Riding the Sea Cliff Bridge

[michael_w]

Over summer I'll be migrating north to visit family in Sydney and Wollongong. Having lived in Wollongong as a lad, and now a keen cyclist, I'm also keen to relive my yoof and ride from "somewhere in Sydney" (don't know the departure point yet) to Wollongong via the Royal National Park, Sea Cliff Bridge and on to Towradgi.

I haven't ridden any part of that route for over 20 years - when I rode the Sydney to the Gong as an 18 year old with no training at all (the things young people get away with!).

Anyway, are there any parts of the trip on which I'll need to take special care? Is this route ok for cyclists outside of Sydney to the Gong? (Is that the way Sydney to the Gong still rides?). I saw an article in the first edition of Cyclist magazine in which they rode the Sea Cliff Bridge and I'm looking forward to riding that new road (without fear of rockfalls!).

On a side note, I remember my brother and I riding the other way as kids - from Woonona to the Royal National Park and back, taking the makings of a sausage sizzle with us to cook lunch in the national park. He was on his 24" Repco 10 speed. And me? On my BMX! Yep, up Bald Hill and the whole nine yards on my trusty BMX. Young people!

[sogood]

Seacliff Bridge has a shared path on the side. That's what you should use normally.

[clackers]

This is it, Michael:



I drove from Sydney to Wollongong a few weeks ago through the National Park. You don't really see much of the sea from the road within the park - it's worth the side trips to get to the coast before resuming your trip. It looked to be a very good ride, similar to the Otways in Victoria, so not much of a shoulder and there are blind turns.

I liked the towns to the north of Wollongong, which obviously have an advantage over those along the Great Ocean Road in Vic in that they have their railway line.

[sogood]

Cyclists regularly ride down that coastal route. No big deal. Just do it.

[GAV!N]

No real problem areas on that road. I've ridden the sea cliff bridge several times, on the road. Maybe I 'Should' have been using the cycle path....but have had no issues on the road.

[X-ray]

I ride those roads almost on weekly basis. If you ride on a weekend morning you'll have the company hundreds of other cyclist.

It's generally quite safe. Motorist expect to come across cyclists. As Sogood said, just do it.

[grantw]

Yes its a very popular cycling route on any day if the week. .

[michael_w]

Thanks to everybody for the feedback. December 27 it is then Looking forward to it.