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When I first went on the Sydney to Gong ride I was warned beforehand that an essential preparation was to practice some hill climbing, this turned out to be the best advice I received. This route is a short ride through Dapto that contains hills of varying difficulty and which can be added to the ride around the Lake. The two steepest hills are not long and are good testing grounds for your hillclimbing ability but at the same time the walk is not far if they do beat you at first. There are also some pleasant views of the lake, a picnic area with free electric BBQs and seating. Most of the ride is in quiet suburban streets. Distances are taken from the centre of Dapto near the Hotel and Club.
Follow this road over the expressway for some way until Lakeside Drive (4.2 km). Here there is a choice of turning right or carrying on a bit further until Kanahooka Park and picking up the cycleway in the Park(4.8 km). As this is a nice enough ride I usually do the latter.
The ride continues now on the road across the bridge over the creek and slightly up hill to the first turn on the left (6.3 km) which is actually a continuation of Lakeside Drive. Follow this road until its end where you turn left and almost immediately right into Karingal Av (6.9 km), again a short ride before turning left into Wyndarra Way (7.2 km).
After enjoying the view continue on downhill, keep an eye out for Emerson Rd (8.5 km) on your left because here you turn and again look out for another left turn into Compton St - second street along - (9 km). This road undulates and there are a couple of modest hills to climb. Keep going until Cormack St (10.2 km) appears on the right, enter and prepare for the second fairly testing climb to the top of this street. Again the top of the hill (10.7 km) has fairly sweeping views south before a good run down the other side to meet up with the Princes Highway (11.2 km) just before the Tallawarra Power Station turn off and the junction with the expressway. A choice of continuing around the lake or turning right and returning to the centre of Dapto (15 km). Copyright © Bruce Lloyd 2005 |
If one
commences in the centre of Dapto then cycle north along the Princes Highway to the
Kanahooka Rd roundabout (1.6 km) and turn right into Kanahooka Road. Kanahooka Rd has a
shared cycleway on its northern side once you are past the expressway but as the road is
so wide and relatively quiet why it is needed is beyond me however the choice is yours.
The cycleway is
not signposted but commences a metre or two before the entry road for the car park at the
far end of the park area. Just follow the cycleway past the boat ramps and on to Lakeside
Park (5.6 km) on the lake foreshore. Here there are electric BBQs and picnic areas. If you
chose to turn right at Lakeside Drive you pass this park on your left.
Follow Wyndarra Way as it slowly climbs uphill (at about 7.5 km) until quite
a testing hill however it is not too long and at its peak (8 km) there is a great view out
over the lake - unfortunately this view should be enjoyed now as the blocks on the
downhill side of the road are for sale.