Long Angle Gully - Blue Mountains

[Steve_N]

Hey All,

Thought I might check out Long Angle Gully now that I'm only a stone's throw from the area.

My question is:

Whereabouts can you hook up with this trail? I've been checking Google Maps and it looks like you can ride in at various points such as Spurwood Rd at Warrimoo or Winnicoopa Rd at Blaxland. Is this right?

Spurwood would be awesome as it's not far from my place so would love to find a 'local' that truly is local.

If anyone can give me some entry points for Long Angle then it would be most appreciated! Also, if anyone has ridden it lately and can give me an idea of trail conditions even better! Can a fully rigid 29er handle it?

Cheers!

[BM Epic]

Hey All,

Thought I might check out Long Angle Gully now that I'm only a stone's throw from the area.

My question is:

Whereabouts can you hook up with this trail? I've been checking Google Maps and it looks like you can ride in at various points such as Spurwood Rd at Warrimoo or Winnicoopa Rd at Blaxland. Is this right?

Spurwood would be awesome as it's not far from my place so would love to find a 'local' that truly is local.

If anyone can give me some entry points for Long Angle then it would be most appreciated! Also, if anyone has ridden it lately and can give me an idea of trail conditions even better! Can a fully rigid 29er handle it?

Cheers!Hi steve n,
Yes you can hook up where you said!
Problem-a lot of this track is private property,so it does not get talked about a lot!
Entering long angle again is private property,but for what it's worth,you enter through long angle road,off singles ridge road.
I wouldn't even contemplate riding a rigid 29er through there,the climb out to long angle is massive and steep,best tackled on a 26" with front suspension.
You should probably have this in the watering hole section!
I have been told off once or twice by irate land owners down there...so it's up to you!
As i said,not a lot of people know about this track for good reasons!
Hope this helps

[spudatm]

Guys don't ride this. We have enough troubles keeping the legal trails open. We all talk about wanting governments and other groups to give us a fair go when it comes to trail acess. We are more likely to get that acess if we are a repectfull and law abiding group. There are plenty of trails in the Blue mountains that you can ride legally. Ride them.

[go to bed jessica]

Ummm, I'm going to double check this today, but AFAIK Long angle, cripple creek etc is as public as public can be. For starters, I don't see why BMCC would piss away money maintaining a privatly owned firetrail?

I'll check it out.

[go to bed jessica]

OK, just checked it out on the BMCC website. Everything south of Concrete hill is fine, except for the small block of land at the end of Winicooper (sp). North of the concrete hill, there is two small deviations into private land along the firetrail neer the northern creek crossing (the one closest to Long Angle rd itself) and the big hairpin on the descent down Long Angle is on private land.

Thing is, I thought that access trails such as this were fine to ride, as long as you stick to the track? I've been riding Long Angle for years, and I've never been called for being on private land, and every time I ride there are horses, dog walkers, bush walkers using the same trail.

Anyway, I'll ask someone who should know tonight.

[BM Epic]

OK, just checked it out on the BMCC website. Everything south of Concrete hill is fine, except for the small block of land at the end of Winicooper (sp). North of the concrete hill, there is two small deviations into private land along the firetrail neer the northern creek crossing (the one closest to Long Angle rd itself) and the big hairpin on the descent down Long Angle is on private land.

Thing is, I thought that access trails such as this were fine to ride, as long as you stick to the track? I've been riding Long Angle for years, and I've never been called for being on private land, and every time I ride there are horses, dog walkers, bush walkers using the same trail.

Anyway, I'll ask someone who should know tonight.Yeah we got reamed by the scruffy land owner,there is a small private property sign just at the bottom of long angle entry,don't know if this is a bit of a hoax or a disgruntled land owner:confused:.
I see horses,humans etc every time i ride there,but i just noticed this sign yesterday,i think it is all a bit ill defined as far as who owns what and where!

[ukalipt]

i have ridden through there a couple of times. wouldn't know if it is private
property or not, i haven't ever been harassed. its a good ride starting at
the top of the oakes [woodford] and ending on singles ridge, entering
from sun valley... around 45km.

[Steve_N]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like this one is a bit of gray area re: legitimacy. Sorry to bring it to peoples attention. Like most people, I'm just looking for a (different) place to ride. Perhaps the reason we see so many people (bushwalkers, horse riders and the like) using it is they all think the same way, ie. it is all public land?

Go to Bed Jessica - would love to know what you find out about it re: legitimacy...

[ukalipt]

i think there is enough traffic through there to feel comfortable riding through there.
have you ridden - shaws ridge - bees nest hill - grose head south - back down bees nest
- blue gum swamp - ride at winmalee? (http://www.trailflix.com.au/tfx_new/trails.php?id=winmalee)
with summer approaching it is a really good ride with a fair bit of cover in the swamp
area to keep it a bit cooler.
bees nest is a killer but such a challenge.

