Lane Cove River Hike... "French Gardens" to a Super Cool Aussie Pub!!!
Details
Lane Cove to Woolwich Pier Hotel. It's a hike in National Park (start of The Great North Walk in fact). It's a river walk. Bush hike. It’s pretty flat and plenty beautiful. The stone cottages / architecture in Hunters Hill must be seen. And Woolwich Pier Hotel is a damn cool pub with one of the best beer gardens in Sydney...
THE HIKE.
Less words about this one… The first 7kms-ish is a lovely trail hike along Lane Cove River, and the final 3kms is a gorgeous neighbourhood walk through Hunters Hill and Woolwich (two leafy, wealthy communities). We start with a river crossing via a cool bridge and immediately head into a bush hike... part of The Great North Walk from Sydney to Newcastle. Some twists. Turns... Ups. Downs. It's really casual and really cool to be in nature so close to suburbia.
When we exit the trail hiking, some incredible neighbourhoods take over the spotlight. These neighbourhoods are known for their... "mid-to-late 19th-century and early 20th-century craftsmanship. Often dubbed a 'French Village' due to the mid-1800s development led by French brothers Didier and Jules Joubert, the area is recognized as one of Australia’s oldest garden suburbs."
And the final kilometre (post-pub) is through beautiful Woolwich to a perfect Sydney Harbour Ferry ride to Circular Quay... and another bar(!?!?!) in The Rocks perhaps? The hike is pretty flat, so we’ll move with decent pace to work off a week of caloric intake (I'll have a story about mine).
We meet at Lane Cove North (Epping Rd opp Mowbray Rd - 288 or 290 bus drops right there) Bus Stop at 930am! The bus stop is in a weird location - JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP HERE**, and I'll pinpoint it for all of us.
THE PUB.
Woolwich Pier Hotel is pretty much the perfect pub… with its inner-west charm & history, fireplace, beer garden, leather booths (oh yes, leather), live music, amazing food, and proximity to Sydney Harbour / ferry wharf. All that it’s missing is our “We Hike… to the Bar” group charm. This joint feels lush, warm, and welcoming from the moment your tired legs and ass hit the pub seat. It's also home to one of my worst Tinder dates of all time - if anybody reminds me at the start of the hike (or even reads this far down) I'll tell the story. Reservation made – my credit card is down, so I expect 100% participation if you RSVP “Yes”.
Lovely hike. Top pub. See you there. MJ
THE DETAILS.
WHATSAPP. You’re not 100% confirmed until you’re in the whatsapp group. Join it 'cause we love it, we use it! Click on the link (above) – if not, sadly you’ll be removed from the event on MeetUP.
Cancels / No shows. Treat your RSVP like a restaurant reservation. No show / cancel on the day? That restaurant is my hiking group – you won’t be welcomed in the future. Respect and manners matter as I put my credit card down for your reservation. Double booked with another group? Come on… be kind.
Gratuity. $15 PayID or Cash.
Safety. Let’s chat, let’s have some laughs… but let’s be safe.
Fitness. Yup. Fitness matters for all of our hikes – especially if we are going into National Park.
Guests. Bring mates, dates, co-workers.
Good energy, smiles, and laughs… Bring ‘em all! You’re joining the most fun hiking group in Sydney.
In pressing the “Attend” button for this hike, you acknowledge that:
a) You are healthy and fit to complete the hike describe;
b) You have read and will follow NSW National Parks Bushwalking Safety Guidelines for this hike;
c) You have no chronic / underlying health issues that deter you from completing this hike;
d) You understand your host is just that – your host, not a professional hiker – and that you and you alone are responsible for your hiking health, safety, and wellness;
e) You’ve been advised to download the “Emergency Plus App” and
f) You’ve been advised to obtain individual hiking insurance from 1Cover.
g) Over 60yrs old, and new to the group? Send me a note first please.