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Mysterious Downhill Course
Whilst driving from Hornsby to Galston one day I noticed some heavily protected downhillers walking their bikes up the road. Today I decided to check it out. Now about 500 metres west of the bridge I found what looked like a cycle path exit emerging from the forest just after a guard rail on the left hand side of the road while driving west. I walked about 50 metres along it and this does seem to look like the tail end of a down hill track. The track has has a lot of effort put into it at some point.
Can anyone shed any light on this?
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Not sure of tracks in the area although i here there to be entries at the end of Quarry Rd. Keen to check it out some time. Sorry not much help here but a happy participant.
Hello Mate,
Ive had the pleasure of riding this downhill course and was taken by a friend of the guy who built the course. the course is kinda private but not completely off limits to outsiders. a while ago he invited a load of guys from Farkin (at least i think it was farkin??) consequently, alot turned up and made quite a bit of mess of the course as in rubbish left, drink bottles, wrappers etc......( im not trying to paint all farkin with the same brush )
so i cant blame the guy who built and maintains the course in wanting a more select crowd now-a-days.
On another note, the course is absolutely brilliant and is mainly natural terrain with a lot of 'smiley' sections.
If you really feel the need to ride this course the enterance is the first left at the top of the hill follow the lane till you cant go any more and ride your bike a couple of hundred metres down the fire trail and its on your left hand side........ENJOY!!!
Ive once been in trouble on this site a while ago for sharing 'secret!'trail information but at the end of the day what is this site for?
the guy who i got into trouble with wasn't even an active member of the site and had no right to give his opinion.
At the end of the day we are all in this sport together and this isnt an illegal track although it is on private land as far as i know and ride it with respect and at your own discresion.
Nice work Gazza. Building trails is hard work. Start’s with a dream. To disrespect the trail both disrespects that dream as well as creating hazards for the next rider. I’d be keen to check this out, preferably not on my own. As for the boys from Farkin, let’s hope their front callipers seize-up on their way to the next ride.
Hiya Gazza,
Do you remember if the entrance is near a water tower. ?
Hiya Gus,
Its the Quarry Road track, from the Hornsby side it starts near the Rifle range in Stewart Ave. Nice hill climbing practice. Having a look at Google earth there is a heap of tracks to explore. IF you are up for a day of exploration in the area, I'd be in it. I live in Hornsby
Bit confused on the entrance Gazza spoke about. Trying to find it on Google Earth.
Evan
hi ev, im sure its the first entrance on the top of the hill on the galston side. its on the left and at the end of a lane with a bit of a clearing/turning area. the gate to the trail entrance ir right there. follow the trail and the track starts a few hundred metres on the left.
hi Even,
any intrest in wed evening or early tuesday afternoon. otherwise a tuesday, friday or sunday would suit me.
Thanks for the directions. I'll check it out soon, and maybe just the once due to it being private. But I think I need to see it once as Ive been wondering bout this one for a long while. Would like to join gus and evan if I can. Sat and Sun are the best days for me. Crack of dawn is good also but I know its not good for some. The builder must have had quite a dream and some drive to do this. thanks for sharing this and willl definately respect his work. nobmob seems to stand strongly for respect of trails and others, so i think if you are going to share these things its probably one of the safest places to do so
Sunday's good for me how about 8.30. What say you Even.
After the Menai ride I noticed some oil leaking from my rear shock, so its gone to the bike hospital to get patched up. Unfortunately this means exploration of tracks is out for a week or so. Could do it on the hard tail but I'm getting soft.
Evan
At your age ev its a worry-perhaps its time for some viagra!?
I'm actually riding on Sunday morning at 6AM (shudder) with Shano who is going to be showing me some of the Hornsby MTB sites (where you are most welcome). So putting this exploration off will be good for me, cause i wouldn't want to miss it.
where, I could be a maybe!!
Bernd
sorry guys would love to join u but have just been called in to work Sunny Sunday. Keen to explor the Quarrie rd stuff down the track though.
Wouldnt mind tagging along for this ride if that suits as I am only up the road.
Where are you meeting.
Cheers
Gary
" Ive once been in trouble on this site a while ago for sharing 'secret!'trail information but at the end of the day what is this site for?
the guy who i got into trouble with wasn't even an active member of the site and had no right to give his opinion."
Gazza was this guy me or was it Goatman?
but i cant be bothered getting into a slanging match over it again. It was enough trouble the first time round.
Love Goatman!
