Otford to Bundeena
From Fat Ass World
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Brief notes
This run is in the most georgous Royal National Park just to the south of Sydney. Although parts of the run have featured before in other Fat Ass runs, eg parts of the following: the sleepy cliffhanger, the gong run, the Royal National Park Ultra, and the Waterfall run, it makes sense to just go straight along the coast. Credit of course to Billys Bushies for the original Royal National Park Ultra that encouraged sad old Sydney-siders to venure off the tarmac! The route is a beautiful trek along the South Coast of NSW from the South-East of the Royal National Park to the North-East. It takes you along drastic cliffs, sandstone formations, golden-sand beaches, grasslands, and joins up to the Palm Jungle Trail - more beaches, bush and a palm jungle. Undoubtedly, putting this run on at this time of the year is purely to assist in one of the unofficial training runs for the Six Foot Track Marathon, but what the hell, its good to have an excuse to run in such a great area - very much inspired by this thread on CoolRunning.
Date/Time of next run
7am, Saturday 5th December 2009
Special Notice
Fat Ass runners are very responsible and the Royal National Park Plan of Management states that groups of more than 20 are not allowed (see p61). Therefore if we get more than 20 wanting to start, they will be sent off in groups of 20, five minutes apart. Also note that it is not a competitive run, and people are to run together in groups, taking great care to ensure that no one is left behind and other users of the track are not impacted. It is to be stressed that no litter of any kind is to be left, and that the backmarker will be checking (to ensure no one is left and neither is any litter).
Start Location
Otford Lookout, Otford
Please note the start is at Otford lookout with the smnall car park (not the larger Bald Hill lookout). There is a small car park, but more parking is closer to Otford village. The railway station is approx 500m away. There will be a tap nearby in the town. Map here.
Information on Car Shuffles to start
Finish Location
Bundeena Town Centre
Finish in front of The Fringe cafe, by the kids playground (map). Finished runners can wait for others at the coffee shop or at the park (with kids climbing equipment). Also Supermarket close by. On a warm day, Horderns Beach would be perfect for a dip (photo taken from finish of run). There is no train station at Bundeena but Ferry Wharf to Cronulla is within 100m (timetable).
Remember, the route this year approaches Bundeena then turns off onto the "Eric St Track" (unmarked on maps). The faster runners can take the longer, sandier "Sandy Track" as an alternative. Neither track are named on any maps and different maps show all routes differently but both are very distinct. Both re-join on Jibbon beach for the last few hundred metres through the village.
Distance
29.06kms total
- 7.25kms of up for a total ascent of 567m
- 12.1kms of down for a total descent of 756m
- 9.71kms flat
Entry Details
- See the On the Day Details page.
- Please note that to ensure you don't miss any late breaking info read this website or the Fat Ass section of the CoolRunning Messageboards.
Time Limit
None - take as long as you like
Entry Fee
Free!
Course Description
Please buy and cary your own map if you are unsure of the route. Most runners will keep together but you never know what will happen. Expect to be self-sufficient.
Maps & Instructions
Maps will not be issued to runners. bring your own copy.
- Course Profile
- Satellite Map
- PDF of all 3 maps (265k)
- Map 1 - Otford - Garie
- Map 2 - Garie - Little Marley
- Map 3 - Little Marley - Bundeena
- Map of finishing options on approach to Bundeena
- Google - complete route here - more or less accurate
Aid Summary
As there will no aid supplied, you should carry your own supplies of water and other food. There is aid on the course at the Ranger's Hut at Burning Palms (if you can find it), at South Era Surf Club (approx 12km - water, toilets if Surf Club open), Garie Beach (approx 15km - Water & toilets) and Wattamolla (approx 20km - Water & toilets). There is a kiosk at Garie & Wattamolla selling lots of other goodies but opening hours vary according to the day & weather. It is likely they are shut early in the morning. The tap at Wattamolla and toilets at Garie say "Do not drink" but people often drink with no ill effect (fatass does not take any responsibility for what you do/don't do). For the totally desperate, on a hot day, there is a creek approx 5km from Bundeena in a small valley that has often been used to revive dying runners, with seemingly no ill effect. You should also bring along a plastic envelope or something to keep your map dry if it rains or if you sweat heavily.
Route Marking Summary
The route will not be marked by us, but is on well-defined footpaths so you can't go too far wrong. Keep the sea to your right!
2009
2008
2007
2006
- 2006 Otford Results
- Race day photos
- Twopenny's 2006 Otford run report
- Thread on CoolRunning - 2006 Otford-Bundeena
- Thread on CoolRunning - 2006 car pooling
- Thread on CoolRunning - about 6foot training runs
Previous photos
- Palm Jungle
- Above Burning Palms
- Looking south from Burning Palms
- Garie Beach
- near Curracurrong (runners going in wrong direction)
- Marley Beaches
