Ridind Menai; best spot to start?

[Wiffle]

I am keen to hit some of the trails around Menai, but have not been there yet and was wondering if anyone could give me a heads up on where the trailhead/s are and what trails to ride. I would ideally be after semi/technical singletrack with step ups and drops 2-4' max. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers :)

[mtb1611]

Hi mate. Prolly better off posting such a thread in the NSW section, but here ya go....

Lucas Heights is most definitely the pick of the bunch. There are a couple of ways you can access the trails. We park at Barden Ridge Oval on Old Illawarra Rd and then ride into the bush at the back of the oval, if you head through the gate on the right side of the oval head into the bush and keep left, you'll see a trailhead to a short downhill, follow it and turn right, then follow that singletrack. Keep left and eventually after a nice little drop you'll come to a berm and out through a pile of rubbish, turn left then you need to go through the bush onto the road as APS rangers now patrol there. Follow New Illawarra Rd south (uphill) and after a few hundred metres you'll pass under the big transmission line, cross the road and you'll see the large entrance to the firetrail (there’s a gate on it). Go in, go left downhill * and after a few hundred metres you'll see a singletrack entrance on the right (this is almost directly opposite the main entrance to the reactor, where people also park on the roadside. Follow this singletrack and you're in heaven. There are heaps of diversions but as an intro I'd suggest taking the first singletrack on the right (after a few rocky downhill sections) and over the little bridge then just get in there and explore. All the stuff links up so it's pretty hard to get lost. These are the directions we started with there a couple of years ago, just poke around and you'll find it. You can spend a good few hours out there easily. I do XC stuff but there are plenty of drops and rougher/more difficult lines that freeriders and dh'ers can take.

* you can also fo straight down the firetrail through the gate, take the left option a few hundred metres from there (instead of going down the hill) and keep your eyes peeled for some singletrack entrances off to the right.

Take care and enjoy.

Ben

[johnny]

As MTB1611 said....

Moved it for you.

[Wiffle]

As MTB1611 said....

Moved it for you.

Thanks for the move guys, and thanks for the directions, much appreciated! MTB1611, do you reckon its worth just parking near the reactor and going from there as a simpler (to get to) option, or is the ride to there pretty good in it's own right? Cheers, Wiffle

[mtb1611]

Thanks for the move guys, and thanks for the directions, much appreciated! MTB1611, do you reckon its worth just parking near the reactor and going from there as a simpler (to get to) option, or is the ride to there pretty good in it's own right? Cheers, Wiffle

If you park opposite the reactor's main entrance you jump down the embankment and you're right at the main entrance to the singletrack. If you're concerned about getting lost between the oval and the singletrack then yes, this would be the place to park. But then again, mountain biking's all about exploration, isn't it now! Either way, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed with the riding at Lucas.

[Wiffle]

Much appreciated, think I will have to have a sticky beak around. Thanks again for the info.

[mtb1611]

Much appreciated, think I will have to have a sticky beak around. Thanks again for the info.

Happy to help. Just may see you out there sometime!