IF SLEEPING IN A TENT ISN’T YOUR TOP CHOICE, WHY NOT TRY AN INN TO INN WALK
Walking inn to inn involves the physical challenge of an overnight hike but with the luxury of a shower, a comfortable bed and a lighter pack. You can walk much of the GNW in this style, staying in B&Bs or similar style accommodation. Below you will find some suggested itineraries, but bear in mind that accommodation options come and go and prices will change; make sure you chat with your host ahead of time. Inn to inn walking needs some planning and communication. In your daypack, you will need to carry some food for your day and a change of clothes for the evening. If you like even more luxury and less weight in your pack, chat with your host about dropping off a bag before the walk. Use cafés where possible for lunch. When chatting with your host, please respect their time; we hope they can support walkers on the GNW for many years to come. When making a booking, chat about what meals you will need. Usually they can help with dinner and breakfast, and many will be able to organise a packed lunch for you. Where you need to be picked up, organise an approximate time, then call as you approach the trackhead. There are a few places where mobile reception is not available at the trackhead so you will need to call before heading down the hill; you will need a Telstra NextG phone in the more remote sections. Your host can drop you back at the trackhead in the morning. Try hard to not keep your hosts waiting. Where public transport is not available, you will need to organise a car shuffle or have a friend help with the driving to the start and from the end of the walk.
This itinerary outlines a series of 14 two-day inn to inn walks, and a couple of day walks to fill in a few gaps. This is for people who want to enjoy the GNW at a slower pace and spend more time at their inn.
| Walk Number | Walk Name | Kilometres | Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney to Macquarie Park (Lane Cove Tourist Park 3(15) Alt: start from another point on Walks 1 or 2 | 16.5 8.3 | 6 3.5 | Sydney to Boronia Park & Boronia Park to North Ryde & North Ryde Fairyland circuit & Roseville to Macquarie Park |
| 2 | Macquarie Park to Hornsby (Baden-Powell Scout Camp) | 10.9 12.1 | 4 4.75 | Macquarie Park to Thornleigh & Thornleigh to Hornsby |
| 3 | Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai (Crosslands Convention Centre) Alt: Start from Galston Gorge Walk 8 | 14.7 6.3 | 6.5 2.5 | Hornsby to Galston Gorge & Galston Gorge to Mt Kuring-gai |
| 4 | Mt Kuring-gai to Berowra Day walk Alt: Divert and stay at Crosslands | 9.7 | 4.25 | |
| 5 | Berowra to Cowan (Strappers Loft - Pickup) Alt: other on-water accommodation | 6 7.4 | 3 5.75 | Berowra to Berowra Waters & Berowra Waters to Cowan Station |
| 6 | Cowan to Wondabyne (Brooklyn Motel 12(12)) Alt: The Anglers Rest 12(12) or Patonga 13(1) | 13.3 19.7 | 5.5 8 | Jerusalem Bay Track (Cowan to Brooklyn) & Patonga to Wondabyne station via Mt Wondabyne |
| 7 | Wondabyne to Somersby (Wombats B&B – Pickup) Alt: Stay at Kariong Scout Camp | 10 16.1 | 4.25 6 | Wondabyne to Mooney Mooney Creek Trackhead & Mooney Mooney Creek Trackhead to Somersby |
| 8 | Somersby to Ourimbah Valley Trackhead (Day walk – can be combined with below) | 6 | 2.5 | |
| 9 | Ourimbah Valley Trackhead to Yarramalong Pickup with Kaih Retreat OR Noonaweena Alt: Continue through to Yarramalong | 15 5.6 | 5.5 2.75 | Ourimbah Valley Trackhead to Greta Road & Bumble Hill Dray track (Greta Rd to Forest Road to Yarramalong) |
| 10 | Yarramalong to Basin Campsite (Kaih Retreat or Noonaweena – pickup from Cedar Brush Trackhead) | 11 9.7 | 3.5 4.5 | Yarramalong to Cedar Brush & Cedar Brush to Basin Campsite |
| 11 | Basin Campsite to Congewai Valley (west) (Lonely Goat Olive – pickup from Watagan Creek Rd) | 13 18 | 6 7 | Basin campsite to Watagan Valley & Watagan Creek Road to Flat Rock & Flat Rock to Congewai Valley East Track Head |
| 12 | Congewai Valley Road (For completeness you may want to add this road section to either walk above or below) | 5.2 | 1.5 | |
