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Rides near Gerroa


Fatboy's picture

By Fatboy - Posted on 25 February 2011

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

I'm off on a holiday next week to Gerroa on the south coast and was wondering if anyone has any knowledge of any trails in the area. I don't want to drive to Kangaroo Valley or Nowra as we'll only have 1 car so am wondering if there is anywhere that wouldn't be too far for my wife to drop me off so I can go play?

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philberesford's picture

other than the Nowra trails, but maybe you can check the Shoalhaven website, there maybe something?
http://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/region/Cycling/...

Have fun

herzog's picture

From the north end of Gerringong beach all the way to Kiama along the clifftops.

Not a bad ride, great scenery. MTB allowed.

Scottboy's picture

I heard the same thing or try at shellharbour Blackbutt I think it is called but a bit far for you, Gerringong one would be better

Fatboy's picture

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll have to plan to do some early rides as there is something about beach, summer & alcohol ...

herzog's picture

Check this one out

Hoddles Track

http://www.trailflix.com.au/tfx_new/trails.php?i...

Starts a few KM inland from Gerroa, ends up in Kiama.

You could link this up with the Kiama Coastal Track, forming a nice loop to get you back to the Gerringong/Gerroa area.

That's probably a good 3-4 hour loop.

Fatboy's picture

Looks ideal. Good mix of climbs in there too. Thanks.

Fatboy's picture

Had a great day out attempting the clockwise Hoddles then Kiama coastal. Firstly my plans turned upside down when I realized my camelbak bladder was still in the fridge at home which meant I'd have to ride an unknown loop for an unknown amount of time in knoweresevile with bottles. My bike can only carry one cage so that meant one bottle in the jersey and less of lifes essentials. Being Mr Snake paranoia means 2 bandages and a 1st aid kit take most available space and the phone the rest. So off I went hoping for no flats or mechanicals!

I remember looking at the time 16mins into Foxhound (?) Rd with about 14mins climbing thinking "is that all you've got" and then the real climbs began. This mountain was the biggest mother I've climbed. It reminded me of the Tour de France when they do those climbs that last 5-10km. Anyway, up I went and spent an incredible amount of time in my 36 tooth gear at the back wishing for about a 50 tooth.

At about 22 mins into the climb I entered a really steep pitch under a canopy that was like a north Qld rainforest with moss over all of the rocks. This bit was super steep - similar to climbing "the wall" at Wingello but longer. The only saving grace was it was on narrow tarmac so traction wasn't a problem.

At about 25 min of climbing I came out of the rain forest into open land and the turn into Hoddles track. I could see I was probably only 3/4 of the way to the top of the ridge line and off I went into the next climb. Q

A couple of km later the road became rough and came to a gate with a sign "private property". WTF?

I rode into the property only to come across some cows all looking at me with that "get out of here or we'll grow horns and charge" look. Being a city boy in the middle of nowhere I started thinking 'dualling banjos' and 'farmers with shotguns' so turned around and headed back.

I rode back to Gerringong, bought some fluids then decided to do the coastal track to Kiama and back.

This track was amazing! Picture rolling grassy hills on the edge of the ocean with sudden 20m cliffs. Some farmer with a ride on mower has mowed a track about 30m from the cliff edge through the knee deep grass for about 10-15km between Gerringong and Kiama!

I found the view so spectacular I kept stopping to take pics then came across my first emu in the wild. I've seen hundreds of them in captivity but was really surprised to see one in the wild and so close to the ocean.

That was pretty much my experience as I turned around, road back to Gerroa then spent the afternoon drinking cocktails overlooking the beach.

Rob's picture

Wow... this sounds great - well, the second part anyhow Eye-wink

Did you want to post the pictures? Best thing to do would be to create a ride meeting retrospectively as they all have automatic galleries now, then bung all your pictures in there Smiling

philberesford's picture

Sounds great Craig

Emu's are funny things in the wild, very shy. I've come across quite a few over the years and each time I've seen them they end up being nothing more than a dark speck in the distance by the time I've got my camera ready.

PS I'd love to see the pics too

Fatboy's picture

Thanks guys, I'll post the pic's when I get home on the weekend as am operating on iPad here and it's too clunky.

herzog's picture

If you're looking for more while you're down there, there's a cycleway heading north out of Kiama, takes you past Bombo beach. Then there's a few dirt trails out on the headland at the north end of bombo.

You can make your way from here around to the Boneyard (famous surf break). If you're really keen you can make your way up to Bass Point and Shellharbour where there is Blackbutt Reserve.

waratah's picture

Great report, thanks for sharing.

I hate private property signs! Australia is screwed by them. The law clearly states that public have the right to use all government gazetted roads (basically any road that shows up on a 1:25 000 topo map) - yet farmers fence their property, then lock a gate right across them.

There is such cultural acceptance of this practice, and with the threatening signs, that it is totally understandable people have this reaction you did. You were most likely doing absolutley nothing wrong.

Sector9's picture

Rode Hoddles on the weekend, went off the old comments on this site.

In hindsight I wish i had done it anti-clockwise, would have been the better direction.I haven't been into Mountain Biking for more than a few months but had a lot of fun and some of the views are amazing as is hitting 77 kms an hour on the way into Kiama

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