Hornsby (Sydney) to snowy mountains route

[prabs]

Hello fellow riders,

I am planning to ride from Hornsby to snowy mountains in next few weeks. Looking for a safe route. Any suggestions on routes and stay would be appreciated

[baabaa]

Which part of the snowy mountains do you wish to end up in?
Happy to do bits by train? If so would strongly suggest start at some station near the royal national park and ride from that point as you avoid all the nonsense traffic. Or go from Hornsby to Wallacia and into Bargo then south.
Are you looking at just a ride point to point or a scenic ride, example the coast to Bega or even Eden then west or down via Goulburn and Canberra. And.... also camping or no or little load and staying in hotels/ pubs. I guess you know it, but the Hume Freeway is not much fun on a bike and even if you come up from the coast and do Macquarie Pass to get to Goulburn, you will have some time on the freeway with fast and heavy trucks up your rear end.

[robbo mcs]

Hi,

I live part time in Sydney, part time in Jindy, and have done that route quite a few times.

There are various options, depending on how long you want to take, how much climbing you are prepared to do and your appetite for gravel.

Conceptually, I would break it down into segments, Sydney-Southern highlands-Canberra-Cooma-Jindy. There is also the option of going via yass-tumut-adaminaby-jindy, but that is longer and a lot more climbing.

I’ve done various options, but this would be my preferred routes summarised.

Sydney to Highlands : M7 cycleway, camden valley way cycleway, camden, cawdor rd, old razorback (partly dirt), remembrance drive

Highlands to Canberra : back way via bundannon, short section hume at marulan, jerrara rd, mountainash rd to goulburn, back way to canberra, currawang rd and tarago rd to bungendore

Canberra to Cooma : basically 2 choices, the monaro highway. Busy rd, trucks etc, not much fun. Reasonable shoulder, but I would avoid it. Back way via tharwa, bobeyan rd, shannons flat rd. Involves a fair few hills and around 25km dirt. Not busy, but loads of wildlife and some people driving way faster than they should on dirt roads

Cooma to Jindy : Basically 3 choices. My preferred is Maffra rd, Snowyriver way to dalgerty and then onto Barry way. Really nice quiet roads. However, does involve beloka climb out of dalgety, 3km of hell, with patches up to 20% or more. Doable if you are travelling light, but not fully loaded. Option 2 highway out of town, then slacks creek rd, middlinbank rd, rocky plains rd, eucumbene rd then highway into town. 3rd option is the highway, which I would avoid.

If you are keen on dirt roads, then there are lot more options

[terryc]

I’ve done various options, but this would be my preferred routes summarised.

Sydney to Highlands : M7 cycleway, camden valley way cycleway, camden,

Where is Camden Valley Way cycleway?

[queequeg]

I’ve done various options, but this would be my preferred routes summarised.

Sydney to Highlands : M7 cycleway, camden valley way cycleway, camden,

Where is Camden Valley Way cycleway?

When you get to the end of the M7 Cycleway at Prestons, turn right onto the Bike Path that runs past McDonalds. You are now on the Camden Valley Way Cycleway. It takes you pretty much all the way to Camden (it finishes a couple of km short).

Have a look at my ride here: https://www.strava.com/activities/2900545785 as I did the full length of the M7 Path and out to Camden

[ody92]

Hi,
Did you end up doing this ride? If so, what was the route you took?
I am looking at doing the same ride towards the end of the year and am just trying to figure out which way we'll go.

Cheers!