Nestled in the heart of Sydney is a little gem called the Lane Cove National Park. Its an amazing national park set right in the heart of the inner-city around Lane Cove. Jumping on this trail will make you feel like you are miles away from civilization. This makes the trail a great option for Sydney city dwellers who want to hit the dirty but don’t want to go far.
The urban location also makes this a super accessible run. You can start from the Thornleigh train station and then end up at in Macquarie Park station or do reverse.
I started off a Thornleigh after a great breakfast from Monday Morning Cafe with their Avocado on sweet potato + poached egg break option. This was a sumptuous mix of veges and egg which is a great way to power-up before the run without feeling too heavy.
Heading out on the trail runners will experience a sub-tropical rain forest enveloped with tall red gums, dense fern gullies and abundant birdlife. The route is definitely one of the more lush trails Sydney has to offer and contrasts strongly with the dry, arid trails along the coast. Following the trail, you will also enjoy a number of river crossing which cut through the undulating terrain. It is a truly multi-dimensional trail running experience so make sure you have good shoes here. Also be careful with the larger stream crossing near the Macquarie Park station entrance – this was wide and deep and really tested my ability to keep my feet dry. Luckily there was a makeshift stone causeway across the stream at the time of running.
While the trail is generally easy to follow there are a number of forks on the road. Be sure to use the All Trails app – I wish I had as I ended up getting a bit lost here.
Finishing the trail I ended up at Macquiare Park Shopping Centre, with plenty food options for the post-run recovery. While not as hipster as many of the other great cafes we usually visit, it was still good enough to still solve my hunger issues.
