You are hereForums / By Discipline / Mountain (off road) / By Location / Australia / NSW / Blue Mountains / Around Blackheath

Around Blackheath


mrptl's picture

By mrptl - Posted on 11 October 2010

Hello,

I'm going to Blackheath next week-end, and I'm trying to find something descent to ride around.
Before you think, if I can avoid a track that is only fire-trails – I will be happy… but I can make exemptions.

Narrowneck look to be one of a fire-trail only…
Mount York sounds an interesting one.
Mount Hay sounds not a good idea… from what I've asked already

Anything else to suggest? or somewhere to look at?

Cheers

Flynny's picture

Mt York definitely.

Narrowneck if it's a nice day. All fire rd Worth the views.

Hanging rock. All fire road but fun fire road. Big water bars and lots of them. Awesome views.

Try and hook up with the BMORC guys for a tour of some other stuff

mrptl's picture

Thanks mate. I think it will be Mt York then.
Will consider the BMORC, but not much in their calendar.

Cheers

Nerf Herder's picture

Best to put something in ... then you'll often get people stumping up.

Most people have their own crews or actually just talk to each other to organise a spin ... unusual I know ... they are mountain folk after all Smiling

BOT +1 Mt York ... I think there are more ups then downs ... but I think that may be psychological scaring

Rowan's picture

If you're after single track then Mt York is a good option. Down Lockyers and up Lawsons Long Alley is a good loop with nice single track sections. Otherwise you can go down Cox's and up Lawsons or Lockyers.

This is Lockyers/ Lawsons: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/2027573.
Start in the Car Park at the head of the trails and cross the little wooden bridge. Follow the obvious single track avioding the first major trail to the right. Take the next right onto Lockyers.

You can ride to the start from Blackheath along the rail service track that starts at the end of Station Street - the road turns to dirt and then a sharp tar descent, at the end of this descent you ride along a gutter for a few hundred metres before rejoining the service road.

mrptl's picture

Thanks for these. Pretty sure I will be there Saturday then… unless its poring.

If I start from top of Mount York Road on Cox's, is that going mainly downhill? And then if I continue on Lockyers (from north to south), is that the best way in terms if they are stairs or rocks?

Rowan, I can't see your workouts on the link you put, there is no data on that workouts… maybe there is a privacy option on it. Btw that Endomondo website looks cool, I will give a shot tonight on the way back home.

moggio's picture

Cox's, Lawsons and Lockyers are all basic downhill from Mt York.

Cox's is probably the steepest technical one which means you get to the bottom sooner.

Lockyers is a more slightly downhill ridge ride with a steep section at the end. Probably the most sustained section of great single track riding which is also very technical in places. Lockyers isn't a bad way to get back up to the top either once you have climbed back up to the ridge.. rideable except for a few features and some steep steps.

Lawsons is usually the way up, a flat dirt road that then becomes single track if you turn off at the right point only to be met with a hike a bike follwed by a painfully steep and boring firetrail climb. Its pleasant in the valley, good singletrack and the super steep climb gets the altitude change requirments over quickly.

So Lockyers down, lawsons back up is the usual loop.

Rowan's picture

No you're right I can't get the link to work either when not logged in. Endomondo seems to have gone a little haywire - sorry.

Flynny's picture

The trails are all in the trail data base anyway as linked in the first post

mrptl's picture

Did Mount York yesterday, very nice area!
We did Lawson's Long Alley first, pretty steep and full on brake (a place we disc could be nice to have. We stopped at The Comet Inn for a beer, cool place inside. Then we started on Lockyers, but we thought it was too steep to climb, so we decide to go Cox's… well it would had be better on the other way, but we find a nice single track next to Mount York Rd, going down back to the starting point. We return to Blackheath next to the rails, thanks for the advice, it was a nice little track.

(I've used Endomondo app, it dried out my battery in 2hrs…)

Nerf Herder's picture

You should try to get there with Flynny one day or any of the other Locals ...

one day my mid weeks will get us there again

Flynny's picture

Yeah down Lockyers and up Lawsons is a much better option.
Up Coxes is just plain silly Smiling

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Best Mountain Bike