Roseville Bridge - Wakehurst Pkw - Akuna Bay
- Group:
- A
- Distance:
- 72km
- Route Description:
- Leave Lane Cove and head towards Epping Road, turn right, and then turn left onto the Pacific Highway. Once through Chatswood, turn right into Boundary St.
Follow Boundary St as it becomes Babbage Rd and then Warringah Rd. Cross the Roseville Bridge, and continue along Warringah Rd until it meets Wakehurst Pkwy. Turn left onto Wakehurst Pkwy, follow Wakehurst Pkwy until it meets Pittwater Rd.
Keep riding along Pittwater Rd to Mona Vale, and then follow it towards Church Point. At Church Point this becomes McCarrs Creek Rd. Follow this into Kur-ring-ai Chase National Park. At the West Head/Akuna Bay turn off, turn right and continue climbing. At the top of this hill, turn left into Coal And Candle Drive.
Follow Coal And Candle Drive through Akuna Bay and out the western side, where you will rejoin McCarrs Creek Rd. Keep on this to the roundabout, and then turn left, followed by a right at the lights onto Mona Vale Rd.
Follow Mona Vale Rd through St Ives and to the Pacific Highway for a left turn to head back towards Renegade. Follow the Highway back through Gordon, Killara, Lindfield and Chatswood. At Epping Rd, turn right, and then left into Longueville Rd. Take the first right into Birdwood Ave and follow this back to Renegade and the Cafe.
- Ride Description:
- This is a good fun fast ride, despite the pace being high in places, it can be a good opportunity for B Group riders to push themselves with the A Group. There is a lot of pleasant scenery along Wakehurst Pkwy as well as through Church Point and Akuna Bay.
The descent to Roseville Bridge is a popular one among cyclists, the road is good quality, and there are no sharp corners. Because of this it isn't difficult to reach speeds approaching 90km/hr!
After climbing out the eastern side, the group will stop briefly at Forest Fuel to regroup. Once onto Wakehurst Pkwy, there are are some good downhill sections again, where it is possible to sustain some good speeds. Once it flattens out, expect some of the stronger riders to pick the pace up. Don't be too concerned if you can't sustain the pace, the group will reform once onto Pittwater Rd.
Wakehurst Pkwy is a popular route for the early morning cyclists, so expect to see a few. The road is only a single lane each way, and while there is a reasonable shoulder, it quite often has some debris in it, so it is a good idea to be alert when riding along it. There are also a few bridges which don't have a shoulder. Try to grab the entire lane on approach to make traversing them as safe as possible.
Once onto Pittwater Rd, the group will wait at the Caltex Service Station between Gondola Rd and Nareen Pde. Once all together again, they will head north up Pittwater Rd. Despite the sometimes heavy traffic, this is a nice road to ride along with it's beach views.
On reaching Mona Vale, we continue along Pittwater Rd to Church Point. The road here narrows to a single lane each way, and also isn't in the best condition. Make sure that calls are passed through the bunch effectively to ensure that all riders can enjoy the route. Also watch out for the sometimes impatient motorists who catch up to the back of the bunch.
The group will sometimes stop at Church Point for water or a toilet break. This is something that is organised on an ad hoc basis within the bunch before hand. If the group does decide to stop make the right hand turn to the shops as safely as possible as it is on a blind corner.
On leaving Church Point, you are now on the scenic McCarrs Creek Rd, and while suburbia is still in existence, the surrounding bush is making itself known. Soon however, you will be entering Kur-ring-ai Chase National Park, and at this point the hard work of climbing will start to demand attention.
On reaching the West Head turn off, it is possible to continue along McCarrs Creek Rd as a short cut, this will cut out a lot of climbing and a few kilometres from the ride, but can be a good option for riders who are feeling the effects of the prior distance.
For those who are determined to do the entire course, they have a few kilometres more before the KOM at the West Head turnoff. The group does not typically regroup here, and instead people hit the descent into Akuna Bay.
This is a scenic twisting descent that can be a bit tricky at times. A few of the corners can be a bit sharper than they initially appear, and there can be some debris from the trees on the road at certain times of the year. Even so, there are still a few places when you can let go of the brakes and get some reasonable speed going.
On reaching the bottom of Akuna Bay, the road follows the inlets for a few kilometres before the heading skywards again.
The group will stop for a while at the Thai Restaurant which is a good place to refill water bottles, have something to eat and rest briefly for the trip back to Renegade.
When turning onto Mona Vale Rd cross with safety as the traffic heading west isn't stopped by the traffic lights. Once onto the shoulder those with some strength left in their legs will typically take the lead and everyone else will be looking for any shelter they can. The return pace along this section will still be quick, but the road is slightly downhill, so it isn't too demanding.
Watch out for the hill just before St Ives. A straw poll among cyclists is yet to find someone who actually likes this hill, it isn't very long, but it does make everyone in the bunch swear. While the group will split on this hill, everyone just eases up until the group has reformed past the top.
Once through St Ives, the road heads downwards towards the Pacific Highway, where again the speed demons will attempt to break the sound barrier (usually with a fair degree of success).
When turning back onto the Pacific Highway you will have to contend with heavier traffic as it will be later in the day by now. Keep alert to the lane changes as the group moves from the left to the middle lanes and back again.
Once back at Renegade, sit down and enjoy a coffee at the cafe after a good solid ride.
