The last of the four Blue Mountain trails I rode is Hanging Rock in Blackheath. It is properly called the Burramoko Fire Trail and leads out to Baltzer Lookout. Go to the end of Ridgewell Road, then it’s a short 16km return ride on an almost flat dirt road, with glimpses of mountain ranges and valleys on either side.

The visual highlight is undoubtedly Baltzer Lookout. The trail finishes in a clearing near the top of a ridgeline where the views open up unexpectedly.

You walk up a path for about 100metres, then you are in for a surprise.

The path ends on an elevated rocky platform with a fabulous panorama. A few metres more and you are standing on a jutting rock outcrop surrounded by about 300 degrees of majestic Grose Valley views. My knees have never felt so jelly-like before.

From Baltzer Lookout you can see the actual Hanging Rock below. It is a massive rock that is fractured from the cliff face by about a metre. People climb onto it and just hope that the rock stays in place. But one day….

I could have clambered down for a better view of old HG but thought it would only take a breeze and I’d be abseiling to a hard landing. So, I carefully retreated up the track and gladly headed back to my bike.

For the time and effort involved, this is a great track for all standard of bike riders. There are a couple of short moderate inclines and descents but easily managed by even the most trepid explorer. If you are in the Blue Mountains, be sure to include it in your riding plans.