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Firetrails in Garigal NP?
Hi guys,
I'm trying to figure out how to get from near the Monavale Rd/Forest Way junction back to Narrabeen via the Firetrails. I know it's possible to ride the firetrails off of Morgan Rd, but I'd like to jump on closer to Monavale Rd.
I found a couple year old NPWS Fire Management Strategy PDF online which seems like it marks out the firetrails, but I couldn't figure out where the entry point was. I've circled it in blue, with my hoped for path laid out.
GNPFMSMaps.pdf
It looks like there's a gated compound here ... is it possible to access the firetrails there? Or do I need to pop on at a different point?
I realize there is a very technical descent from the top, but I was hoping to avoid this part and just have a liesurely firetrail ride towards home.
Cheers,
Greg
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... and the area bounded by Forest Way, MV Rd and Kamber Rd is an area that NPWS are supposed to be looking at for a dedicated mtb loop.
See http://nobmob.com/node/31528
There are some legal fire trails in there off Forest Way, and some DH tracks which are probably not so legal, but link up to more fire trail that comes out onto Morgan Rd. There are further issues about what is accessible once you get down into the Oxford falls area, but there is nothing in the way of signage that I've seen coming in from the MV Rd area.
I've had a few goes at this. The fire trails off the back of Forest Way up by Mona Vale road all seem to peter out. Then there's a few houses in the way. I once went down past the forest fire service (Kamber Road I think) and talked to a couple of guys working for an electricity maintainence service up there. They told me they have clear access onto a service road that follows the pylons into Oxford Falls. At the end of Kamber Road there was a gate which I went through then a huge private fence was in the way however they said it was actually their access road and the owner had encroached. So I climbed over this fence and rode around the bottom of their garden and onto the fire / pylon trail. It finishes at the top of the hill then a mad carry the bike trail leads down into the falls across a stream and onto fire trails that come out on Morgan Road. I love an adventure but that track was totally unridable - I was climbing in some parts of it. I think between Forest Way and Oxford Falls most fire trails have a gap in them.
Fair enough. Thanks guys. I guess if I want to do this I'll just have to ride down Forest Way and hop on from Morgan Rd.
I saw some good wildlife on my ride monday though ... a Diamond Python stretched almost the entire width of the firetrail, and I came a few cm away from running over an Echidna! Not sure who was more startled, me or the Echidna!
I wonder if Stans would have plugged all the holes if you hadn't missed?
Just kidding.
I love seeing wildlife on my rides and those little guys are amazing. Diamond pythons are pretty cool too... totally chilled out, they don't seem to be bothered by much.
The only exceptions are brown snakes, psychotic butcher birds, and those annoying orb weaver spiders that seem to like placing themselves at mouth height across the trails. Sigh. Soon they will be upon us again.
I love the spiders that are sitting up nice and high when you start the ride, but when you head back to the start they've dropped 2 meters down into the trail and are just waiting to catch you ...
Saw an arachnophobic friend of mine almost kill himself trying to avoid one of these, lol.
"the spider dance" when one goes into your shirt!!!!
LOL! I've got the gopro - could be fun
It was pretty funny when we were winding up my mate Kiwi Phil about snakes and other biteys around the area early one Sunday morning. No snakes or any venomous critters at all in NZ apparently.
I had to take off early due to a prior engagement, so I gave him specific instructions about a section of singletrack at Terrey Hills he should take.
As he was lifting his bike over the fallen log at the halfway mark there was a huuuge diamond python coiled up on top of it about a metre to one side that he woke up. We got pictures and a very funny (for us) tirade accusing us of all sorts of conspiracies the following morning