Newcastle to Sydney - Via Palm Beach

[Newcastle Dave]

Not sure this really counts as touring given the short distance involved, but for the last few years a few friends and I have done a 2 or 3 day ride around the Hunter Valley area in the first week of the new year.

This year we were thinking of perhaps doing a two day ride from Newcastle to Sydney, but not the usual Pacific Highway route. We were thinking of heading down the central coast, catching the Ferry across to Palm Beach, then riding into Sydney proper. We are thinking of around the 3rd and 4th of January.

Now the Newcastle to Central coast shouldn't be an issue (I do Newcastle - The Entrance return several times a year, this isn't that much further and I think I can track a route from The Entrance ok), but I don't think I have ever been in Palm Beach, let alone ridden there.

Has anyone done anything similar and has any advice on the route ?

[RonK]

It’s mapped as an alternative route for the NSW Coastal Cycle Trail, so no doubt many have done it.

https://www.nswcoastcycle.com/

[trailgumby]

If you don't mind a bit of vertical, the route by the beaches through to Narrabeen is quite pleasant. It gets a bit nasty with rough pavement and lots of traffic after Ocean St Narrabeen joins Pittwater Rd, but if you cross Pittwater Rd you can link up with quite a nice off-road track that runs past the southern end of Narrabeen Lagoon to Cromer and from there you link up with bike paths through to Dee Why and can resume riding along the beaches to Manly.

Alternatively a right turn at Warriewood will link you up with the McCarrs Creek Road climb and you can take in West Head or Akuna Bay.

[Newcastle Dave]

If you don't mind a bit of vertical, the route by the beaches through to Narrabeen is quite pleasant. It gets a bit nasty with rough pavement and lots of traffic after Ocean St Narrabeen joins Pittwater Rd, but if you cross Pittwater Rd you can link up with quite a nice off-road track that runs past the southern end of Narrabeen Lagoon to Cromer and from there you link up with bike paths through to Dee Why and can resume riding along the beaches to Manly.

Alternatively a right turn at Warriewood will link you up with the McCarrs Creek Road climb and you can take in West Head or Akuna Bay.

Is that the dotted blue line in the map in the link above ? (going through Collaroy and Cromer down to Dee Why) Sorry to sound so ignorant but I don't really know the area

[trailgumby]

Is that the dotted blue line in the map in the link above ? (going through Collaroy and Cromer down to Dee Why) Sorry to sound so ignorant but I don't really know the area

That's the one.