Spit Bridge - Wakehurst Parkway - Church Point - Akuna Bay
- Group:
- B1
- Distance:
- 75km
- Route Description:
- Leave Lane Cove and head towards Epping Rd via Rosenthal Ave, Birdman Ave and Longueville Rd. Turn right on to Epping Rd and then turn right on the Pacific Highway.
Follow the Pacific Hwy through Gore Hill, St Leonards and Crows Nest. Turn left on Falcon St and continue on to Military Rd, Neutral Bay. Follow Military Rd through Cremorne to Mosman.
At Mosman turn left onto Spit Rd and ride down to the Spit Bridge, cross the bridge and turn left onto Battle Bvd, right at Seaforth Crescent and right at Edgecliff Esplanade.
Turn left at Panorama Parade and right at Ponsonby Parade and left onto Sydney Rd. Continue on Sydney Rd to the roundabout and turn left onto Frenchs Forest Rd and follow until
reaching Clontaff St, which then turns into Wakehurst Parkway.
Ride along Wakehurst Parkway crossing over Warringah Rd, through Oxford Falls and down to Narrabeen Lakes.
Turn left onto Pittwater Rd and ride through North Narrabeen, Warriewood to Mona Vale. Continue along Pittwater Rd, through Bayview to Church Point.
Follow McCarrs Creek Rd up and turn right onto West Head Rd. Follow West Head Rd to the intersection with Coal and Candle Drive.
Follow Coal and Candle Drive through Akuna Bay and ascend on the Western side. At the intersection with McCarrs Creek Rd, continue straight ahead and regroup at the Thai Restaurant.
Leave the Thai Restaurant, and at the roundabout turn left and then right onto Mona Vale Rd. Follow Mona Vale Rd back through St Ives and at the intersection with the Pacific Highway, turn left and follow the Pacific Highway back through Gordon, Killara, Lindfield, Roseville and Chatswood. At the intersection with Epping Rd, turn right and then left onto Longueville Rd. Take the first right onto Birdwood Ave and follow this back to Burns Bay Rd, Renegade and the Cafe.
- Ride Description:
- This is one of the longer, hillier rides for C+ Group but many enjoy it as it passes across the Spit, along a number of northern beaches before the ascend in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park & Akuna Bay.
After leaving Renegade, the group will head south down the Pacific Highway to Crows Nest.
Turning left at Falcon St and follow the road through the busy northern suburbs of Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman.
The group will invariably take the centre lane due to parked cars but care is required as cars continue to pass on the left if the opportunity is available.
The descent down to the Spit Bridge is uneventful but be careful on the bridge itself as it has a metal surface and can be slippery if wet.
A short winding climb up several streets in Seaforth is rewarded with a glorious view of The Spit and Clontarf. This is often a good point to regroup.
Once on Wakehurst Parkway the ride passes through Manly Warringah Memorial Park before dropping down into Garigal National Park and Narrabeen Lakes.
On reaching Mona Vale, we continue along Pittwater Rd to Church Point. The road here narrows to a single lane each way and 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 usually stop at Church Point for snack, water or a toilet break.
If the group does decide to stop, move to the area near 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. The road undulates along the water, gradually climbing through the suburb until the bush takes over and the gradient increases for a more serious climb up through Kur-ring-ai Chase National Park. There is a small false flat and another climb to Coal and Candle Dr. The group may pause at the top or may simply continue riding and regroup after the climb out of the Western side of Akuna Bay.
There is a descent down into Akuna Bay here, again, descend at your own pace. After reaching the bottom, there are a few minor bumps in the road before encountering the main climb of the ride.
Having reached the toll booth and McCarrs Creek Rd return to the Thai Restaurant just before the roundabout. There is a tap here so it is possible to refill water bottles before returning to Renegade.
On leaving the Restaurant, watch out for the right hand turn onto Mona Vale Rd. The traffic heading West isn't stopped by the lights so it is necessary to cross two lanes of traffic. Do so as safely as possible. The group will ride slower until everyone has crossed and rejoined the group.
Expect a steady pace on the return leg of Mona Vale Rd, there is the descent back past the Showground, and then the annoying hill back into St Ives. Having beaten this hill, ensure that everyone is back on the bunch before continuing.
After traveling through St Ives, there is the descent back to the Pacific Highway, this is a fast descent where the braver riders can hit some pretty impressive speeds. After rejoining the Pacific Highway, there is the usual ride back to Renegade and the much anticipated Coffee at the Cafe.