[Some Guy]

Thing is, I thought that access trails such as this were fine to ride, as long as you stick to the track? I've been riding Long Angle for years, and I've never been called for being on private land, and every time I ride there are horses, dog walkers, bush walkers using the same trail.

My understanding is that it depends on the legal status of the trail. This page (which may however be biased) does seem to shed some light on the matter:

At this point it should be noted that there are no gazetted roads, reserved roads or rights of way through Tuglow Hole. A reserved road does follow the southern and eastern boundaries of what was Portion 19 (Dingo Dell), and the Eastern boundary of Portion 74 as far north as the Horse Gully Sinks fire trail. As such it is within GlenReef’s ability to close both the Banshee Hill and Kowmung River fire trails to public access if it becomes impossible to rectify and manage Dingo Dell by other means. (http://www.glenreef.com.au/TuglowHole.htm)

It would make sense that unless there was a legal right of way through your property you could control access to it. It is after all your property.

[Steve_N]

Yeah we got reamed by the scruffy land owner,there is a small private property sign just at the bottom of long angle entry,don't know if this is a bit of a hoax or a disgruntled land owner:confused:.
I see horses,humans etc every time i ride there,but i just noticed this sign yesterday,i think it is all a bit ill defined as far as who owns what and where!

Did a drive by of Winnicoopa after picking up the kids from school this arvo and there is indeed a private property sign at the gate there. Mmmm...

i think there is enough traffic through there to feel comfortable riding through there.
have you ridden - shaws ridge - bees nest hill - grose head south - back down bees nest
- blue gum swamp - ride at winmalee? (http://www.trailflix.com.au/tfx_new/trails.php?id=winmalee)
with summer approaching it is a really good ride with a fair bit of cover in the swamp
area to keep it a bit cooler.
bees nest is a killer but such a challenge.

Ukalipt - Winmalee was one of the first rides I did after the Oaks when I first started MTBing back in the 90's. It's a great track and I enjoy it everytime I ride it.

There is an alternative of riding back out to Hawkesbury Rd and heading back toward Springwood, then turning right into Halycon (sp?) before hitting some singletrack about half way down the road and coming out just behind St Colombus then following the ridgeline to the lookout before turning around and coming down Bees Nest.

Great if you don't particularly like climbing... :D

[MrCove]

Did a drive by of Winnicoopa after picking up the kids from school this arvo and there is indeed a private property sign at the gate there. Mmmm...





do you mean the end single bar gate where, until recently there was a planning proposal thing up there?
it looks like there is some kind of plan to build something down there

hopefully there will always be some access into the bush there

personally, i ride there quite regularly (MiniCooper through to Sun Valley/Warrimoo) and will continue to do so until i'm stopped my someone/something very official

[ukalipt]

There is an alternative of riding back out to Hawkesbury Rd and heading back toward Springwood, then turning right into Halycon (sp?) before hitting some singletrack about half way down the road and coming out just behind St Colombus then following the ridgeline to the lookout before turning around and coming down Bees Nest.

Great if you don't particularly like climbing... :D

yeah, i have done that track but only from bees nest top side -
to the lookout trail -
and back to springwood road.
we [the guy i ride it with most of the time] go through the back
area of the school ovals then down and past the springwood
playing fields, through the singl[ish] track and come out at the
bottom of yandina ave.

i do love a climb though. i am almost there making it up bees nest
with only one or two stops. i love that hill.

[Steve_N]

i do love a climb though. i am almost there making it up bees nest
with only one or two stops. i love that hill.

If you love climbing you need to get over to Ando's and do repeats from Bedford Creek up to Woodford... :D

[BM Epic]

If you love climbing you need to get over to Ando's and do repeats from Bedford Creek up to Woodford... :DPain,pure pain!

What's people's verdicts on the bridge,bank and drainage we put in at top of halcyon to join up at the creek(it used to be blocked off by fallen tree,now fallen tree is part of bank),has anybody found the new singletrack through there as well? It will be finished this coming couple of months!

[bushpilot]

If you love climbing you need to get over to Ando's and do repeats from Bedford Creek up to Woodford... :D

Bedford Creek up to Woodford is the toughest climb I've completed in one go, however in all the years I've tried to complete Bees Nest Hill I've not been able to, usually a lack of traction toward the top loose, steep section where I can't hit it fast enough due to being shagged from the rest of the climb.
It's the only climb so far in the mountains I haven't completed, it will be done before I can't ride anymore, just have to figure out the lines.
One of the most enjoyable climbs around is in the Long Angle track system, nice technical set of hills out from Warrimoo to the lookouts, not very steep, not too long but always enjoy piecing together the lines through the rocky stepped sections.

[powermutant]

If you love climbing you need to get over to Ando's and do repeats from Bedford Creek up to Woodford... :D


Coming out of Ingar makes the Woodford side look like a pleasant Sunday arvo ride. No excuse to get off and walk now that it's been graded too. Going down Ingar would be a hoot now without all the stutters.

