What’s your pick: The ride in the Royal National Park, the spectacular view from Bald Hill, riding the Sea Cliff Bridge or the shared cycleway along the beaches to Wollongong? You have them all in this ride!
Starting from the Waterfall rail station you can grab a coffee or snack from the ‘Legendary Fish Cafė’ opposite the station. The 4.5 km descent into the National Park on McKell Avenue starts at the station just past the Waterfall Public School.
Cross the bridge over the Hacking River and turn right on Lady Wakehurst Drive. The first 10 km or so is mostly flat but the last 5 km is a steep climb out of the Park onto the top of the escarpment with bird’s eye views up and down the coast. Bald Hill is one of Australia's most well known and most popular lookouts; there is a small cafė under the observation deck. The area is also internationally known as a major hang gliding point.
Bald Hill overlooks the one and only Sea Cliff Bridge that we will ride over after descending to Stanwell Park and Coalcliff. After 10 km or so further on Lawrence Hargrave Drive is the start of the shared cycleway at Thirroul. Turn left to the beach at The Esplanade, just after crossing a small bridge.
Follow the signs to the start of the cycleway. After about one km there is a short on-road section before regaining the cycle path for 15 km into the North Wollongong beach area and then Wollongong.
A cycle around Flagstaff Hill is well worth it for the great views.
The train station is slightly awkward to get to being on the other side of the CBD. You can cycle through the CBD or go a bit further south behind the stadium on the cycle path and bypass the CBD congestion.
There is a cafė just outside the Sydney bound trains platform entrance, a great place to wait for the return train home. Trains for Sydney leave every hour, 37 minutes past the hour.
