RNP traffic levels

[ab012]

Hi everyone

I was exploring the Royal National Park on sunday (we were intending to do a variant of the clockwise RNP loop) with a couple of friends but we were a bit shocked at the amount of traffic going through it from 830 onwards - it was almost non stop Was not fun. Is this normal for a sunday /weekends?

Separately - I presume inside the park would be quiet during the week so might be good to try to head there at those times when i find the time - but whats the traffic like on the Princes highway on-road return segments at those times (or would it be better to just return via the Park again)?

Thanks for your views in advance!

[guyc]

Traffic goes up when it's beach weather, especially between Loftus and Audley/Bundeena. But if you time your ride so you do that section early it's not too bad. Or just go when it's raining.

Also - Princes Highway from Loftus to Waterfall isn't too bad most times outside of rush hour, with marked cycle lanes for most of it. Might take some getting used to though.

[wardie]

For mid-week early morning rides, I find what's called the Reverse Park loop (enter at Audley come out at Waterfall) a better ride as you have far less traffic. In Winter on this loop, it's not uncommon to not have a car pass you at all until you get back on the highway. My preferred midweek is ride is - ride along the highway to Waterfall, go down the hill, ride up Garie Hill, ride back down Garie Hill and then up Waterfall and then home along the highway.

On the weekends, the opposite loop is normally lighter on traffic as there is usually less people leaving the park as compared to entering it.

As mentioned, the ride from Sutherland to Waterfall and return is pretty good along the highway. You have a decent sized shoulder from the bike track to Yarrawarra and then a lane from there to the otherside of Heathcote. The lane you ride in is normally car free as they tend to use the other 2 lanes. Just be careful around Engadine Station as the parked cars make you come out into the middle lane. After Heathcote, there's a decent shoulder again all the way to Waterfall.

The return from Waterfall can get a bit hairy through Heathcote shops as the parked cars mean you have to use the middle lane. I find if you take up the middle lane and ride hard for the 100 odd metres then there's not usually an issue. You someties get a car up your behind just a bit further on when they are trying to turn left into Heathcote Rd. I've never had a car be impatient with me in that situation though.

The next sticky situation is opposite Engadine Station where there's a decent amount of parked cars in front of the units. I find this the worst bit of the whole ride. You can always bypass it by heading through Engadine shops and coming out at the next set of traffic lights.

Now the most dangerous part of the ride is going past the exit into Anzac Ave. You can stop at the top of the intersection and there's a litle bike dismount section in between the median strip. But I don't reckon that's safe and prefer to stay in the traffic lane and merge with the lane coming from Anzac Ave just past the intersection when safe to do so. I've seen people ride in the little bit of shoulder across the top of the intersection, but if there's a car coming up from Anzac Ave and one next to you you don't have anyway to go except into either lane with moving traffic. I treat this intersetion as if I was in a car. Yes I take up the lane from the traffic lights (approx 200m) but cars seems to be rather tolerant.

[ab012]

Thanks for the advice! Looking forward to it