From Leichhardt you can get to the Cooks River Cycleway via several routes. You could head towards Homebush Bay through Fivedock and pick up the cycleway at Powells Creek on Pomeroy Rd, and follow the cycleway to Stratfield South and Tempe, or you could head to Tempe through Petersham and Marrickville and go in the reverse direction back to North Strathfield.
Another way is to start at Hawthorne Canal and head to Summer Hill, then on through Dulwich Hill and Marrickville to meet the Cooks River at Tennent Pde, Hurlstone Park.
From Marion St in Leichhardt go south along Hawthorne Canal (path is on the east side of canal) to Parramatta Rd. Turn left along the footpath and go up to the lights at Tebbutt St (Map.) Cross here and get onto Old Canterbury Rd opposite. Brave the traffic for a few hundred metres (watch for traffic joining on the right) and go under the rail underpass to the lights at Railway Tce. Keep going along Old Canterbury Rd for a litle longer to Toothill St on the left. After a short distance on Toothill, turn right on Denison Rd. This is a marked cycle route. Follow the route along to a left at Constitution Rd, which leads to (New) Canterbury Rd. Cross at lights then immediately right onto Hercules St. (Map.) You are now heading down towards the Cooks River. Follow the bike route signs or navigate your own way to Garnett St and Tennent Pde. The Cooks River Cycleway can be picked up here at a footbridge over the River near some tennis courts. Go right (upstream) if heading to Strathfield and Homebush or cross the footbridge if heading to Tempe and Botany Bay.
