Cycle Touring M.A.M.I.L: February 2015

I recently took my touring bike for a ride along the Western Sydney Parklands track. If you're coming from the Windsor road entry to the M7, you'll find the entrance on your left, just after Quakers Hill and C-Hill segment (strava). The track is well marked so finding your way around should be straight forward.

Entrance to the Western Sydney Parklands Track

Well marked track

For those who ride the M7 cycleway often, the parklands track is a peaceful diversion, and really nice and quiet. Furthermore, if you come early and try to make minimal noise, you may just site the deer that live nearby and come for a drink in the creek. I have been lucky to see them on several occasions.

The parklands track

Nice and flat and peaceful

Riding through the peaceful parklands track you feel like you're miles away from civilisation. The peacefulness does come to a sudden end as we approach one of the major road crossings along the way. Pedestrian crossings and traffic lights make for a safe crossing.

Crossing Richmond Road

Soon after the crossing, we are back to serenity and peaceful surroundings.

What's the go with the platform to nowhere?

Crossing Eastern Creek

After crossing Power St, a short gravel section proceeds. It's approximately 800 metres or so, but do take care if you're on narrow tires. The Schwalbe Marathon Plus 35mm tires are so versatile, I love them in these conditions.

Short gravel section

The Parklands track winds its way through Nurragingy Reserve. Please take note that the park gates are closed when the park is closed. A sign inside the park shows the seasonal opening hours for the park. I have ridden through here and found the gate closed even though the sign suggested it should have been opened. You can get your bike around this entrance of the park, but you may not be so lucky on the other side.

Gates open today

Nurragingy Park is a great picnic spot for family outings. Next time I ride through here, I'll pack a picnic lunch and take the whole family along for the ride.

Nurragingy Reserve

Picnic Spots Galore

Just after you make your way out of the Nurragingy Reserve, follow the parklands signs down Eastern Road. Take care across the bridge and I recommend you do as the sign suggests and dismount across the narrow bridge.

Narrow Bridge on Eastern Road

Cross Eastern Rd at the Blacktown International Sports Park to continue your Tour of the Parklands Track.

So nice, so quiet.

Until you get to the Great Western Highway that is

Just after crossing the Great Western Highway, you are back on the familiar M7 Shared Cycleway. Continue for a few kilometres until you get to the Horseley Drive Overpass.

Familiar Territory

The Horseley Drive Intersection

Follow the signs and go up the hill to the Horseley Drive. Please note:- this section of the track is poorly maintained. The council responsible for this section of road should really hang there heads in shame. Take extreme care as some of the manholes on the road are cracked and you could do some major damage to you and your bike if your wheel was to hit one of them. Be warned! Fortunately, it's not a long segment of road and the rewards of climbing that hill and entering the parkland is extremely rewarding.

Careful along Horseley Drive, path is poorly maintained, shame on you council.

Once you're back in the parkland, it's just divine, peaceful, serene, clean and did I say peaceful? Stop and smell the wild flowers along the way and soak it all in.

Inside the Western Sydney Parklands

The track takes you down past Calmsley Hill City Farm, another great family day out for those with young children can be had here. By the way, Calmsley Hill is aptly named, there are some nice hills to get you to this destination.

Calmsley Hill City Farm

Once inside the park, be sure to take some side trips, they are all scenically wonderful and offer some rewarding challenges such as Moonrise Lookout.

I believe that to be Calmsley Hill

The road to Moonrise Lookout

Rewarding View from the top

I've ridden past this sign before and I was intrigued as to what a memorial to Ginger Meggs in the middle of nowhere was all about. A nice little detour takes you to the memorial, and what I believe to be the burial ground of this awesome dog.