Leichhardt to Botany Bay and Cronulla/Kurnell.

Get the UBD/Melways out, or use the online versions (eg street-directory.com or whereisit.com) and here goes:

This is a regular LBUG ride in August.

From LBUG HQ (Bakehouse Cafe, Moore St, Leichhardt), go east on Moore St, turn right at Catherine St and cross Parramatta Rd onto Phillips St and the back streets of Petersham. Follow Phillips, Margaret, Charles, Westbourne Sts. Come out on Crystal St at top of hill and head south to cross Stanmore Rd onto Shaw St. First left on Chester St, then right then left onto Newington Rd. Turn left at Wemyss St then left at Addison St. Follow Addison to a right at the lights at Enmore Rd/Victoria St. Follow Victoria St all the way south, across Marrickville Rd and over a hill then down under the railway and along Myrtle, Carrington Sts and Richardsons Cr till you get to Tempe Station car park.

Turn into the station car park. The bike path starts from the south end of the car park, goes under the railway line next to the Cooks River, through Kendrick Park and the driveway comes out on the Princes H'way at the intersection of View St. and use footpath on eastern side of the H'way over the Cooks River bridge to the park on the other side. The bike route scrosses Levey St but is easier going right on Levey St to Innesdale Rd then left towards Marsh St. At the lights, don't enter busy Marsh St but turn right (watch for turning traffic) on to the (western side) of Marsh St footpath/cyclepath until you see an underpass of Marsh St. Alternative to all that, just go along West Botany St a bit from Princes Highway and turn down Valda St.

Go underneath Marsh St then along the new bike path, past some bollards, and under the M5 on a specially constructed underpass. Once on this bit of bike path it is easy to follow it through parkland, past airport viewing points and past the playing fields and Muddy Creek on left to Bestic St. Turn left and follow Bestic St all the way east to the water front of Botany Bay (crossing over General Holmes Drive from the correct Bestic St lane - change lanes into lane nearest centre line well before you approach the intersection - hey, we are all competent cyclists arent we? If not, there is a longer way around along Muddy Creek from Bestic St, which goes under GH Drive) and the cycle route/path then goes all the way along Botany Bay foreshore past Sans Souci and Dolls Point. You sometimes have to watch out for sand blown onto the path or even waves, as well as pedestrians, and some sections through car parks with bumpy ramps but it is not too bad if you arent in a hurry.

From the St George Sailing Club the path leads to a steep ramp up to Captain Cook Bridge. Use the eastern side foot/cyclepath over the bridge and pick up the cycle route to Kurnell on the other side. Follow the bike route signs through the back streets (a few tricky turns) and along a new section of path past mangroves near the waters edge until you come out on Captain Cook Drive near playing fields. Continue east along Captain Cook Drive or cross over to the cyclepath on the south side of Captain Cook Drive past more playing fields, a school and a golf course.Once on the cyclepath keep going till you get to the turn off to the right to Cronulla (Elouera Rd) at another roundabout. Elouera Rd is flat and takes you right to the Cronulla Beach front with lots of cafes and fish and chip shops. Alternatively, take the first on the left, Bate Bay Rd, up a steep hill, and be rewarded with good views of the ocean and beach and a beach side road into Cronulla.

Total Distance from Leichhardt to Cronulla, about 25km.

(Captain Cook Drive keeps on going another 8 km or so out to Kurnell. There is a good wide shoulder all the way. There is a cafe as you come into the street that fronts the National Park entrance, and another one further along the beach front road. It is interesting to ride through the park to Cape Solander - good ocean views.)

On the way home, retrace your path to Captain Cooks Bridge. You can skip the Botany Bay foreshore bit if you want to, and take a sign- posted bike route (if you look hard) through the flat back streets along roads heading north, e.g. Clareville, Chuter, Crawford and Francis Sts which comes out at Bestic St. You might need to take a street directory tho, and some of the turns are not obvious. If lost head east to the Bay path. Continue on back to Tempe Stn and Victoria St. Back in Marrickville, take Sydenham Rd up to Park Rd, then left on Addison and right up Audley St which is less steep than Shaw St. Cut across to Crystal St up the top and its level, then down hill, to Parramatta Rd and on to Balmain Rd, which leads back to Moore St and the Bakehouse Cafe (turn right just past Leichhardt High School).

For those who dont like Crystal St, you can go along Illawarra Rd, Agar, Newington, Wemyss, cross Enmore Rd and up Merchant St to a left at Cambridge St to Stanmore Station, then an underpass (a few steps at southern end), then take quieter Percival Rd back to Parramatta Rd through Petersham and return to Moore St via Albion and Catherine Sts.

Hope you get there! You will probably find a few of your own ways but this one will do for a start.

back to places to ride

If you are keen on riding with us check out the rides and tours on the LBUG web site. We do one day rides and 2 or 3 day rides as well during the year, and sometimes longer tours.

There is also a web site on Ning at leichhardtbug.ning.com, which you can sign up to- requires you to choose a username and password.