Lithgow (Wikipedia entry, tourism website, second tourism website) is a town of over 11,000 people supported by the coal mining and electricity industry. It is serviced by Cityrail and Countrylink trains. Lithgow has a good shopping centre, caravan park, bicycle shop (Ph: 02 6351 3171) and tourist information centre (Ph: 1300 76 02 76).

Lithgow to Tarana    30.4km - 455m climb - 594m descent - sealed - map
This picturesque route coincides with one of the Greater Blue Mountains Discovery Trails. One mid-winter morning I travelled through here the green valley pastures were surrounded by forested ranges dusted with snow.

From Lithgow train station, cycle west along Main Street and turn left onto the Great Western Highway. The highway has a good shoulder here. About 5km from the railway station, turn right onto Magpie Hollow Road. After a small climb, the road descends quickly to Lake Lyell (photo). There is a camping area ($10/night, showers, barbecues, amenities, drinking water) by the lake shortly after you cross the dam wall. Previously, I have camped just off the road for free (no amenities), a kilometre or so past the campground, where there are several clearings. However, this free improvised campsite is really only suitable for those arriving late in the day and leaving early in the morning. Try to avoid drinking lake water - there a couple of power stations and coal mines upstream, while algal blooms are not infrequent.

From Lake Lyell, a steep 200 vertical metre climb takes one to the crest of the Great Dividing Range watershed, where there is a four-way intersection. The road to Tarana, which descends the other side, is sealed by quite patchy in places. It passes through the small village of Sodwalls (no facilities or shops) and, a few kilometres before arriving at Tarana, passes the turn-off (Honeysuckle Falls Road, unsealed) to Evans Crown Nature Reserve. A 30 minute walk to Evans Crown gives good views of the area. While camping is not permitted in the nature reserve, some barely adequate sites for pitching a two-man tent can be located beside Honeysuckle Falls Road. Cycling a few more kilometres down Honeysuckle Falls Road rewards the traveller with superb views of Evans Crown and Fish River (photo).

Tarana (tourism webpage, further tourist information) is a small village on the Main Western Railway Line. It is serviced daily by train between Dubbo and Sydney by the Countrylink XPT. Bookings are essential. The Tarana Hotel serves meals and provides accommodation. Apart from a pay phone there are no other services in town.

Tarana to Oberon    25.1km - 438m climb - 125m descent - sealed - map
A peaceful sealed route from Tarana to Oberon using the Lowes Mount Road. The route closely follows the old Tarana - Oberon railway line (photo), which though currently in disuse, may become a tourist railway. The last 6km of railway runs parallel to a recently constructed bitumen rail trail. To reach the rail trail from Tarana, cycle up the Lowes Mount Road. At the top of the main climb, turn left onto Mt Hazelgrove Rd (unsealed). The rail trail begins where the old railway line intersects this road and ends in Oberon.

Oberon (tourism website, Wikipedia entry) is the highest township in the Blue Mountains region. It has a population of about 2500 and a thriving logging industry. Its shopping centre can supply all basic needs, and includes cafés, two supermarkets, a camping shop (Ph: 02 6336 1438) but no bicycle shop. The town also has two caravan parks (see here and here) and a tourist information centre (open 7 days a week).

Oberon to Jenolan Caves (via Edith)    29km - 439m climb - 731m descent - sealed - map
As one of the highest in the central tablelands, this road undulates on the plateau at around 1100m above sea level, climbs to 1360m and then plunges into the Jenolan River gorge 550m below. The road is now fully sealed. About 23.5km from Oberon is the turn-off to Kanangra Walls, which would make an excellent side trip if you have a spare day. About half a kilometre before this intersection, a firetrail heads south from the Oberon-Jenolan Road into Kanangra-Boyd National Park, where one may be able to find a clearing for a tent. Also in the vicinity of this intersection are several B&B and cabin lodges, providing accommodation for visitors to Jenolan Caves. The descent to Jenolan Caves is very steep with sharp bends, but the scenery is truly spectacular.

Jenolan Caves (Wikipedia entry) is a large network of remarkable limestone caverns which attracts over 200,000 visitors each year. The official website and a personal website on the caves gives information about accommodation, food and cave tours. The scenery at the caves is simply spectacular. Cycle tourists should note the following points.

• The road into Jenolan Caves is much steeper from Oberon than from Hampton. Both roads are narrow and winding. Traffic is heaviest on weekends and public holidays, heading to the Caves from Hampton in the morning and heading out of the Caves toward Hampton in the late afternoon.
• There is no longer any campsite down near the caves. Accommodation at the Caves is expensive. Cheaper accommodation (cabin-style) can be found about 10km from the Caves off the Hampton and Oberon Roads. Some camping options are discussed here. Please note that secluded clearings suitable for pitching a tent are very difficult to find in the Jenolan River Gorge. And if you find one, camping there is most likely prohibited.
• When I visited Jenolan Caves, the gentleman at the information office allowed me to store my panniers and tent out the back so that I could wander around without fear of my possessions being stolen.
• Even if you do not pay to see an underground cave, the bushwalks around the caves are definitely worth doing. They are signposted well and the scenery is magnificent.
• Oberon and Lithgow are the nearest towns with a supermarket.

Jenolan Caves to Hampton    25.7km - 675m climb - 431m descent - sealed - map
From Jenolan Caves it is a long but steady climb out of the Jenolan River Gorge to the top of the range. Avoid cycling this road on weekend and public holiday afternoons (or mornings, if heading in the opposite direction), when tourist traffic peaks. About 10km from the Caves, there is a campground in Jenolan State Forest. About 13km from the Caves, one reaches the intersection with Black Range Road (unsealed). The Black Range Camping Area is located about half a kilometre down Black Range Road and is popular with hikers walking the Six Foot Track. This well-maintained campsite has table, shelter, toilets, rainwater tank (treat water before use) and information boards. For more privacy, one could find a secluded tent site almost much anywhere in the state forest (stretching 8km to 23km from Jenolan Caves) - provided that it has not be logged recently. At the intersection with Duckmaloi Road (21km from the caves) lies Millionth Acre Picnic Area, a rest area among the pine trees with picnic tables, bins, toilets and water.

Hampton (tourist information) is a small village with a school and two commercial ventures: The Hampton Roadhouse and The Hampton Halfway House.

Hampton to Lithgow    27.4km - 376m climb - 527m descent - sealed - map
This route follows Caves Road (can be busy on weekends/holidays with tourist traffic to Jenolan Caves, but has a small shoulder), McKanes Falls Road (quieter, with a descent to the Coxs River and ascent up the other side) and the Great Western Highway (good shoulder) into Lithgow. There are great views of the Kanimbla Valley from Caves Road near Lowther. For a quieter but longer route, take the Rydal-Hampton Road (sealed but patchy) for about 15km before turning right into Magpie Hollow Road, which leads to Lithgow.

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