Kwinana PSP to Coast: Anketell Rd V Thomas Rd

[as7431]

All

I am planning my first metric ton: From the north, down Mitchell => Kwinana PSP then across to the coast along either Thomas or Anketell Rd and then back up the coast (Rockingham Rd, Cockburn Rd, through Freo, across Queen Vic bridge and back home along the coast. As I have never ridden south of Roe Hwy, I was hoping to get some local knowledge

1. Thomas Rd appears to be the safer route (there is a off road bike path) rather than Anketell, but it adds about 8km to the ride (which may become very important at the end ). What is Anketell Rd like to ride (bearing in mind this will be mid week and about 11am). There does appear to be a decent shoulder for most of it (from what I can tell from Google maps) but a little concerned if this is a popular truck route.

2. Rockingham then Cockburn then Hampton Rd - anything to watch out for? Only thing that I have seen from Google Maps is a stretch south of Henderson (near the caravan? park) that has narrow shoulders.

Thanks in advance

Tim

[Baalzamon]

Trucks
Both routes are big on trucks and not much shoulder, take path my advise

[wellington_street]

Anketell Road does have trucks and a few pinch points with no shoulder but there shouldn't be a lot of traffic at 11am on a weekday. Would definitely avoid it during the commuting peaks.

Wattleup Road might be a better option as it carries a fair few less trucks.

[just4tehhalibut]

If you come off Anketell heading west the first road you meet is Mandogalup Rd, a backroad once used for road races. Try this to get to Wattleup Rd then Rockingham Rd.

I'd also actually turn off Wattleup soon after getting on, either at Pearse Rd or better, Moylan Rd (used by training groups, avoids the non-shoulder and big hill on Russell. If you go this way you also avoid the new chipseal on Rockingham Rd around Wattleup, a bit rough. Take Russell to the coast, either then stay on Cockburn Rd into Freo (have fun with that) or when you get to Woodman Point turn off onto one of the bikepaths there and try to follow those up the coast. The first path is 200m righthandside down O'Kane Crt or you can go to the actual point and pick paths from there.

If instead you just take Anketell Rd all the way to Rockingham (and the trucks barrel through on Anketell) and then get onto Cockburn Rd near Naval Base you can either stay on Cockburn or explore another unsung path there. At the carpark on the opposite side of the road from the caravan park in Naval Base there's a path on the northside, take that and after 50m take the path on the right, this'll take you through the guts of the Mt Brown nature reserve and bring you out at Russell Rd. It also ends opposite another path that rings Lake Coogee but we won't go there.

Anketell has less traffic, traffic lights, traffic accidents and chipseal than Thomas. You can always bail off Thomas onto Anketell at McLaughlin (watch for emus) or Abercrombie (also a bit busy).

Many choices. Have fun.

[billy70]

Having seen the number and the speed of the trucks along Anketell Rd, I will use any other route. The bike paths west from the freeway in that area are not always the easiest or quickest but they are definitely the safest for me.

[Bakks]

I wouldn't ride back up the coast either. High speed limits, lots of traffic and not the best shoulder.

[as7431]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Back to google maps for some more planning.

just4tehhalibut: you wrote "path that rings Lake Coogee but we won't go there". This looks like an option - but not sure if you are warning me against it.

Thanks

Tim

[bradwoodbr]

When I ride from Perth Rockingham, I find the following relaxing and safe and the roads are smooth asphalt. I used to toggle between Thomas and Anketell, however I never really felt comfortable on the last part of Rockingham rd where it goes over the railway lines and sets of traffic lights. It may be a little longer than what you were planning. Here are the directions.

Kw PSP >Right Betram > Right Wellard > Left Runnymede Gate > Left Gilmore > Dixon > Left Patterson > Right Wanliss.
There are cycle lanes and parallel bike paths along most except for Gilmore which has a narrow cycle lane. Take extra care at the Patterson/Wanliss roundabout.
Wanliss brings you out at the Rockingham foreshore just short of the cafe strip.

I usually like to return with seabreeze tailwind along the coast:
Rockingham Beach Rd > Right Port >Left Rockingham > Left Cockburn and on into Fremantle > around the river to Perth.

[bradwoodbr]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Back to google maps for some more planning.

just4tehhalibut: you wrote "path that rings Lake Coogee but we won't go there". This looks like an option - but not sure if you are warning me against it.

Thanks

Tim

Snakes across/on path in Spring and Summer.

[just4tehhalibut]

Usually the Lake Coogee path is unkempt with branches and rocks. Where it brings you out on Fawcett is interesting but too close to several rat run roads, narrow high speed vehicle stuff. Everyone has an emergency to drive to, there's no shoulder but traffic island squeezepoints all the same, there's several small sharp hills and blind bends so that traffic is almost on top of you before they have time to move over or slow down (as if that's an option in Perth over the use of the car horn) and that's just Mayor Rd that links the busy roads. On top of that there's been new suburban developments in the Coogee area and the old roads have only been improved by adding more roundabouts.

So we don't take you there.

[Thoglette]

Usually the Lake Coogee path is unkempt with branches and rocks.... So we don't take you there.

