t8 10km
10:15 AM Saturday March 28, 2026
Where: Lithgow Pony Club – Sheedys Gully, via Willowbank Ave, Lithgow 2790 (Google Maps)
Distance: 9.7 km
Elevation: 419m +/-
Cut off: 7 PM
Presentations for Podium Winners: 1:30 PM
2026 Course Description
Hassans Walls Reserve serves up a smorgasbord of cliff lines, epic pagoda rock formations, and cool ferny gullies. It’s the ultimate playground for trail runners looking for a true-blue adventure in the Aussie bush.
The 10km starts at the Lithgow Pony Club in Sheedys Gully where the friendly Event Hub buzzes with pre-race excitement. After a quick 100m burst, turn right and follow 1km along the ‘RoundUp’ single track. The trail takes a left turn that leads to the solid 1km climb up ‘Pony Express’ to CP1, your first checkpoint.
Straight ahead from CP1 for a short but rewarding leg toward ‘Hassans Walls Lookout’. This breathtaking spot offers panoramic views of Hartley and Megalong Valleys. It is the highest lookout vista in the Blue Mountains. After soaking in the scenery, loop back to CP1.
Take a right onto ‘Hassans Walls Road’ for an easy 2km dirt road run that leads to CP10. Turn right onto the 1km ‘Ewok Lower’ MTB trail, a path hugging cliff tops with stunning views before descending through a squeeze of rock to CP11, manned by SES traffic controllers with water available. Then, push upward for a 1.2km dirt road climb back up Hassans Walls Road to return to CP10.
Turn right at CP10 for a 600m run along ‘Ewok Upper’ MTB trail to CP12. where a fully stocked aid station awaits. There are also toilets here. Arriving at CP12, runners are met with cheers, refuelling opportunities, and the celebratory realization that no more hills stand in their way. Runners go straight ahead onto ‘Pottery Ridge’ MTB trail, a 900m downhill singletrack gem offering sweeping panoramas in the final stretch. A left turn at the end of Pottery Ridge transitions downhill into the 350m steep ‘Scramble’ trail. Runners take a left turn for the final 900m of the ‘RoundUp’ trail to the Finish line at the lively Event Hub.
Being 9.7kms in length, this course boasts approximately 419m of elevation gain and loss, making it ideal for trail enthusiasts who relish a blend of real single trails, MTB trails, four-wheel drive tracks, and dirt roads.
This course would suit fast runners who like a bit of ‘vert’, cross country runners, runners wanting a trail run with awesome bush trails, experienced age groupers, new trail runners wanting a bit of adventure, kids and walkers.
