Wisemans Ferry sits where the Hawkesbury River turns through a deep sandstone gorge about an hour north-west of Sydney, and the crossing has been working since the 1820s. Solomon Wiseman, a convict who became a successful businessman, ran the ferry and gave the place its name. Today, a pair of free vehicle ferries, cable-guided and run by the state, carry cars and bikes back and forth across the river around the clock, with a short queue at busy times. It is a pleasing piece of old-fashioned travel, and on a bike there is something neat about rolling onto the steel deck with the river water slapping underneath.
The land around is rugged. Dense eucalypt bush, steep cliffs and the green river fill the view, with Dharug National Park on one side and Yengo National Park beyond. The Hawkesbury is broad and quiet here, a drowned river valley, and the cliffs reflect in the water on still mornings. Kookaburras laugh from the trees, lyrebirds scratch in the undergrowth, and in spring the bush is full of wildflowers and wattle.
The ride takes in the Old Great North Road, a remarkable piece of engineering built by convicts in the 1820s and 1830s to link Sydney with the Hunter Valley. Sections of the stone-walled road survive in the bush, with retaining walls, drains and culverts that are still intact. Some are sealed, some are gravel, and some are for walkers only, so do not assume that every bit is open to bikes. The roads on either side of the river, such as Settlers Road and the road to St Albans, wind in long curves through the valley, with good surfaces and little traffic outside weekends. On weekends, riders come from all over Sydney, so this is a busy place on a sunny Sunday.
Services here are limited. The village has a pub, a store and a caravan park, but fuel is something to organise in advance, because the main towns are some distance away. Windsor and Berowra Heights are the sensible places to fill up. Summer can be hot and bushfire-prone, with road closures in dry spells. The cooler months are the best time, with clear air and soft light on the sandstone.