Shellharbour to Carringbah
This was not a great ride for a number of reasons. Although it started off beautifully pedalling up the coast from shell harbour and following the well signed bike route, it relatively soon became the not so well signposted bike route. We found ourselves on\alongside a 3 lane highway, heading into Woolongong. The smell of carbon monoxide was noticeable. Getting slightly frustrated we dived off down a side road to the right, only to find ourselves circumnavigating a large steelworks plant . Marginally frustrating as the fellow cyclist we had met the previous day had indicated we should be fine on the path and would be able to look back at it from a beautiful beach which lay just beyond. Not a beautiful beach in sight!
Being short on time and keen to move onto the National Park , we decided to hop on the train and head to Otford – a couple of stops up where we could get off and cycle through the legendary National park.
Getting off at Otford required us to get to Hellensborough and then head back one stop. Fortunately the trains were in our favour and we were able to make the short hop back and off at Otford.
Otford was small as stations go and all that could be seen around it were trees and undergrowth. What was evident was that the station was at the bottom of a steep cutting. What was even more evident was that getting up and out of the cutting was less than straightforward., especially when wearing cleats and carrying bikes plus 2 panniers. The “steps”up were an uneven set of stones set in the steep bank which twisted and turned. There was a metal rail on the left to hang onto as you scrambled up each “flight”, – first with bike and then with panniers., eventually reaching the end of the staircase but not the top of the hill.
Having eventually reached the summit we found ourselves on the road which of course went down as far as we had we had climbed up.
The roads were dark and winding through lush undergrowth . Whilst absolutely beautiful the main issue was that we had ground to cover , had not eaten since breakfast , there was nothing en route other than undergrowth and winding roads over up and down hill. To cut a long ride short we (me) decided to head up a long (steep) and winding gradient and head to Waterfall where we could pick up a train for the last couple of stops which would get us within a sensible proximity to Carringbah in time to get food. Having agreed (I did) on the plan of action we cycled to our accommodation. Bikes and us were to be kept in the room (useful for hanging clothes off), meanwhile downstairs was the largest set of betting rooms we have ever encountered. All sports were catered for and all forms of bets seemed to be on , the main pub bar was as vast. After gratefully receiving our free beverage and realising I was the only female present we headed out to find some much needed food on the very outskirts of Sydney. Tomorrow would be a ride into the centre of town and surely that would be straightforward. 😊🚴♀️🚴
There and Back: 