Best Day Rides from Jamisontown: the Blue Mountains and Bells Line of Road loop
From ReviRide Penrith
Roll out of Jamisontown and within minutes the Nepean River is behind you and the Great Western Highway is climbing into the Blue Mountains. The A32 threads through Glenbrook, Springwood, Leura and Katoomba, where a short detour to Echo Point puts the Three Sisters and the vast Jamison Valley right in front of your visor. Keep west to Blackheath for the cliff-edge drama of Govetts Leap before reaching the cool old village of Mount Victoria.
From Mount Victoria the ride turns north along the quiet Darling Causeway to the hamlet of Bell, where the real prize begins: the Bells Line of Road. This is the rider's crossing of the mountains, a rollercoaster of gullies and ridgelines that rolls east through Mount Tomah and the orchard country of Bilpin. It is more winding and far less trafficked than the highway, with sandstone escarpments falling away on either side.
Drop down the hairpins below Kurrajong Heights, cross the Hawkesbury at North Richmond and let the road flatten out through the historic Macquarie town of Richmond before an easy run back to Penrith. It is a classic full day: big views, good coffee, apple pie, and enough corners to keep you grinning the whole way home.
Along the way
- 1
Echo Point, Katoomba
A short detour off the Great Western Highway brings you to the most famous lookout in the mountains, with sweeping views over the Jamison Valley to the Three Sisters. Expect crowds and paid parking, especially on weekends.
- 2
Govetts Leap Lookout, Blackheath
A worthwhile loop off the highway at Blackheath for a dramatic outlook over the Grose Valley and its waterfall. A quieter, cooler stop before you push on to Mount Victoria.
- 3
Mount Victoria and the Darling Causeway
The highest village in the Blue Mountains and the turn-off north toward Bell. The Darling Causeway carries little traffic, making it a relaxed link onto the Bells Line of Road.
- 4
Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah
Perched around 1,000 metres up, this is the only botanic garden inside a World Heritage area, with free entry, a cafe and big views across the national park. A natural place to stretch the legs mid-ride.
- 5
Bilpin
The heart of apple country, famous for roadside stalls, homemade apple pies and local cider. A favourite refuel-and-feed stop before the run down the range.
- 6
Bellbird Hill Lookout, Kurrajong Heights
Near the top of the descent, this lookout offers a sweeping outlook back toward the Hawkesbury plain and Sydney basin before the tight bends drop you down to North Richmond.
- 7
Richmond
One of the original Macquarie towns on the Hawkesbury, a pleasant flat run with cafes and fuel before the final cruise back to Penrith and Jamisontown.
Before you go
- Fuel up in Penrith or Katoomba and Blackheath. Services thin out west of the mountains and along the Bells Line of Road, so don't run the tank low between Mount Victoria and Bilpin.
- The high country can be cold, foggy and even frosty or icy on winter mornings along the Darling Causeway and around Mount Tomah. Pick a clear day and watch for damp, shaded corners.
- Echo Point and Bilpin get busy on weekends and holidays, with slow tourist traffic, pedestrians and cars pulling in and out of stalls. Stay patient and ride your own pace.
- Note that the Great Western Highway between Mount Victoria and Hartley, plus Jenolan Caves Road, have been affected by long-term closures, so this loop deliberately returns via the Bells Line of Road. Check current road conditions before you set out.
- Watch for wildlife, leaf litter and the occasional gravel patch on the twistier descents, and keep an eye out for speed cameras on the climbs. This is a suggested route only; conditions change, so always ride to the road in front of you.
Routes are suggestions only. Roads, conditions, and access can change — check current conditions, ride to your ability and the conditions, and obey all road rules.