[BM Epic]

Bedford Creek up to Woodford is the toughest climb I've completed in one go, however in all the years I've tried to complete Bees Nest Hill I've not been able to, usually a lack of traction toward the top loose, steep section where I can't hit it fast enough due to being shagged from the rest of the climb.
It's the only climb so far in the mountains I haven't completed, it will be done before I can't ride anymore, just have to figure out the lines.
One of the most enjoyable climbs around is in the Long Angle track system, nice technical set of hills out from Warrimoo to the lookouts, not very steep, not too long but always enjoy piecing together the lines through the rocky stepped sections.Ahh..watching you climb out of ando's..:eek:, jaw was on the floor,what a climber!

[maxwolfie]

Ahh..watching you climb out of ando's..:eek:, jaw was on the floor,what a climber!

That hill is a bitch.

[timjwhite]

What's people's verdicts on the bridge,bank and drainage we put in at top of halcyon to join up at the creek(it used to be blocked off by fallen tree,now fallen tree is part of bank),has anybody found the new singletrack through there as well? It will be finished this coming couple of months!

We will be riding this tomorrow (8:30am from Davesta Ave if anyone is interested). I like the trail now that it is fixed up.

Where should we look for the new single?

[BM Epic]

We will be riding this tomorrow (8:30am from Davesta Ave if anyone is interested). I like the trail now that it is fixed up.

Where should we look for the new single?Where you said in the pm,it's where the singletrack levels out and is sandy for 20 or so metres,sharp left!

[timjwhite]

Where you said in the pm,it's where the singletrack levels out and is sandy for 20 or so metres,sharp left!

Cool. Today we rode from Davesta Rd (just before the golf course). We rode around the cemetery there and off the other side where Fairways Cr becomes a powerline access track. We met a woman walking her dog up a side track there that leads off down the gully (not visible on Google Maps). She said that she has seen kids riding down there to another track at the bottom, which sounds like the Birdwood Gully track. Something for another day...

Then back out onto the sealed road again on Fairway Ave for a couple of hundred metres and into the track at corner of Fairway Ave and Thomson Ave. That leads to the right and behind the row of houses on Nagle Ave. The track wasn't very well defined in places here, but just heading the right direction (ie towards the Catholic Church) saw us right.

Taking some obvious tracks (though overgrown) we could go faster until we got to a washed out bridge. I have been there before and I think there are other crossing options up or down stream, but we just climbed in and out of the (six foot deep) gully. Pushed the bikes for a bit on overgrown eroded sections and then rode the last bit to come out at the cleared area just south of the Church.

Then along the bike path to Yandina Ave and into your fixed up single, then along the nice rocky bits into your new single. We rode the new single up to the top and it seemed to finish so we turned around and rode back. Some of that is quite challenging - tight up hill corners with varying traction. I got jammed between a large rock and a tree. The three of us liked it. Thanks! :)

We then continued back up past the school and into Springwood ridge to the lookout, down bees nest (yay) and through blue gum swamp. Saw about 40 walkers in two groups. There is a big tree down over the second creek - so keep your eye out for that one. Heaps of waratahs out.

[ukalipt]

yeah haven't done the climb up to woodford... yet!
could be on the cards soonish. but as bushpilot says,
not many people can do bees nest in one go.
the top technical section is a little better atm.
looks as though a lot of people coming down have
thrown the loose goosy rocks off to the side.

im still yet to do ando's to glenbrook. i usually ride
home from glenbrook so woodford to home via oaks/glenbrook
is around 55km...
not sure if i am up for ando's - oaks/glenbrook then
home yet. that would hurt.

i've always wanted to do an alley cat style [<sort of??] MTB
race up bees nest, then back down. $5 entry, fastest time
- winner takes all. maybe to make it more alley cat, you have
to skull a stubbie at the top before the decend. slowest time
overall has to pay for the case of stubbies? :rolleyes:

i will have to find time to investigate the single track.
and as for fallen trees, the worst thing i have have had is
slamming along the swamp at around 35km+ and coming
around a corner aimed straight on into the fire truck.
scared the be-jesuzus out of me. not contact between
us but heart rate was in the red for sure. you have to
watch your speed in the swamp. there normally are
quiet a few pedestrians meandering along.

[Steve_N]

Coming out of Ingar makes the Woodford side look like a pleasant Sunday arvo ride. No excuse to get off and walk now that it's been graded too. Going down Ingar would be a hoot now without all the stutters.

Agree there. Ingar's is quite steep. Have never cleared it but have cleared Ando's from Bedford Creek a couple of times. I've only ever ridden Ingar's in a loop with Ando's climbing out of Ingar's and back down Ando's but could imagine some serious speed being done going the other way... :eek: