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Wiseman’s Ferry Run

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I had a nice afternoon off to check in on some property out west and I thought to myself, why not take the scenic route via Wiseman's Ferry? Then I thought to myself, why not go up the Old Road whilst I'm at it?

A - Berowra Mobil
This is a common meeting place for motorcyclists and a good place to fill up. I have a range of about 150km before reserve and that's enough to get me to Windsor and then some. Unfortunately their air pressure gauge no longer works, otherwise this would be a good place to check your pressures. The highway from here is straight, flat and boring until the Pacific Hwy turn off. A few long sweepers ease you into your surroundings at about 80km/h and then a short 60km/h straight through Cowan is your last chance to stop and fix anything that may be hazardous. From here on the roads go back to their 80km/h limit and the roads start getting more demanding.

Edit: It turns out I was wrong about their air pressure gauge! Have a chat to the guy/girl inside and grab the attachment from them.

B - Pie In The Sky
I rarely ever stop here as it's too soon into my ride. They apparently have some of the best pies in Sydney, but for the most part, I just zoom on by. On my trip I was tipped off by a car as to cops up ahead. The road opens up for a short stretch into a twist of double lanes. There are several blind corners and a few hairpins. For the most part, corners are predictable and don't tighten up on you unexpectedly. Make it over the bridge at Mooney Mooney and take in your surroundings before the twists start again. Shortly after, you pass under the Sydney to Newcastle Freeway and the road flattens out for a short while.

C - Mt White Cafe
Formerly known as the Road Warriors' Cafe, I used to stop here for a bite but lately I've been continuing northward so I don't really know how the new cafe is. Perhaps I ride at the wrong hours, but it seems like there aren't as many riders at the cafe whenever I pass by. The roads here resume their twists, but at a reduced 60km/h limit and later, 50km/h. I unfortunately got stuck behind a police car who seemed to be crawling along even slower. Try not to get stuck behind cars here; the roads are single laned and with very few straights there aren't many opportunities to pass legally or safely.

D - Peat's Ridge Rd
Google maps refuses to join up parts of Peat's Ridge Rd, so you'll have to excuse me here. The Old Road used to be closed from this point onward, so I used to turn left and slab it up Peat's Ridge Rd to the Central Mangrove Intersection. It is a very boring sub 100km/h road and you would do well to go via the Old Road and then take Wiseman's Ferry Rd for a bit of variety. For me, I didn't want to be stuck behind a police car and decided to slab it as I've done in the past.

E - Central Mangrove Intersection
For some reason, this intersection weirds me out. It's pretty large for an intersection, probably for trucks, but it's in the middle of nowhere. I don't think you can miss this intersection at all. From here, take Wiseman's Ferry Rd to the west and you immediately realise that this isn't a road for the new. Corners aren't signposted, the road surface is terrible, the road narrows down to barely enough for 1.5 cars and the limit changes erratically from 60 to 80km/h in places. Whilst you can carve up the Old Road, Wiseman's Ferry Rd is a completely different story. If you're going to travel at any speed, get up on your pegs and be prepared for the rear to break out every now and then, otherwise the signposted limits are sufficient for a quiet scenic ride.

F - Spencer
Wiseman's Ferry Rd can be demanding depending on your particular style of riding. Spencer is one of those nice quiet towns by the water's edge that gives you the chance to grab a pie from the general store and take in the view. Again, I generally don't stop here, but where I have in the past I've never regretted it. The roads here are quite consistent all the way through, except for a short patch where mobile traffic lights restrict traffic (if there is any) down to a shared single lane. As Wiseman's Ferry Rd crosses over several creeks, there will be a few wooden and cement bridges, not all of which are completely flush with the road. Get up on those pegs and grip that tank with your thighs!

G - The Ferry
All I can say is don't get caught out by maintenance! The ferry closes for two hours on the first Thursday of every month. On this side of the river there's not much to actually do so it can be a long, boring wait. Despite what Google Maps says, there's no fee to use the ferry.

H - Wiseman's Ferry
To me, this is the destination, where the ride ends. Go to the pub if that's your thing, but I prefer to grab a burger and a drink and sit outside for a bit. Depending on how far you've got to go, you can fill up here. Typically this is my first stop and I'm pretty knackered after a few hours in the saddle so I usually end up sitting around for quite a while before moving on.

I - Old Northern Rd
Exiting Wiseman's Ferry, there's a hairpin and a few tight corners, but aside from that, Old Northern Rd is quite sedate. Keep this in mind if you're approaching Wiseman's Ferry from the south as more than a few riders have been surprised by the few sudden tight corners after what seems like a relatively leisurely road. If you're the sort that likes to stop every now and then, there are two lookouts shortly after leaving Wiseman's Ferry, but otherwise this stretch is quite boring up to this point. Reaching Maroota, you can take Wiseman's Ferry Rd to head to Winsdor (or Sackville) , or you can continue on Old Northern Rd if you need to head back eastward. A nice way to get back east is through Galston Gorge, but if there is traffic, I'd say forget it.

So that's my little long way out west, borrowed from other routes that I'll some day cover. Wiseman's is a large part of the Three Ferries route and the Old Rd, well, that's a short run that is often taken by itself.

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