Four riders had an early start to catch the 7:26am Hornsby train to Broadmeadow for the ‘Newcastle – Not So Big Day Out’ ride on the newish Mariyung trains. This is a one-way ride to Fassifern station from Broadmeadow station that takes in many of the scenic locations around Newcastle.
First up was the ride around the southern foreshore of the Hunter River using the SUP and along the edge of the CBD. We rode to the end of the Breakwater. With high tide, easterly winds and swell it was an interesting ride avoiding the occasional large wave crashing over the wall!
Then around Nobbys Beach, past the Ocean Baths and the main Newcastle Beach. For the first time in several years we managed to access the Bogey Hole – an ocean pool cut from the rock by convicts. On previous rides the path had been fenced off due to landslides. No swimmers today as it looked dangerous with the large waves crashing into the pool.
Up and over Shepherds Hill to a nice run down to Bar Beach on the SUP and then the 3-4km Glebe Rd section to Adamstown and the start of the Fernleigh Trail and the obligatory photo at the tunnel entrance.
We stopped at Whitebridge for a quick coffee at PEGS – where we were served by Mel (aka PEG) – and discovered she does all the baking of the cakes, pastries, sausage rolls etc. Yummy. We’ll be back. And then a 4-5km gradual descent towards Redhead – perfect. Continuing to the end of the Fernleigh Trail at Belmont, we rode a short out and back diversion to ‘sample’ the new Awabakal SUP around Belmont Lagoon.
Then we started riding around the shores of Lake Macquarie. It was up and over the hills of Green Point, and a few grumbles about hills and you said, ‘it was a relatively flat ride’. Oh well. A short lunch stop at Warners Bay (Subway all round), quick hello to ‘Mango Man’ – who has had his mango cut off – and the lonely-hooded sculpture looking out towards the bay.
And we’re off again riding towards Five Islands and Toronto. At Toronto we veer off towards Fassifern on the rail trail.
And we made the 2:41pm Fassifern to Hornsby Mariyung train.
All in all a shorter version of the regular ‘Newcastle Big Day Out’ ride.