great Western Highway, Blackheath, NSW

Stretch your legs on one of these hikes in the Blue Mountains. Next, enjoy a restorative session at Aqua Ignis, followed by a stay at one of these cosy Blue Mountains cabins?

This Blue Mountains Bookshop Trail is a bibliophile’s dream come true