By Fred David, founder of Cycle Tours NSW and IgKnight
At Cycle Tours NSW, we categorise rides into three levels: social, adventure and performance. Here are three examples of great rides in the Illawarra.
Level 1: Social ride
Discover the incredibly scenic bike paths from Wollongong to Thirroul. There are plenty of opportunities for refreshment stops and photos. This ride is flat and easy, and the scenery is world-class. The ride will take about three hours depending on your speed and how long you stop for. The whole ride is 22km, with plenty of car parks along the way to shorten the trip if needed. A good tip is to look at the wind direction and ride into the wind to start with, so you ride with the wind on your return.
Level 2: Adventure ride
Starting in Wollongong, ride along the coastal bike track to Thirroul, then access the road and ride up to the spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge and on to Coalcliff Beach.
This is truly an adventure worth undertaking for anyone who participates in regular moderate to high-intensity exercise. This ride will take three to four hours depending on your speed and how long you stop for. This ride is 42km with a few small, steep hills to climb once you’re on the road. There are many places to stop for refreshments and photos.
Some people may hesitate about riding on the road, but these roads are not in a major city and drivers are very courteous to cyclists in this part of the world. As in all adventures, you may feel a little apprehensive when starting the ride but on return you will be thrilled that you experienced this one.
Level 3: Performance ride
Ride from Wollongong along the coastal cycleway to Thirroul, access the road and ride up over the Sea Cliff Bridge and continue up to Bald Hill and then into the Royal National Park.
This should only be undertaken by experienced riders as the terrain is technical and steep in some parts, but you will go a long way to find a more rewarding ride.
Once you get into the Royal National Park you can choose your own adventure and ride over 100km if you have the fitness and time.
Visit www.cycletoursnsw.com
This article is an extract from the South Coaster guide, published in December 2020, rrp $19.99, available online, at Collins Booksellers Thirroul, and the Southern Gateway Visitor Information Centre at Bulli Tops.
