Favorite Sydney Trail

[mountain tamer]

Hey everyone,

just trying to broaden my horizons and try some new tracks around the Sydney region, you guys have any favorites ???

cheers,

MT

[toolonglegs]

Used to love my 2 hour loop in Epping / Lane Cove Nat park...but in the last few years it has been smoothed out way too much.
St Helena's off the Oaks is a blast.
Manly dam is the best training route around...4 or 5 laps of that is a good work out.
Best fun is park at Junction of Wakehurst Parkway / road up to Oxford Falls...park just by the raod water bar,ride up towards Oxford Falls,take the dirt road towards the nursery,at the end ride up the single track to the Oxford Falls fire trail,turn left and carry along fire trail,turn right just before the model aeroplane area,ride the single track (old XC course ) clockwise with a few detours for the drop offs.Take the left hand trail 3/4 of the way down the down hill section...follow that out to top of rocks with the great view...take the extreme or not so extreme downhill section to deep creek...ride right thru deep creek to wakehurst parkway...turn right along road for a k or so then left into sports centre and climb up to top of hill on fire trail to dam...stay left and climb / walk to top of that section,turn left for 500meters and then take single track (awesum) back down to fire trail you just came up,carry back up the fire trail to dam again and go right after the dam and climb to top of hill...follow all the way back to Wakehurst Parkway about 400 meters from where you parked...about 1.5-2hr of awesum riding!.

[ukalipt]

Winmalee
i am still really partial to my local at winmalee ride.
it isn't hard unless you want it to be and it is also a
really nice summer ride. once your bridge the shaws ridge
the bottom section through the swamp is rainforest-esk,
cool and undulating. if you want to make it ultra hard you
can turn right and make your way up bee's nest hill,
which is an ultra hard climb [about 20% for over 1km]
that takes you to the top, turn right and make your way
to a really nice lookout. the only "thing" with this ride
is it is a little short [for some] but you can always do the loop
twice if your up for it.
a link to the ride here
here some pics of the ride



Yellomundee - XC track
for a general trail that is quiet flat and mainly single track
yellomundee is a good place. it is a bit of a labyrinth if you aren't
familiar with the trails but it is a good mixture of skills that will push
you in many different ways. some river crossings, some technical
downhill places [not fast, just short but medium drop offs], some fast sections, etc. great ride for a couple of friends to do together.
a link to the ride here

[Hawkeye]

Manly Dam... but then I live right next to it.

[jimbob]

Ditto for Manly Dam. 200+ laps later and still keen to ride it every week.

But do also like Yellowmundee (bring on the NZO 12 hour) and only done Ourimbah the once but really liked that as well.

[ukalipt]

stromlo blew my mind away, and my legs and arms.
it was an amazing track that you could tell had been
"designed" not just hacked out of the land.

i would seriously make it a plan at some point to go
there, it is worth any travel time required. i know it isn't
in sydney but 1 more time... it is worth the trip

[chillbro]

+1 for Yellowmundee. It is a great ride.

The Oaks is ok also. Nice cruisy ride

[Wollemi]

A fortnight ago I reversed The Oaks for the first time.
After donating blood at Nepean Hospital (and having an adult Measles, Mumps and Rubella shot earlier in the day), was feeling a bit peeved at how much time was lost with business. Aditionally disappointed by the continued tenderness/tendonitis to the ball of my foot - hadn't cycled for 5 days and my feet ached all of yesterday. Stuff it - I need to do something dynamic (and I could ring the podiatrist tomorrow).

I took the train to Glenbrook, and immediately left there at 4.30pm. Using the road, arrived at the low locked gate half hour later. Stuffed my face, and internal debate started over just when to turn on the lights - twilight and a Western heading and all that. It was certainly a cool evening, but as my back was soaked in sweat, I chose to remain in the short sleeve top only. Walked uphill on four periods of time; distinctly recall only just getting out of the left cleat on time on three occasions, due to the fact of picking a line through the churned up road proved a little tricky.
Stoked to see the lights of Woodford! Topped up my water bottle at the gate at 7.05 and in the streets apologised to a local out walking for having my lights in his eyes. Caught the 7.12 train.
Felt great, and some of that was put down to having a litre of vege juice in my backpack at the top of the single track. Certainly was long gone by the time I finished, as was much of the foot pain; sure it hurt to walk uphill in CF soles, but my feet were 90% pain free by this ride. Dunno why.
The thrill of the day that continued to get better and better carried me through a late working-week and working weekend to come.