Posts Tagged ‘Sydney Rides’


Start: Blackheath Station
End: Mount Victoria Station
Total distance: 68km
Strava link

I have been eyeing off this trip for months. The trip was foiled twice when thunderstorms were forecast over the Blue Mountains and twice due to track works on the Blue Mountains line. Today was the day. I cycled down part of the Six Foot Trail to Cox’s River with the famous swinging bridge. Returning to civilisation with a train station was a steep affair on a beautiful back road.

The last 7km into Mt Victoria from the west is very dangerous, and I won’t be doing that again. It involves a steep climb up a windy main road with only one lane in each direction, no space to the side of the road, and railings stopping an emergency escape.

The rain had set in by the time I reached Mt Victoria and the traffic was bumper to bumper, so I decided to call it a day there rather than returning to my starting point at Blackheath.

Early morning on the Megalong Valley Road

Early morning on the Megalong Valley Road

The Six Foot Trail

The Six Foot Trail

The Six Foot Trail

The Six Foot Trail

The morning sunlight over the Six Foot Trail

The morning sunlight over the Six Foot Trail

The Six Foot Trail

The Six Foot Trail

The suspension bridge over Cox's River

The suspension bridge over Cox’s River

The suspension bridge over Cox's River

The suspension bridge over Cox’s River

Crossing Cox's River

Crossing Cox’s River

On the way back to the Great Western Highway

On the way back to the Great Western Highway

Cox's River

Cox’s River

66,000km for the bike

66,000km for the bike


Start: Lithgow Station
End: Richmond Station
Total distance: 102km
Strava link

Bowens Creek is at the bottom of a deep gully. It is famous for its canyoning, but, on this trip, I explored it on a road closed to traffic because of a dilapidated bridge crossing the river. It involves a beautiful descent into the valley and a bumpy climb along a road that has all but returned to nature.

To end the day I visited the Burralow Creek campground and waterfall.

Early morning leaving Lithgow

Early morning leaving Lithgow

The coal mine

The coal mine

Wynns lookout

Wynns lookout

Near Mt Wilson

Near Mt Wilson

Bowens Creek

Bowens Creek

Climbing out from Bowens Creek

Climbing out from Bowens Creek

Climbing out from Bowens Creek

Climbing out from Bowens Creek

The waterfall at Burralow Creek

The waterfall at Burralow Creek


Start: Moss Vale Station
End: Kiama Station
Total distance: 117km
Strava link

With a sense of trepidation I set out to cycle past all the major waterfalls in the Southern Highlands. I didn’t expect to be amongst the crowds the whole day. In particular, I had read Belmore Falls was more remote and quiet due to the dirt roads, and the closed walking path to the base was only ventured by intrepid walkers.
Well, looking over Belmore Falls from the top, drone buzzing overhead, I noticed that not only at the top, but at the base there were swarms of instragrammers (OK, like me). I ticked off all of the waterfalls, but was never alone, and couldn’t reach any serenity.
The dirt track to Gerrigong Falls was the most beautiful, passing through some highlands open terrain to the edge of the waterfall.

On the way to Fitzroy Falls

On the way to Fitzroy Falls

Fitzroy Falls

Fitzroy Falls

On the way to Belmore Falls

On the way to Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Nellie's Glen

Nellie’s Glen

Carrington Falls

Carrington Falls

On the way to Gerrigong Falls

On the way to Gerrigong Falls

On the way to Gerrigong Falls

On the way to Gerrigong Falls

Gerrigong Falls

Gerrigong Falls

Gerrigong Falls

Gerrigong Falls


Start: Mittagong Station
End: Mittagong Station
Total distance: 139km
Strava link

This was always going to be a long day – a 70km ride each-way ending in a 500m drop on a dirt road to the Wollondilly River and a 500m climb out the other side. It was, however, a beautiful trip to the Wombeyan Caves. There is a lot to see there. I only saw the limestone gorge and went for a swim in its beautiful clear cold waters.

The road to Wombeyan Caves

The road to Wombeyan Caves

The tunnel on the way to Wombeyan Caves

The tunnel on the way to Wombeyan Caves

The descent to the Wollondilly River

The descent to the Wollondilly River

On the way to Wombeyan Caves

On the way to Wombeyan Caves

Limestone Gorge at Wombeyan Caves

Limestone Gorge at Wombeyan Caves

Limestone Gorge at Wombeyan Caves

Limestone Gorge at Wombeyan Caves

Turtle in the middle of the road

Turtle in the middle of the road


Start: Home
End: Home
Total distance: 122km
Strava link

With more uncertain weather in the Blue Mountains, this was another cycle nearer to home. I explored the Kurnell peninsula and visited some beaches around Botany Bay.

The highlight was the path along the clifftops on the Kurnell peninsula. It feels quite remote and rugged. It is a peaceful place to sit on the cliff’s edge and watch the waves crash against the rocks below.

