Muggaccinos.com     The Bullsheet    2025 (24th) annual King of the Mountain Challenge 'open to all and sundry' - 5 days cycling on offer

   
NB:  Bank Teller's  Checklist for Berry       7 day weather forecast for Berry       Pictures from Nov 2023 Berry     Pictures from sunny, but HOT Berry - Nov 2024

Berry Showground base camp  - from Wed 12th Nov '25 - vacate site by 11am Sunday 16th Nov '25 -  5 listed climb days, or optional "flat rides to the coast" 

Muggaccinos cyclists invite you to the 24th annual King of the Mountain Challenge (22nd at Berry Showground NSW) with some camping/caravan-ing at the verdant, bucolic Berry Showground which adjoins the 20 yards Berry Swimming Pool.  Our camp ground is 250m from Berry train station.  Trains take almost 3 hours from Central Railway Station via Kiama station to Berry Station. 

Accommodation (two hotels and two motels et al ) in Berry, if you don't want to camp/caravan/motor home at quaint Berry Showground.

Further accommodation in or nearby Berry available on airbnb.  Complete the filters to inform exactly what accommodation you seek eg 2 bedrooms or 3 bedrooms and the number of beds sought.  BankTeller has registered on airbnb, because he cannot book 'digs' when visiting Adelaide for test cricket, unless he has Registered, thence airbnb audited his Creds.


 Attendance Schedule lists the names in GREEN BACKGROUND that have booked accommodation, or intend staying in town, for this Nov.  The final column lists those that paid their booking fee, either for the Showground or in a hotel, motel in the Berry township.  Click on Shoalhaven City Council's online booking system if you wish to book a site at Berry Showground.

Clause 11 of Shoalhaven Council Terms & Conditions note inter alia that if you cancel your booking at least 7 days prior to the booking date Council will refund your hire fee paid.

Shoalhaven City Council - 4428.7206 informs that camping fees at the Berry Showground are -

*       Unpowered tent site for a tent - $22.50 per night - two tents allowed on an unpowered tent site with one adult in each.  Or two adults in one tent.

*       Powered site for a mobile home/caravan - $28 per night - max 2 adults per site. 

*       No refunds for cancellations less than 7 days prior to arrival.  But full refund if you cancel at least 7 days prior to scheduled arrival

*       Officially check-in is from 2pm, but unsure if 2pm is enforced.  We might have to assemble our tents after the Wed bicycle ride . 
         Check out req'd by 11am Sunday, so park outside Showground by 11am if you want a Sunday morning ride.

*       Adam and/or Warren 0427 605.200 are the two 'on site' camp managers.
# Day Heart-protector coastal flatish rides - with embedded thread to route maps
    Berry to Gerringong 'n back via Beach Rd and Crooked River Rd - 30km
    Choo Choo to Bombaderry station then cycle to Greenwell Point or onto Culburra Beach 'n back to Bombaderry - up to 81km (catch a train to Bombaderry)
    Choo Choo to Bombaderry train station.  Then ride back to Berry, via Back Forest Rd and Agars Lane - 25km
    Berry to Shoalhaven Heads and back - 28km
    Choo Choo to Bombaderry to loop c/w thru Bolong, Nth Nowra, Bangalee, Cambewarra  - 33.5km.  Choo Choo back to Berry or cycle 25km 
   

Choo Choo to Bombaderry station, then cycle to Greenwell Point and return to Bombaderry along Greenwell Point Rd - 41km

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

Day

Date

Traditional hill climb rides  - Routes & Maps - embedded threads

Climbs
 Elevations

         Route
km

  Day 1

 Wed

  12th

 11am climb Woodhill Mountain descend via Wattamolla Rd to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra from Kangaroo Valley, descend to Bomaderry, then Back Forest Rd

2

    64.5

  Day 2

  Thurs

  13th

 Catch 8:26 Berry train arriving Kiama 8:44am. Climb tiny Jerrara Mtn, then sheer Saddleback Mtn up Fountaindale Rd.  Descend and tour flatlands of Sth Kiama and Gerringong. Catch return train from Gerringong back to Berry 

  1

     72.7 

  Day 3

Fri

  14th

Drive to Kiama either South from Sydney or North from Berry.  Catch 8:16am train to Albion Park arriving 8:36am,
Climb Macquarie Pass to Old Cheese Factory, for 1st Nosh Stop at Pig 'n Whistle Cafe, Robertson.  SWW to Fitzroy Falls. 
SE down Moss Vale Rd to Kangaroo Valley. Climb Berry Mtn.  Catch 1.25pm or 2.43pm train from Berry to Kiama to collect 'wheels'

  2

81.2

Day 4 

Sat

  15th

7:40am cycle 17km down main drag to Bomaderry for coffee at cafe outside train station or catch 8:09am train arriving Bomaderry 8:19am,
climb Cambewarra Mtn to Kangaroo Valley, climb Cambewarra Mtn from Kangaroo Valley, return Tourist Rd to Berry
Or alternatively skip leg to Kangaroo Valley and return Tourist Rd to Berry

  2

63.4

  Day 5

  Sun

  16th

8:30am climb Berry Mtn, Tourist Rd, The Lookout Tea Rooms.  Descend to Bombaderry, Back Forest Rd to Berry

  2

  55.1 

Some previous KOM Challenge Rides with longer, tougher climbs  eg. Jamberoo Pass etc.

Directions to Berry and camping at Berry Showground

Meals at night from an array of fine restaurants befitting the quaint Berry township - toast of the Southern Highlands

Pics taken at some previous annual Berry KOM Challenges

Pacific Pete's movie of Fri 17-18th Nov 2006 Berry "King of the Mountain" Challenge produced by Peter Tyson

Scribe's rap-up and pics from 4th Berry "King of the Mountain Challenge Series"  -  21 Climbers over 7 glorious days

Pete's pics of 2008 KOM Challenge

Pete's pics of 2009 KOM Challenge

Pacific Pete's 2008 Berry KOM movie

Pacific Pete's 2009 Berry KOM movie

Bank Teller's pics of Berry 2009

2010 7th Berry KOM Challenge pics

2011  8th Berry KOM Challenge pics

2012  9th Berry KOM ride pics as well as pics of three dodgy road sections (550m 'in toto') that Bank Teller is asking Shoalhaven Council to resurface

2013  10th Berry KOM rides, pleasantries, cemetery and 'potholes' pics

2018 15th Berry KOM pics

2022 17th Berry KOM showground pics

2023 18th Berry KOM showground pics

2024 19th Berry KOM pics

Risk Warning:  King of the Mountain Challenge is targeted at road cyclists that have climbed lots of hills.  The ride schedule between Wed.. to Sunday entails climbing and descending 11 marvelous KOM Climbs.  Take the descents slowly, even if the cyclist ahead is ripping down the mountain.   One badly taken corner in concert with a motorist coming up the other way, could result in a bad accident...............for you, where they may need paint scrappers and blotters to get you back up.  The challenge is in the climb, not the descent.

Cinque Montagnes rap-up  -  94km - 11 cyclists (Bazza turned up later)

Above three pics from a smoky Andy's Cafe, Nth Galston

Above three pics at a 'hazy/dusty' Berowra Waters ferry

Two erstwhile Muggs, Grant aka BeanCounter and Martin aka Architect, at Berowra Sag Stop

Above three pics at the Berowra Sag Stop after scaling from the ferry, with Chris aka RecalcitrantBankTeller centre stage above

Above two pics at PitS - 2nd Nosh Stop

Scribe   0434 715.861