Cycling from Gosford to Woy Woy, Ettalong & Umina

The 18km ride from Gosford to Umina has some amazing views of Brisbane Water and southern area of the Central Coast.

Riding along the waterfront at Koolewong

The ride hugs the water’s edge from the Gosford Waterfront through Point Clare, Tascott and Koolewong into Woy Woy. For fast riders, it can be cycled in less 2 hours.

Map showing the cycling route from Gosford to Woy Woy and Umina

Apart from a hill climb at Tascott, the ride is mostly flat. Below is the map that shows the cycling route from Gosford to Umina — but, if you look closely, you’ll see that my friend, CrouchGJ and I, deviated to the top of Blackwall Mountain at Woy Woy.

The cycleway along the Woy Woy waterfront

When cycling south from Gosford, the cycleway moves away from the Central Coast Highway at Hungry Jacks West Gosford and into Garnett Adcock Memorial Park before snaking past the Gosford RSL at West Gosford.

Cycling from the Gosford waterfront and into Adcock Park at West Gosford

Before you realise it, you’ll be riding past Fagans Bay and Coorumbine Creek.

Off the road cycleway that connects West Gosford with Point Clare

One of the most important parts of this cycle route is the Point Clare Cycleway Railway Underpass that was opened on the 19th November 2001.

The Point Clare Cycleway Railway Underpass was opened in 2001

For 20 years, this tunnel has allowed cyclists to safely ride off the road between Gosford and the Woy Woy Peninsula.

T.S. Hawkesbury at Point Clare

Near the Point Clare railway underpass is the local Marine Rescue base and the Australian Navy Cadets base, T. S. Hawkesbury. At this location you’ll come across the ‘Operations Jaywick Rimau Memorial Garden.’

Memorial garden for Operation Jaywick and Rimau

The cycleway continues along the eastern side of the railway line and Brisbane Water Drive.

The hill at Tascott is the only challenging part of the route. At the top of the hill at Tascott you’ll come across two cycleways — one continues off the road, the other is on the road — both cycleways continue south along Tascott Straight. The off road cycleway is obviously safer.

Two cycleways at the Tascott hill — on the road and off the road

The view of Brisbane Water, from Tascott Straight, is excellent— worth stopping for a quick break.

The view from Tascott Straight

The ride into Woy Woy travels over the 85 metre Spike Milligan Bridge.

The Spike Milligan Bridge

A plaque near the bridge explains how the comedian contributed to the state government’s safe cycling messages in 1983.

We stopped at the Bayview Hotel, opposite the Woy Woy Wharf, for lunch.

Then continued past the cycleway along Brick Wharf Road onto the Woy Woy Waterfront.

The cycleway is about 2kms long on Woy Woy’s waterfront — and is always popular.

The cycleway along the Woy Woy waterfront

You’ll come across good views of St Huberts Island and the Rip Bridge. From this spot you can continue to the ride to Ettalong via the cycleway on Memorial Avenue, or you can inject some heart-raising exercise by riding to the top of Blackwall Mountain via Bayview Crescent.

At the top of Blackwall Mountain you’ll be able to see right across Broken Bay to Palm Beach, down to Umina and Ettalong — and across Booker Bay into Pretty Beach, Hardys Bay and Wagstaffe.

From Blackwall Mountain, we swung into Ettalong via Memorial Avenue.

Blackwall Mountain, Woy Woy

And rode along The Esplanade cycleway into Ocean Beach, Umina.

Then north along Trafalgar Avenue into Woy Woy.

The Trafalgar Avenue cycleway that links Umina and Woy Woy

It is an excellent ride with excellent views.

Woy Woy Memorial Park — Brick Wharf Road

I’d love to hear your thoughts about the ride — drop me a note on social media @BrendenWood.

#CentralCoast #Gosford #Woy Woy #Ettalong #Umina