Wisemans Ferry


donkerr's picture

By donkerr - Posted on 16 June 2010

I was out at Wisemans ferry on Sunday morning for a ride - the track is in great condition with very little wetness anywhere. I tried a new route - on the way up past the right turn down Finches line - there's a track that leads off to your left about another 10 mins up the track - it drops back out on the same road that Shepards gully does - but about 4km further up the road. It starts as fire trail and then disappears into this narrow and quite steep single trail that drops off the ridge and into a gully where it winds along the stream bed until you come out in some paddocks. Well worth the adventure - however make sure someone knows where you are.

[Mod. moved to central coast]

Brian's picture

Do you have a GPS of the route?

Rob's picture

I believe this is the trail known as 'Spiders'... this look familiar?

Spiders Leaves

Yes, yes... that could be anywhere really Eye-wink

Rob's picture

Yes - this is a little odd for a couple of reasons. Firstly - one has to cross the dam/weir at the start/finish which is a little dodgy to say the least. Then the loop around 'Spiders'. I'm really not sure of the legality of this and you note that ride was done back in 2006!

philberesford's picture

Of this ride I did earlier in the year. Tried to do the loop behind the back of the Temple but ended up at wrights creek being chased by a scary horse.

Rob's picture

@Phil... wow... what was that trail like? Have never been there before.

Brian's picture

Phil, let us know what it was like as I might have a go at this on Sunday if I end up going out there Smiling

Lach's picture

Sounds like you took the turn off before the one that goes round the ridge at the back back of the temple. From looking at Google maps, it seems to run along the ridge and then down onto Wright's Ck rd near its start. Would make an interesting loop with the first part of the DW, but I guess there are two bits of private land involved getting into and out of Wrights Ck?

donkerr's picture

If you start at Wisemans Ferry, ride up to Great North road intersection, turn left towards 10 mile hollow and the SECOND turn on the left through a gate gives you a loop that comes out above that old bridge. If you turn left there you reach an intersection about another 300mtres up - take the middle route (Donnies track?) not the left onto the Great North Road. This will wind it's way into a gully and when you hit the intersection at the bottom you turn right. Ride along here for about 15 - 20 mins until you come out on an open area - the track goes up left through a gate or you can see a NPWS sign off to your right. Follow this up (Simpsons Track) and it takes you back to 10 mile hollow. Then back out. I did it last weekend with that new track (Spiders?) and it was 63kms ferry to ferry. If you wanted to add another 8 kms ride back up Shepards gully and down Finches line. Lots of single track, lots of hills. Great ride.

philberesford's picture
Sounds like you took the turn off before the one that goes round the ridge at the back back of the temple.

That's exactly what happened. I was convinced I was on the right trail until we hit the awesome downhill fun (check the elevation profile).

Would make an interesting loop with the first part of the DW, I guess there are two bits of private land involved getting into and out of Wrights Ck?

Indeed there is, we had a look around whilst we were down there but couldn't find an obvious link up and to be honest we weren't entirely sure exactly where we were. Then the horse came and started to charge at us. Quite scary even being stood up on our pedals we were still way smaller than the horse. I think he was just freaked out cos it had probably never seen a bike before?

The track itself was very good however, a few spiderwebs to dodge and a fantastic downhill to Wrights Creek where it opens out into a paddock and you get chased by big black angry horses. So we turned around for the climb back up to the GNR which was great training anyway. It's only after getting home did I see just how close we were to linking up with the Dirtworks course and that we came so close to the road.

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