The Cronulla sand dunes

The Cronulla sand dunes

Kurnell peninsula

Kurnell peninsula

A place with a view: Kurnell peninsula

A place with a view: Kurnell peninsula

Watching the waves crashing: Kurnell peninsula

Watching the waves crashing: Kurnell peninsula

Kurnell peninsula

Kurnell peninsula

Kurnell peninsula

Kurnell peninsula


Start: Home
End: Home
Total distance: 107km
Strava link

With uncertain weather forecast, this was a ride staying near home. The goal was to visit the three heads of Sydney Harbour – the north, middle and south heads, and to swim at as many beaches as possible.

Sydney harbour is amazing with so many beaches, heads and points of land, many as parts of the Sydney Harbour National Park. This gives the feel of being far away from it all, even though you are only within minutes of civilisation.

Sunrise at the North Head

Sunrise at the North Head

View from the North Head

View from the North Head

Looking at the South Head from the North Head

Looking at the South Head from the North Head

My little friends

My little friends

The Middle Head

The Middle Head

The Middle Head

The Middle Head

Bradleys Head

Bradleys Head

Shark Beach

Shark Beach


Start: Lithgow Station
End: Lithgow Station Station
Total distance: 120km
Strava link

This ride through the backroads behind the Wolgan Valley interchanged between the racket of a group of motorbike rides and the serenity of being along gazing over the beautiful expanses of the Wolgan Valley.

After a mud bath standing next to a sizable puddle (see the video) and traversing some steep rocky roads, I pushed my way out onto the Glen Davis Road which was the start of a race to get back to Lithgow to catch the last train leaving at a reasonable hour. I arrived at Lithgow station at 19:47 and the train left at 19:48. *Happy*

The back road behind the Wolgan Valley cliff faces

The back road behind the Wolgan Valley cliff faces

View out over the Wolgan Valley

View out over the Wolgan Valley

The Wolgan Valley back road

The Wolgan Valley back road

The bikers near Baal Bone Gap

The bikers near Baal Bone Gap

The road down from Baal Bone Gap

The road down from Baal Bone Gap

Heading towards Glen Davis Road

Heading towards Glen Davis Road

Heading towards Glen Davis Road

Heading towards Glen Davis Road


Start: Home
End: Macarthur Station
Total distance: 135km
Strava link

With thunderstorms forecast at lunch time, I started cycling from home at 3am to get some kilometres done. Wattamolla Beach in the Royal National Park for sunrise and the Dharawal National Park for the isolation before returning to the train at Macarthur.

Wattamolla Beach at sunrise

Wattamolla Beach at sunrise

Maddens Falls

Maddens Falls

Dharawal National Park

Dharawal National Park

Dharawal National Park

Dharawal National Park


Start: Newcastle Station
End: Newcastle Station
Total distance: 88km
Strava link

Tin City is a collection of tin shacks on an endless beach surrounded by sand dunes. 4x4s drive along the beach, and so I thought I could do that too – with my bike.

At my first attempt, I failed to make it to the beach at all, being hemmed in in the soft sand by nesting birds on the shore side, and active mines on the far side.

At my second attempt, I made it to the water by pushing my bike through soft sand. The sand was also soft along the shoreline, forcing me to return to the road.

My third attempt saw me leave my bike at the base of the sandhills and walk to Tin City.

Sunrise at Newcastle

Sunrise at Newcastle

The soft sand highway

The soft sand highway

The bike and the sun

The bike and the sun

Looking down

Looking down

The road to Tin City

The road to Tin City

Tin City

Tin City

Tin City

Tin City

An Adelaide pie floater in Newcastle

An Adelaide pie floater in Newcastle


Start: Woodford Station
End: Richmond Station
Total distance: 66km
Strava link

Lost World is a beautiful lookout above Glenbrook Creek. It is not that easy to get to – either a hike down into the valley and up again from Springwood station and Martins Lookout, or a hike down into the valley and up again from Glenbrook station. The latter hike was what I did with my bike. The easiest access by bike is from Woodford station, down the Oaks Track and then turn-off onto St Helena Ridge Trail.

The road to Lost World along the St Helena Ridge track is a bit bumpy, turning into a narrow track which involves a bit of bush-bashing. The road from there back to Glenbrook involves hauling the bike over boulders and the like. In the valley is a beautiful water hole – Duck Hole. A nice swim is warranted, as it a jump into the water from the rope.

Riding to Lost World in the morning light

Riding to Lost World in the morning light

The road narrows

The road narrows

The path to Lost World

The path to Lost World

The path to Duck Hole

The path to Duck Hole

The path to Duck Hole

The path to Duck Hole

Duck Hole

Duck Hole

Duck Hole

Duck Hole

Hawkesbury Heights

Hawkesbury Heights

Lost World

Lost World