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 Hampton    29.4km - 514m climb - 538m descent - sealed - map
This generally undulating road is interrupted in the middle by a descent to the Duckmaloi River and a climb out the other side. At the intersection with Jenolan Caves Road, some 25km from Oberon, 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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