But at rush hour, I'll take McGrath, Fawcett road and Mayor road over Cockburn road any day. Especially Friday afternoon after a few beers have been had.

I thought Beeliar now had a "shared path" all the way along it ?????- at least until near Positano, when a back-blocks run to Churchill is in order.

Russell is f****ng aweful due to the number of heavy trucks, poor sight lines and 80kph stretches. Unless something's changed in the last 18months

[as7431]

Seems full of less-than-ideal options. Thinking now travel down to Anketell, back track to Beeliar and take this to the coast (via Mayor Rd). Then bike path to about the Coogee Caravan park. Then Cockburn to McTaggett (this seems to have a decent shoulder/on road lane) then Robb Rd, coastal path to Marine Tce. From there I am ok.

This seems to avoid most of the worst bits. Hopefully mid week middle of the day the roads will be not too bad.

Thoughts?

Tim

[Baalzamon]

Beeliar is the best option back to the coast. After Stock rd it becomes Mayor rd and then it's onto the road as the shared path evaporates. Btw I prefer the road after Spearwood Ave roundabout due to a very nice downhill, but I do that sat mornings generally when it's quiet

[argybargy]

Whats wrong with heading down to Mortimer, then Gilmore and Dixon road?
It is much safer in terms of traffic.

[nickobec]

Whats wrong with heading down to Mortimer, then Gilmore and Dixon road?
It is much safer in terms of traffic.

The OP does not want to ride that far. Personally I find Betram Road (which is the name of the road west of the freeway between the roundabouts before becoming Mortimer Road) dangerous. I rarely ride it. Most people I know riding from the PSP to Rockingham use Millar, Mandurah & Dixon Roads. Especially with the current (last 6 months or more) road works on Gilmore, making it a single lane, no shoulder between Runnymede Gate and Mandurah Road.

To the OP, I have ridden Thomas and Anketell Road and would not recommend them, both are dangerous. The path along Thomas I avoid, it is badly maintained, over hanging branches, blind corners and concrete. I use back roads through Kwinana instead, but that does not suit your needs.

I have not ridden Mandogalup Road, but that gives you 1km on Wattleup, which I have not ridden for years and a 1km backtrack up Rockingham Road to Cockburn Road, but that would be my preferred option if I was doing the ride.

Though if the aim is for a metric century, I would ride down the freeway PSP to Roe, ride up Roe PSP, turn round, ride back turn south onto the freeway PSP, ride as far as you need for the century and turn around and head home. That way you have train stations to bail out at. There is a great little shipping container cafe in the space west of the cockburn central train station were you can walk your bike to the counter, as well as water stops, the side path just after crossing the rail line after Roe Hwy heading south and south side of Mt Henry Bridge.

[argybargy]

The OP does not want to ride that far. Personally I find Betram Road (which is the name of the road west of the freeway between the roundabouts before becoming Mortimer Road) dangerous. I rarely ride it. Most people I know riding from the PSP to Rockingham use Millar, Mandurah & Dixon Roads. Especially with the current (last 6 months or more) road works on Gilmore, making it a single lane, no shoulder between Runnymede Gate and Mandurah Road.

Both lanes were open on the weekend along Gilmore, no lines were painted, but there were reflectors for a cycle lane plus two car lanes.

I personally ride through the new sections of Wellard, across a path that takes me into Homestead ridege and then down the (alcoa) train line to get up to the freeway. Thats just because its easier for me ~ I have ridden the Bertram/Mortimer combination before and didn't find it *that* bad. Once Leda boulevard goes through (joining Wellard-Homestead Ridge) I'll be a very happy man.

[as7431]

To the OP, I have ridden Thomas and Anketell Road and would not recommend them, both are dangerous. The path along Thomas I avoid, it is badly maintained, over hanging branches, blind corners and concrete. I use back roads through Kwinana instead, but that does not suit your needs.

SNIP

Though if the aim is for a metric century, I would ride down the freeway PSP to Roe, ride up Roe PSP, turn round, ride back turn south onto the freeway PSP, ride as far as you need for the century and turn around and head home. That way you have train stations to bail out at. There is a great little shipping container cafe in the space west of the cockburn central train station were you can walk your bike to the counter, as well as water stops, the side path just after crossing the rail line after Roe Hwy heading south and south side of Mt Henry Bridge.

Thanks for that advice (esp the train line to bail out and water location/food at Cockburn) - may be a good idea. But, for some unknown reason, I just dislike an "out and back" ride. No idea why, just much prefer a loop.

After all the advice (and considering my dislike of back tracking, I have been exploring an loop to the east of the PSP through Atwell and Aubin Grove starting at Beeliar/Armadale Rd ie:

Armadale Rd => Tapper Rd => Harper Rd => Liddlelow Rd => Gibbs Rd => Lyon Rd => Rowley => PSP and back up to Beeliar => Coast. Gives me 2 bail out points. One at Cockburn Station (hopefully not before the way back) at about 56km and on at Freo (AT) 75km. From then on I need just suck it up.

Again, thanks for all the advice - what did we do before the web

Tim

[jlh]

We got out and explored