New South Wales: Bells Line of Road - Mountain High
As a wise old biker once said, where there are mountains, there are great roads – and as if to prove the point he found a brilliant one going straight across the Blue Mountains, to Sydney's west. Okay, so that's a complete fabrication, but the essence of the tale is completely true: hilly country requires bendy bitumen, and the Bells Line of Road, extending west from Kurrajong across the mountains to Lithgow on the other side, is a beauty.
In any case your options are limited here, as the only other alternative is the main drag, otherwise known as the Great Western Highway. It's (generally) fast, efficient – and deadly boring. The Bells, on the other hand, is a swoopy rollercoaster of a road, with generally good quality tarmac. There is the odd stunning view of some of the spectacular sandstone cliffs found throughout this range, and the road itself has the occasional overtaking lane too. On weekends and publics holidays you'll need those extra lanes; the Bell's Line is also a four-wheeled tourists' favourite.
Heading from west to east, the road climbs sharply via a set of switchbacks from Lithgow into the mountains. Passing by the Zig Zag railway on your left, the road meanders its way through the Blue Mountains National Park, finally reaching civilization near Bilpin, a major apple and other fruit growing region.
The road is more open and sweeping than tight and twisty, which you've got to keep an eye on – it's easy to get lulled into the rhythm of the road and let your speed creep up. The road is often policed, and on public holidays I wouldn't dare go over the limit. It's 100km/h for the most part, until you reach Bilpin, where the speed limit drops back to 60, 70 or 80km/h.
Once you've reached Bilpin, there are a number of opportunities to stop, from the well-known and long-established Fruit Bowl, to any number of other businesses along the road, all doing their best to entice you with coffees, cakes and all manner of fresh produce.
The steep descent from Bluebird Hill as you descend down to Kurrajong signifies the end of the run. It's a 60km/h zone, to cut down on the number of motorists plunging over the drop to the side of the road – either through failing brakes or overzealous driving – and this is another common spot to see the boys in blue. Once you reach Kurrajong you either head on to historic Richmond, Windsor and then Sydney, or if you still haven't had your fix, point your bike north to take in the wonders of the Putty Road.
Know Before you Go:
Towards the Lithgow end of the Bells Line of Road, steam engine buffs should check out the Zig Zag railway. Located about 10km from Lithgow on the Bells road itself, it's a step back in time to watch and ride on the steam locomotives that plied this line way back when.
Dress warmly for this run in the cooler months – or even on cooler days in the warmer months, for that matter. The road reaches an altitude of around 1000m at its highest point, and if it's already chilly in Sydney then you bet it's going to be freezing on the Bells Line of Road. Fog can also be a problem in winter.
For lovers of all things green and leafy, take a look at the Mount Tomah Botanic Garden. It's located about 12km west of Bilpin, and is home to over 5000 species of plants that thrive in cooler parts of the world.
For more information:
The Zig Zag railway is located 10km east of Lithgow. It is open every day except Christmas Day, with trains departing from Clarence Station at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, with additional services on Sundays. For more information tel: (02) 6355 2955 (business hours, weekdays), or visit: www.zigzagrailway.com.au.
For more information on the Blue Mountains National Park, visit: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au and follow the links.
Mount Tomah Botanic Garden is open from 10am to 4pm from March through to September, and 10am to 5pm from October through to February. It's closed on Christmas Day. For more information visit: www.bluemts.com.au/mounttomah.
For general New South Wales' tourist information, visit: www.visitnsw.com, and for Blue Mountains specific information, visit: www.bluemts.com.au.
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