Katoomba to Windsor, Friday 4 March.







Picture of the Katoomba Ridge from Highway 40




Today it was time to move on. I decided to avoid the dangers of the Great Western Highway and catch a train for 15 miles to Fort Victoria. Weather was hot and sunny eventually getting to 31C.

I stocked up with some food at Fort Victoria as the ride is through remote areas for some distance. Rather than going back the way I came into the Blue Mountains the route loops round to the north before dropping down east to Windsor on the Hawkesbury River.

I first took a quiet road called the Darling Causeway. This keeps to the ridge of the Blue Mountains but with many ups and downs. Then I joined Highway 40 heading east. At one point it loops within 10 miles of the other ridge with the Great Western Highway and Katoomba.

I stopped for lunch at Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens Restaurant after a steep climb near Mount Tomah. The Gardens were the edge of the Blue Mountains with the road loosing a lot of height. Soon after the descent I turned off on a minor road to come into Windsor from the north. I managed to avoid the thunderstorms again which rumbled around late afternoon.

Windsor is an old town by Australian standards on the banks of the Hawkesbury river which is the main river draining from the Blue Mountains.

Distance for the day was 52 miles with 2752ft of climb.