This must be the one millionth account of The Oaks on the Net - but I thought I'd add my 2.2 cents (GST incl.)

It must be said that The Oaks is one of the all-time classic mountain bike rides in Australia, and that it is one of my favourite rides.  The Oaks is generally a very smooth fire trail, & most sections could probably be done on a road bike.  I, for one, would love to try the trail out on a cyclocross machine.)   It is fast.

It is also fairly easy - excellent for a beginner's introduction to mtb.  The only thing is that they might be discouraged easily by the longish climbs at the start.

One word of wisdom before we start.  DON'T EVER DO THE TRIP IN WET WEATHER OR AFTER HUGE RAINS!!!  The causeway becomes flooded & you would then have to climb all the way back to Woodford after you have done the Oaks.  Not recommended.  And, I've done it once on a heavy, ill-fitting & broken bike.  Not very pleasant.  Check with the NPWS beforehand (ring up the Blue Mountains people), & if the Glenbrook gate is shut then don't do the trail.  Actually it is doable even if NPWS shuts the gates - they shut it at 0.2m . . . but make sure that water doesn't rise so fast that it becomes uncrossable.  You would then have absolutely no alternative but to turn back.

Here's a map.

& here's the altitude profile.  Not quite as steep as a stage in the Tour de France . . . but there are steep climbs and descents.

Well, where do you start???  I'm assuming that you are taking advantage of height differences (Glenbrook at 160m & Woodford at 600m), & therefore riding The Oaks from Woodford & ending at Glenbrook.  You could, of course, ride both directions, but then that huge climb won't be very nice.

& for those who are brave (or just plain silly), you could do the Anderson's and the Oaks in a single day - this is what the height profiles look like for this one:

So we've established that you are paying ShittyRail for your transport between Glenbrook & Woodford.  Beware of track maintenance days on the weekend - bus drivers are not very nice when you ask them to take your bike on board.  Remember to check before the weekend.

Maybe we need a folding MTB - anyone care to buy a BMW???

Or just do it on a weekday - which is actually the preferred option - it's nice & quiet then.

Where's Glenbrook Station is the next question asked by many.  Assuming you're coming up the Great Western Hwy from Penrith - turn left after the information bay and before the Ampol servo, follow the road left & you'll see a bunch of shops to the right (incl. an IGA supermarket & a bakery).  Turn right immediately after the shops.  About 50m before the next t-junction you'll see a large car-park on your right.  You could park your smellmobile here & then cross the road & down the stairs (optional ride down) to the platform.

Another option is to leave your car at the NPWS gates.  It would cut out the short climb back to the station at the end.  Take the road along the railway line, follow that until you get to the gate.  They charge money for the car-park too, so park along the road - obviously not under the "no standing" signs.

For those who have an NPWS annual pass or is willing to pay $6.00 to get into the national park, then just head down the big hill, across the causeway, & up the other side.  There's a small car-park on the second hairpin - park there - you'll come back to your car immediately after you complete Little Moab.  It doesn't cut out any climbs but you don't have to do the big hill at the end.

Anyhow, we're at Glenbrook Station platform now.  Use the toilet if you need to - it's the last civilised toilet you'll see until you hit the NPWS info centre at the end.  The ones on the trains & at The Oaks picnic ground tie for the Most Disgusting Toilet Award.  On weekdays, however, do visit the Woodford Station toilet . . . it's interesting to say the least!!!  (actually the most interesting posters have been removed as of late)

Train times from Glenbrook on weekends runs on 2 past the hour.  But do check the ShittyRail web-site for the latest timetable.  The 8:02, 9:02 & 10:02 trains are usually jam-packed with other cyclists - & warnings about 4 bikes per vestibule are generally not observed.  ShittyRail's Interurban carriages are a nightmare for bikes.  They might have comfy seats but you won't get a seat as you'll be holding your bike in the vestibule.

Get off at Woodford - take the stairs down into the tunnel.  Ride down it if you aren't intimidated by the wall . . . Turn left.  Left again at the road, up the slight rise, and then turn right.  Another slight rise, this time turning left at the top, then left at the bottom.

You'll notice a gate 100m later on the right.  This is The Oaks.  Lift bike over fence and start mtbing.

Welcome to the Blue Mountains National Park.  You've just entered a World Heritage Area.  I think I'll say this before I say anything more.  Tread lightly & take out more than you take in (ie if you see rubbish, esp a blown tube some dickhead had discarded, STOP AND TAKE IT WITH YOU!!!)

The first bit is downhill and usually very hard-packed.  Then there will be a few undulations before another slight downhill, and, at last!  A real corner.  BE CAREFUL HERE!!!!!

This right-hander is deceptive, it's rutted & tightens, which means you won't know how much you need to slow until you actually hit it - most riders will be approaching at 40km/h+ - &, believe me, it won't feel this fast at all.  The downside of this bend is that there's a big dropoff on the outside.  You've been warned.

More undulations, & a km or so later will be the first short, steep uphill.  At the top is the "BMX track" which includes a good dropoff - great for skills practising.  Or for showing off.

Keep going, & the first longish downhill appears.  The sand at the bottom can be tricky.  And then, *gasping for fresh air*, one of the longest climbs on The Oaks.

