BATHURST TO WINDSOR

I think Bells Line is a better drive as you miss all the Blue Mountain towns along the GWH. I think the road out of Lithgow is an easier climb than Victoria Pass, although I have not towed the caravan up either.

Cheers, Kevin

Well I think that the main highway via Mt Victoria is better. Once you are over Mt Victoria it is basically downhill all the way and 4 lanes for most of the way.
The Bells Line has many 2 lane stretches and lots of steep sharp hills , some with climbing lanes which abruptly end.
There are far more hairpins on the Bells Line particularly down Kurrajong Heights where you will have a long tailback and many pushing to pass. There is one particular RH corner which has a double lane which then turns to single where many will try and push past you.

Once down on the highway , you can go F4 then onto F7 to Windsor, whereas with the Bells you will need to go through Richmond.
Regards Philip A

Hi Glenn C5,

For me the time and day of travel would be a factor.
Great Western hwy. can be a pita weekends and early or late in the day, just my observations of going that way over the years.

The road works seem to have settled down a bit, but beware of the changing road speeds, they do my head in.

Victoria Pass is a climb put once you are up its not too bad.

William

With a 21 ft van behind me I would choose the highway any day even in peak hour traffic.

My first trip over Bells Line of Road was in October 1963. The last was in February this year. There has been a few hundred in between those two dates. It was on the last trip that I decided I would not do it again. There was noticeably more traffic on it. The speeds of other cars seemed to be higher but the road was just as narrow and winding. For the first time ever I did not enjoy it.

I was driving a 4x4 Hilux which is no sports car. Neither is any other car with a big van behind it. I often had a long line of cars behind me.

In April this year I made yet another trip back through Bathurst but this time it was via Victoria Pass. It was a lot more relaxing. There was even more traffic and some road works but if you just follow the car in front and forget about overtaking or time limits, it is as easy as can be.

Crawling up Victoria Pass should not be a problem and coming down off the mountain is about 1000% easier than descending Kurrajong Heights.

Both Scenic Hill and Mt Victoria pass have 1 i8 maximum gradients so they are much the same. Bell's Line of Road also has a second 1 in 8 ascent at Mt Tomah.

Bells Line of Road does not much have in the way of roadside rest areas. The highway has a couple of good ones, Sutton park just after Blackheath and Bulls Camp after Woodford.

I have been travelling these road sine the 50s (before Bell's was sealed.) If I am in a hurry and don't mind a challenge I use Bell's. If I want a more relaxes trip I use the highway.

From Bathurst, you go thru Lithgow either way.....from there to Windsor I would always go via Bells. One little steep hill out of Lithgow and pretty easy going the rest of the way.

For me , on the central coast, it might be easier to go the M4 and the M7, but not if I had to go to Windsor !!