Guest post by Garry at http://www.biketrail.info/ –
There are so many people who head to Centennial Park every weekend to do laps and meet with friends. But are there alternatives in Sydney?
EAST: Heffron Park, Maroubra
If you need to just work out and want to get away from the crowds, Heffron Park offers up a few kms of track with few distractions and some small hills. This is also a good place to take teens who don’t always go in a straight line. There are crit races sometimes and you can always head off to La Perouse for a road ride.
Link: The racing track at Heffron and maybe Maroubra
SOUTH: Oatley Park, Oatley
A wonderful 2.5km trail in the bush high above the Georges River. Get there by hopping on the train on the Eastern Suburbs / Illawarra line and you can arrive with your bike without changing trains. It’s a couple of kms to the park and there is the Como Railway Bridge for a bit of sightseeing. There is a lower speed limit in the park than Centennial and there are less cars. Walkers share the road.
Link: Riverwood to Oatley Park via the Woronora River Bridge
NORTH: Lane Cove National Park, West Pymble
Possibly the best unencumbered riding in Sydney. No cars are allowed in the park before 9am any day. It’s not a loop but by the time you have ridden nearly 6 kms, you will never know the difference and it’s a full sized road. You can drive there down the M2 in less than 30 minutes from Coogee if you go early. For parking, its $8 inside the park. The road next to the cemetery has some parks and it’s a steep drop down to the cycling road from there.
Link: Lane Cove National Park
WEST: Parramatta Park, Parramatta
With the recent train timetable changes, there are many express trains to Parramatta from Redfern that take less than 25 minutes. The park is popular with cyclists and is about 3kms around. When you get bored, ride down the Parramatta River to Rhodes station and get the train back to the city. A perfect day out.
Link: Rhodes Station To Parramatta
Have fun exploring Sydney!
