Outer Edge Magazine

Sydney. It’s the biggest city in Australia, which means, by the percentages, it has more adventurous souls per square kilometer than anywhere else in the country. Or, for that matter, the world. Luck, then, that the Emerald City’s immediate surrounds are just as jam packed with easy to get to adventure. Here we pack the Toyota RAV4, and take you on a loop out east and then north for lashings of paddling, biking, climbing and trekking. WORDS: Ben Hagemann

8am

– It’s a late start this morning, so meet up with your buddies, put the rising sun at your back and head out of Sydney along the Great Western Hwy to Penrith.

9am

– When you reach Penrith, get off the highway and head north on Castlereagh Road until you find McCarthy’s Lane on your left. Here you’ll find Penrith Whitewater, the competition venue of the kayak slalom events for the Sydney 2000 Olympic games. Purists may sneer, but these man-made rapids will be a perfect kick-off to your day. Kayak, raft or challenge: a prize for the first to loop around on Stand Up Paddle Board.

10:00am

– Get your boats back on board and hang your towels out the window to dry – you’ll be needing them later. Get back on the Great Western and start heading up and into the Blue Mountains. The drive can be a little slow, but kick back and enjoy the view (but keep an eye out for the speed cameras, ‘cause they will be there). Make your way to Katoomba and turn left at the train station, heading down Katoomba Street. Turn right on Cliff Drive, and follow to Glen Raphael Drive.

11am

– Glen Raphael will take you to the main gate of The Narrowneck, one of the most spectacular MTB rides in the country. There’s no singles, but the Blue Mountains views are astonishing: you’ll be able to see the Three Sisters and even Centrepoint Tower on a clear day. And it’s a decent warm up for what’s to come down the track. Round trip of about 20km. Details at thefathippy.com.

1pm

– Drive to Colo Heights. Great Western to Mt Victoria, turn right on Darling Caus for 20 clicks then right on Bells Line of Road through Blue Mountains National Park. There’s a bit of soft 4WD action via an unsealed track through Wollemi National Park, but the directions are sketchy: be sure to consult the oracle that is GoogleMaps.

2:30pm

– At Colo Heights go 500m past the Ampol servo, a fire trail on your left is marked with an NPWS sign saying “Bob Turners Track”. Follow the fire trail, keeping left at a junction after 700m, for about 3km to a parking area.

3:30pm

– It’s a two-hour walk on Bob Turner’s Track, with plenty of local botanicals to admire. Sketch maps at ozultimate.com/bushwalking. You should be ready for a swim by the end of the track, so take a dip in the Colo River, explore the banks and head back to the RAV4.

5:30pm

– Pitch your tents at the camp-site and rustle up some tucker. You’ll need your rest for tomorrow, so turn the volume knob down after a few beverages and settle in for a kip.

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7am

– Haul yourself out of the sack, organise some breakfast and pack up the car.

8am

—Drive to nearest ferry at Lower Portland and cross, then go to Wiseman’s ferry and cross again.

9am

– Head for Spencer and put-in kayaks, although you can consult the oracle and decide on the distance you want to take. Paddlers can help themselves to a slice of the Hawkesbury River, taking a 20km trip down to Bobbin Head. Maps will be essential, as there are a lot of smaller tributaries to explore. Great photo opportunities for birdlife. Meanwhile, loser of the toss – your driver – isn’t that badly done by. They will head north to Lower Mangrove, and track east via Popran to Peats Ridge Road, and back onto the Pacific Highway. Then it’s south to Mt Colah and left on Ku-Ring-Gai Chase Road to Bobbin Head to hook up again for the take-out.

12pm

– Get some lunch at Mount Ku-Ring-Gai, and head north to Beaumont Road for climbing. At the end of Beaumont is a selection of sport crags. Climbs range from 7-20 metres. Be aware that climbs with tape on the first bolt are works in progress and should not be climbed. Online guide at cragx.org.

3pm

– Head to Manly Dam for some single-track MTB action. The dam has nearly 11.2km of fire trail, with steep sections and drops big enough to challenge most riders. Take in some magnificent views of the dam and ocean.

5pm

– A quick twilight surf to finish off the day before finding a pub on the Manly foreshore. Settle in for brews, counter-meal and watching the tide come in. Try not to think too hard about work tomorrow.