The ride starts with a coffee at the Café near the Hills Showground Metro Exit.
Then proceed up Middelton Ave. The Rose Garden is 3.5km from the station. The best time to visit is around October – November. When visiting the gardens take the time to walk amongst the roses as is much larger than can be seen from the road. The gardens are part of a larger recreation area including Alfred Henry Whaling Reserve. The first 5km are on quiet back streets. Then you cross Windsor Road and enter the semi-concealed cycleway along Toongabbie Creek.
At about 5.5km the bike path splits, keep to the left on the older looking path. At about 8km the cycleway goes under the M7 and emerges from the bush at Old Windsor Road. Follow the separated cycleway along Old Windsor until a sharp exit at 12km- caution. After the exit its very easy to miss the cycleway sign on Lurgan Street that leads to the crossing of the Cumberland Highway. Use caution at the crossing. Continuing on and crossing the road at the Westmead Hospital – to the left side– the separated cycleway will guide you to the Park Ave entrance of Parramatta Park. Toilets ~500m on the left after entering the park. Follow the cycleway clockwise until the small bridge (17Km) – cross the bridge. The new Parramatta Stadium is on the left. Continue on passing under O'Connell St – caution blind corner– and stay on the left side of the river until the Ferry Terminal. Toilets are on the right as you cross the bridge.
As you leave the wharf area beware of pedestrians and some tight turns as you cross the river on Macarthur Street before a right turn over the Zebra Crossing. (Note: there is a new river crossing under construction so these directions will change). This is the entrance to the PCV– Parramatta Valley Cycleway–and now continue to follow it all the way to Putney. Along the entire length there is but one short section on quiet back streets. There are several toilets and water fountains easily identified along the way.
Continue on the PVC until reaching Charles Street. Left turn onto Charles and now there is an opportunity for coffee/lunch at Putney Village (Morrison Rd). Caution during the climb up to Victoria Road as the road narrows. After crossing Victoria Road there is a semi-concealed continuation path to the left of the shop. The rest of route follows fairly busy roads on the way back to North Ryde Metro Station.