At the top of the climb is The Circles.  You'll notice the circular pattern of some Aboriginal rock carving on your right. (no, they're not the turtle shell pattern you could see)  No-one really understands what this means.  You'll also notice the NPWS has pushed some rocks to "fence off" the rock.  Take the hint & DON'T YOU DARE WALK OR RIDE ON THE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, head down the hill from The Circles.  The track on the left is St Helenas - marked on topo maps as a 4wd trail, but now resembles more of a singletrack.  Keep going & you'll somehow end up back at Glenbrook (after lots of bike-carrying).  I haven't been brave enough to do this one yet.

Enjoy the scenery off the ridge to your left - it's a good place to just cruise.  You should be able to see the Penrith plains & beyond.  There's another big climb - this one is split into two bits.  That doesn't mean it's any easier!!!

Another flat bit along the ridge takes you to the top of Red Wire Saddle.  This is probably the most difficult bit of The Oaks.  The downhill is quite steep and rutted, with a sharp left hand bend halfway down.  There's also a waterbar & more rutted bits just past.  Actually, for those who're doing this just for fun, stop at the left hand bend & enjoy the scenery.

Beware of the rock near the bottom - by now you'd be doing 50km/h+ & you'd be jumping off the rock.  The next climb is usually a great place for climbers to show off - esp if you pass someone with a shiny new freeride/dh machine that flew past you on the way down . . .

The trail now goes slightly uphill for the next 2km or so.  There's two trails that dives off the main trail just before the helipad at a sharpish right bend.  Take the second one & you'll find a fire brigade waterhole.  It's not a bad place to take a dip or to cool down on a hot day.  Not a bad place for a picnic lunch either - at leasts it's nice & shady unlike the helipad.  The waterhole is not well known as it's not marked on the topo & the trail is not very obvious.  (it's actually been cleared out lately, & people have been going down there instead of heading straight on)

The helipad is a great place to stop & regroup.  Show off your jumping skills on the logs.  Then, after this, YEEHAW!!!

It's downhill for the next 5km.  You drop from 500m to 270m on a very very fast bit of the trail.  There is one waterbar & two fairly sharpish bends.  The bends follow almost immediately after the waterbar (good jump here), so that's easy to remember.  Apart from this, you can forget about your brakes.  The trail is so so smooth.  You could easily average 45km/h+ on this (this depends largely on fitness!!!) section.  I've maxed at 60km/h . . . & had a pinch flat at 55km/h.  There was no air left before i managed to slow to 40km/h!!!

At the gate, turn left into a short stretch of singletrack.  You'll emerge at another fire trail.  This one with cars running along it - so watch out.  Turn right & then left to go to Pisgah or Nepean Lookouts.  There are plenty of cars on weekends - & it's a downhill run on the way there.  The Pisgah is more fun to get to - there's 750m or so of good singletrack.  & a brilliant view.  It's also way quieter than the Nepean.  The Nepean is even further down the hill - beware because you have to climb all tthe way out again.

Or you could've turned left, & 200m later you would've seen a picnic shelter.  Go in there.  Take a breather.  There's water & toilet here.  Neither of which are very usable.  I wouldn't advice on drinking the water &, as mentioned before, the toilet here is rather disgusting.

Anyway, the real fun on the Oaks starts right there at the picnic ground.  Notice there's a little singletrack that heads off to the right of the picnic shelter.  GO DOWN IT!!!

The singletrack is actually made for bikes only - & is the "preferred" NPWS trail for bikes.  Though occasionally you will find walkers along this trail.  Here it is better to stop & regroup before passing the walker in one go.  & please warn him that he's on a bike only singletrack & keep his ears open.  I know I've used "he", but I can't be bothered with typing him/her - I'll say this before the ladies cry foul  :-P

This bit of singletrack is "easy", but then again that depends on how fast you do it.  I've always stopped myself from changing into the big ring - believe me it's tempting - as a mean of capping my max speed.  Most of it is fairly narrow, but straight.  You could easily hold 35km/h on the singletrack - but there are some unexpectedly tight turns that just creep up.

After about 4.5km you'll hit a short fire trail, 200m later you'll see a clearing.  There's also a singletrack on the right.  Go down that.  There are a few lovely logs lying across the trail.  The brave jump them.  It is slightly more technical.  But it's fun.

You'll then see tarmac . . . for those who thought the last bit was challenging - keep going along the tar & you'll find the car-park at the hairpin.

For those who want even more fun, you'll see a trail off to the left in about 100m.  This is Little Moab, which is technically challenging.  Though it's not too hard.  Don't worry about getting lost, you'll always know you're going the right way!!!

You'll also emerge at the car-park, & so you'd either pick up your car or ride down the hill, cross the causeway & climb the big MF of a hill on the other side.  For the insane there's a walking track to take you down to the causeway.  Not recommended by the NPWS.

Have a swim at the causeway, or alternatively use Blue or Jellybean pools.  It's sure to cool you down, very important for that climb out.  Most people walk this one.  KOM sprints are common at the gatehouse . . . and then ride straight up the road to Glenbrook Station car-park.

A good place to refuel is the bakery on the main street - there's outside tables & you could leave your bike within view.  Which sells some strange-looking pies . . . I still don't know what I ate last time.  Around the corner is a small take-away with a table outside, but isn't open late on Sunday afternoon.  A few doors down is a bottle shop - great for buying that six-pack for thee train trip home . . .
 
 

Created:
Thursday December 21 2000

Last modified:
Thursday July 26 2001

© Kin-Yat Lo 2000-2001