Best route sydney to wollongong

[pug_ant]

Hi Guys,

Turns out my little brother is having his 21st b'day in wollongong in a couple of weeks and I thought this might be a nice opportunity to ride down for the first time. I'm pretty confident of making the distance ok but was wondering if someone could direct me on the most bicycle friendly route. I live in kingsford in the eastern suburbs but I've never ridden further south than out on to the kurnell point over the goerge's river bridge, which I wouldn't have thought would be the best way to get to wollongong. Am I best just to head down the pacific hwy? it seems like it would be a touch narrow in places. I think this ride must be resonably common and any help planning my path would be appreciated.

Cheers
Ant

 

[sideshow_bob]

Lots of choice.

Option 1: F6 to Stanwell Park turn off then down Lawrence Hargraves drive to Wollongong is the easy route.

Option 2: Princes Highway to Heathcote then via Audley through the National Park to Stanwell then Lawrence Hargraves drive. National Park is nice riding.

Option 3: As per Option 2 but exit out of the National Park at Waterfall (punish your legs on the exit) then as per Option 1.

Option 4: Out to Picton, then Illawarra Highway and down the back of Mt Keira (I've never riden the entire way to Wollongong this way).

There are pros and cons of each. Just depends on the distance you want to ride and whether you want to throw any hills in there. Me personally, I'm partial to the route via the National Park to Stanwell, though I usually turn around at Stanwell and ride back the same way.

--brett

 

[mikesbytes]

Option 5: Pacific highway to waterfall and then left into the park and right to stanwell tops. Then down to stanwell park and thru.

Option 6: Pacific highway to Hellensburg and then left to stanwell tops. Then down to stanwell park and thru.

If you were to leave home at 6.30 Sunday and go via Captain Cook bridge, you will soon be passed by large bunches heading to waterfall or the like.

 

[MPCRUSHER]

Just a point. The road referred to as the Pacific Hwy is actually the Princes Hwy.

Advice. Stay clear of the Princes Hwy past waterfall, enter the national part at waterfall or ride down the old Princess Hwy to the Stanwell tops turn off and down from there or you could follow the old Princes Hwy all the way to wollongong.

My suggestion is to ride through the national park to Stanwell Park and down the coast road. very scenic, good traffic great ride.

enjoy.

 

[piero]

Hi Guys,

Turns out my little brother is having his 21st b'day in wollongong in a couple of weeks and I thought this might be a nice opportunity to ride down for the first time. I'm pretty confident of making the distance ok but was wondering if someone could direct me on the most bicycle friendly route. I live in kingsford in the eastern suburbs but I've never ridden further south than out on to the kurnell point over the goerge's river bridge, which I wouldn't have thought would be the best way to get to wollongong. Am I best just to head down the pacific hwy? it seems like it would be a touch narrow in places. I think this ride must be resonably common and any help planning my path would be appreciated.

Cheers
Ant

sorry mate, out of topic. .... I am living in Kingsford too, normally where did you do your practice lap durng the weekend?

 

[pug_ant]

Thanks for all the responses, I'll probably look at going down lawrence hargrave drive at the moment. I't looks the easiest route and that's more what I'm after at this stage, no point conquering all the challenges at once. Thanks for the reply, it seems the princess hwy to waterfall is the way to go which I was curious about.

As for where I ride around kingsfrod, I quite often head down anzac pde to la perouse and then detouring around maroubra beach and coogee on the way home is probably my most common ride. It's nice to go down along forshore rd (not sure of the exact name) along port botany and then either back up botany rd or loop around port botany. I used to reall enjoy the cooks river cycleway as well out to home bush but I find it's a bit too stop start for my liking now, as well as the traffic (pedestrian and cyclists) means going to fast can be a touch dangerous. I find it crosses a lot of streets to which gets frustrating, although it is quite nice for a relaxing ride.

My favourite though is heading on the bike path down to kurnell around the back of the airport, switching on to the road that runs along the coast on brigton le sands and then rejoining the bike path at the end of that road (veer left when the road takes a hard right) to go over the george's river bridge then after that pretty much wind through the back roads and back onto the highway for a bit before heading left down captain cook road?? (not sure of the name exactly) and cruising out to the headland. It's a very flat ride but I like it.

Cheers
Ant

 

[mikesbytes]

Hey Pug, you should try (if you already haven't) riding out to Waterfall with one of the groups that leaves Centennial Park 6.30 Sunday Mornings.

BTW I love the ride to Kernell too.

 

[mikesbytes]

Last year I did the Gong ride in 2hours 42minutes (including stopping for red lights) - thats the route that switches back to Sutherland.

This year I intend to ride back from Wollongong. Assuming a similar time down there for this year, arriving reasonbly tired. How long would it take me to ride back? 3hours 15minutes? longer ?