| 13 | Congewai Valley East Trackhead to Heaton Gap (Hunter Valley Retreat - Pickup from Watagan HQ 24(13)) | 17.1 12.4 | 7 6 | Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters & Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout & Heaton Lookout to Heaton Gap |
| 14 | Heaton Gap to Charlestown Park (Teralba Caravan Park 28(2)) Alt: Pickup by Hunter Valley Retreat | 15.2 13 | 6 4.5 | Heaton Gap to Teralba station & Teralba to Charlestown Park track head |
| 15 | Charlestown Park to Newcastle (Glenrock Scout Camp) | 6.2 7.5 | 2 2.75 | Charlestown Park track head to Merewether & Merewether to Queens Wharf |
A list of 8 weekend walks that will get you from Sydney to Newcastle for those who like a faster pace and don’t mind some long days
| Walk Number | Walk Name | Kilometers | Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney to Thornleigh (Lane Cove Tourist Park) | 16.5 16.5 | 6 6 | |
| 2 | Thornleigh to Cowan (Crosslands Convention Centre) | 20.0 14.1 | 8.5 6.75 | |
| 3 | Cowan to Wondabyne (Brooklyn Motel ) Alt: The Anglers Rest or Patonga | 13.3 19.7 | 5.5 8 | |
| 4 | Wondabyne to Yarramalong (Wombats B&B or Kaih Retreat - Pickup) Lift from Somersby Store | 26.2 26.7 | 10.25 10.75 | Wondabyne station to Somersby Store & Somersby to Yarramalong via Stringy Bark Point |
| 5 | Yarramalong to Watagan Creek Road (Kaih Retreat or Noonaweena - Pickup) Lift from the Basin | 20.7 13.0 | 8 6 | |
| 6 | Watagan Creek Road to Watagan HQ (Lonely Goat Olive) | 16.6 24.2 | 5.5 8.5 | Watagan Creek Road to Flat Rock & Flat Rock to Congewai Valley East Track Head & Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters |
| 7 | Watagan HQ to Teralba (Watagan Forest Motel 26(5) Alt: pickup by Hunter Valley Retreat | 12.4 14.8 | 6 6 | Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout & Heaton Lookout to Heaton Gap & Heaton Gap to Teralba station |
| 8 | Teralba to Newcastle (Glenrock Scout Camp) Alt: Day walk 25.7km 8.75hrs | 19.5 7.5 | 6.5 2.75 |
This itinerary is for walking the GNW as a thru-hike, staying in inns every night. This requires some planning and effort, to coordinate available accommodation at all the places with the time you might have to complete
the whole walk. You may want to also use this table for planning long weekend trips or slightly longer trips of four or five nights.
| Walk Number | Walk Name | Kilometres | Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney | 16.5 | 6 | Sydney to Lane Cove Tourist Park |
| 2 | Lane Cove Tourist Park | 15.8 | 6 | Lane Cove Tourist Park to Thornleigh and Thornleigh to Baden-Powell Scout Camp |
| 3 | Baden-Powell Scout Camp | 22.1 | 9 | Baden-Powell Scout Camp to |
| 4 | Crosslands Convention Centre (train to Hawkesbury River) | 14 | 7 | Crosslands Convention Centre to Cowan |
| 5 | Cowan (train to Brooklyn Motel) | 13.3 | 5.5 | Cowan to Brooklyn |
| 6 | Brooklyn (Brooklyn Motel or Anglers Rest) | 25.6 | 11 | Brooklyn to Wondabyne and Wondabyne to Mooney Mooney Track Head |
| 7 | Mooney Mooney Track Head (lift to Wombats B&B) | 16.1 | 6 | Mooney Mooney Track Head to Somersby Store |
| 8 | Somersby Store (lift to Wombats B&B, Noonaweena or Kaih Retreat) | 26.7 | 10.75 | Somersby Store to Yarramalong |
| 9 | Yarramalong Alt: lift to Noonaweena or Kaih Retreat | 9.7 | 4.5 | Yarramalong to Cedar Brush Trackhead |
| 10 | Cedar Brush Trackhead (lift to Noonaweena or Kaih Retreat) | 18.3 | 8 | Cedar Brush Trackhead to Watagan Creek Road |
| 11 | Watagan Creek Road (lift to Lonely Goat Olive) | 12.6 | 5 | Watagan Creek Road to Lonely Goat Olive |
| 12 | Lonely Goat Olive | 24.2 | 9 | Lonely Goat Olive to Congewai East Track Head and Congewai East Track Head to Watagan HQ |
| 13 | Watagan HQ (lift to Hunter Valley Retreat) | 12.4 | 5.5 | Watagan HQ to Watagan Forest Motel |
| 14 | Watagan Forest Motel | 15.2 | 5.5 | Watagan Forest Motel to Teralba Lakeside Caravan Park |
| 15 | Teralba Lakeside Caravan Park | 19.8 | 6 | Teralba Lakeside Caravan Park to Glenrock Lagoon Scout Camp |
| 16 | Glenrock Lagoon Scout Camp | 7.5 | 2.75 | Glenrock Lagoon Scout Camp to Newcastle |