I thought it might hav ebeen me, and I was upset at being labelled a non active user of this site ( c'mon, I gave you all shots of fiji! ), then I realised it must have been Goatman becuase he is usually a big trouble maker ( I don't actually know this guy but he seems like trouble).
Then I did a search and found that it was actually Crash Bandicoote! My apologies Mr Goatman.
isnt it common understanding that a trail will only remain secret till its found
and if you are walking up the street in full gear advertising what you have just been doing it wont stay secret for long
Bernd and gary, 6AM intersection of Galston Rd and Pacific Highway. Shano wasnt posting this as a ride as it is really an exploration of what could be a ride in the future. u could help judge how worthy it is. would be great to see u both
i dont know, in some ways someone needs to know about the secret to make it a secret
okay, if i did ever do this i won't wear a full downhill kit , i would also ride out of the gorge so i just look like im one of the many riders who ride galston gorge and if a mountain bike addict happened to be driving past as i emerged bleeding from the forest they would need to find someone who actually new where the start was. also, i will wear my pjs and use the force.
can't do, just came home from Darwin and know our wend plans, not much room for MTB!!!!!
Bernd
My hand is playing up but am hoping it is not too bad for Sunday, if I am not there at 6 just head off.
Cheers
Gary
rode the trail early sunday morning
spot on directions GAZZA
i have only two words to describe the place
Awesome and leaches
i also highly recomend shuttles
as its a 2k walk up the road then a 2k ride back to the fire trail
all in all though
its pure down hill glory
the trail creater really needs praise the level of work is right up there
very very strong northshore stuff and very well dug berms
cheers
Kurt
oh, man. now the curiosity is killing me!!
so you had a big smile on your face when u emerged onto galston road? how much of the track could you ride?
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People get upset because if you give directions over sites like this because it opens the track up to everyone meaning increased traffic and erosion from people who don't help maintain the trail.
Personally I think that's a bit weak. I make trails for people to ride. I have a host of trails I do help out with so when I go outside my area I enjoy riding trails others have made.
The bigger issue of advertising on internet sites is that they are often monitored by the Powers that Be and so giving out directions to a secret trail may be a quick way of getting it shut down.
Don't believe me? I've been to meeting with certain land managers who brought up various quotes from places like Farkin and 26 as examples of how we are all irresponsible enviro vandles.
And they admit to monitoring such sites for unauthorised trail building. So don't build unauthorised trails and don't advertise directions to trail heads on the net unless you know it is authorised.
it is, by the land owners as far as i know. Was told by the guy that took me there who is friends with the guy who built the course. It is private land but i think there's some understanding that there will be 'small' numbers of bikers using the course.
there was a couple walking their dogs back up the start of the fire trail and they went into the driveway right next to the begining of the trail
they were polite and said hello etc as did we
the lady even said not to worry about the dogs who were trying to rip the guys arms off who was restraining them
hahahahahha
im not sure if its private land or not
however it looked like the land adjoined their property
there was alot of motocross tracks up there too so i assume mtbing isnt the only sport being practiced up there
Kurt
will numbers remain if a) it's advertised over the net and b)people are organising riders on it over the net?
Should we get Cory to invite his party guests?
if it's private land and the owner is allowing people on then he takes on a fair bit of legal responsibility for their safety and if they get injured could find himself being sued by someone who finds themself suddenly having to feed their partner/child/parent through a straw for the rest of their life.
That being so if it was your land and you OKed your mates to ride it would you be happy for them to advertise online and invite any tom, dick or harry?
all good points Flynny
however im not organising rides on there
im simply saying i rode it and yes its awesome
if others organise rides and ride it
so be it
if Corey chooses to put on the laser wrist bands and have a massive twister party involving nuded up 80 year olds all of the junks on wizz fizz
so be it
all i can hope is that with the general opinion of this website being a sensible group of people who really want to maintain these sorts of rides for all that all of us that use it in the future will leave it how we found it
and as a matter of interest
a search of Galston on farkin not only turned up directions of where it is but also turned up photos of the trail
cheers
Kurt
good points and to be honest i was a little naive about this issue until this post. ive learnt quite a bit.
one comment on this ride, it is really really inconvenient to get to and get out of. There is really no space for more than 1 car to be left in the gorge and even then you risk your car being clipped/trashed while being parked there for a couple of hours. this inconvenience is what has limited its use in the past and will continue to in the future. there are plenty of better downhills with much easier access/parking around to choose from.
It would be way too much effort for Corey to bother. And the car shuttle logic would be way too complicated for him.