As the weather cools down, it’s time to get on your bike! Autumn is the perfect time to go for a ride – it’s not too hot and with the leaves turning all shades of red and orange, it makes for beautiful scenery.
Cycling is a great cardiovascular activity, it’s pretty easy on the joints and suitable for all ages to have a go at. The Inner West is criss-crossed with bike paths, but you can also just head for your local park to pedal around.
Many of our members and lots of our staff are avid riders. They’ve shared their tips about some of the most popular bike paths in the Inner West to help you get out there and explore the local area.
Bay Run and Hawthorne Canal Ride
Yes, the famous Bay Run can also be a ride. The path is shared with pedestrians and runners, and as a rider it is your responsibility to give way. The route includes the entire Bay Run circuit and adds on the Hawthorne Canal. The 8.8-kilometre loop is almost perfectly flat making it ideal for the whole family. On this waterfront ride you’ll pass by several parks and a dog-friendly café called Café Bones serving ‘puppycinos’ for your four-legged friend.
GreenWay
The GreenWay is a green ‘corridor’ that connects the Cooks River pathway at Earlwood to the Bay Run (or in this case ride!). It is five kilometres long and follows the old Rozelle freight rail line, passing by the Hawthorne Canal, which has recently undergone Bushcare work thanks to the Inner West Environment Group (IWEG). The GreenWay offers a way for locals to reconnect with nature right here in the Inner West. You might even catch a glimpse of the resident endangered long-nosed bandicoots as you cruise along the path.
Sydney Olympic Park and Bicentennial Park
If you like riding it’s hard to think of a better place in Sydney to get on your bike than at Sydney Olympic Park and Bicentennial Park. There are over 35 kilometres of completely car-free bike paths, including a kid’s circuit, a 5.5-kilometre Parklands Circuit, a 7.6-kilomtre Olympic Circuit, a 12.5-kilometre River Heritage Circuit and the 6.3-kilometre Louise Sauvage Pathway. You peddle past lookouts, wildlife, shipwrecks and outdoor art. Don’t have your own bike? You can hire one at Newington Armory Bike Hire. If you have youngsters who are fans of BMX or mountain bike riding, there is also a 250-metre dirt track with jumps and hills for them to test their skills on https://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/Things-to-Do/BMX-and-Mountain-X.
Cooks River Cycleway
Following the Cooks River, the aptly named Cooks River Cycleway way is a 26-kilometre path that begins in Settlers Park in Ryde and finishes on the shores of Botany Bay at Kyeemagh. It connects to the Parramatta Valley cycleway at Ryde and with the Brighton Le Sands cycleway, which extends all the way to Cronulla. You could just keep riding!
Parramatta Valley Cycleway
This popular bike path gets quite a bit of pedal-powered traffic. Running beside the Parramatta River, the Parramatta Valley Cycleway is 15 kilometres long. Starting at Morrison Bay Park in Ryde, the route heads west along dedicated bike paths and quiet residential streets. The opening of the Subiaco Creek link in 2017 connects Parramatta Park to Sydney Olympic Park, making for a long, flat ride if you want to keep cycling.
Bicycle User Groups
If you’d like to learn more about getting around the Inner West by bike, why not join one of the local Bicycle User Groups (BUG)? You can become a member of Canada Bay Bicycle Users Group (BayBUG), Ashfield Bicycle Users Group (AshBUG) or Leichhardt Bicycle Users Group (LBUG). They plan regular rides for members as well as working with the local councils, Bicycle NSW and each other to improve cycle paths and road facilities for riding.
Finally, don’t forget Halliday Park, just across from the Canada Bay Club. It’s a great place to take the kids to get them peddling. Afterwards, treat them to a pizza at The Brasserie for all their hard work. If you’re part of a cycling club, why not suggest the Club to rest and refuel? There’s plenty of room in our car park for you to lock up your bikes. And we’d love to welcome you – lycra and all!
Image Source: Sitchu
