Exploring Wombat Forest trails

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Aotearoa : what we found across the ditch

Tripping Lightly

Recently we had occasion to travel from Auckland to Christchurch, scored a relocation rental wagon so updated ourselves on Highway 1 towns and scenery for the first time in 30 years or so. Most remarkable transformation was the once dungy town of Tirau which now is a mecca for the traveller.

Given our rainfall in Victoria this last year or so, we were not strangers to the normal lush green of NZ but certainly the nature of the landforms was refreshingly different. From the pimply hills of the South Auckland and Waikato farmland through the snow blanketed volcanoes of Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe viewed in all their majesty from the Desert Road, then the river riven gorges and flat lands of the Manawatu to the gorse and house pocked hills of Wellington.

Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park

Unlike my previous report on the Woodhill Mountain Bike Park just north of Auckland, we didn't have time to ride Makara Peak MTB Park (pronounced 'mac a rah'). But we did visit it on our way to the inter-island ferry and snapped these photos at the car park. An ideal place to ride if visiting Wellington even without your bike as you can catch a trolley bus which terminates just up the road from the bike park entry. At the bus stop just 100m prior to the terminus is Mud Cycles where you can hire mtbs and guides or instructors. Then hop on your rental and cruise along South Karori Rd for 1km to the park. How easy is that? Photo at right shows bike wash and toilet. 

But it gets even better if you time it right as during November-April there is a free 1.5 hour guided tour from the mtb car park at 1000 1st Sunday of every month.

Other MTB Rides including Easy

The classics at Rotorua etc are easy enough for you to find. But we noted other commercial ventures and trails in a number of the towns on Highway 1. Then in Christchurch a friend told us about the new Westland Wilderness Trail. This is on the West Coast region of the South Island which is home to Highway 6 voted by Lonely Planet as ‘One of the Top 10 Drives in the World’ in 2007. And I can personally attest to it being a truly great drive which should be part of any circuit of the South Island. It is a great entry/exit point for Central Otago and I will leave it to you to search for the myriad of mtb opportunities in this, our favourite NZ region.

But I must mention two down there, one being the now world famous Otago Central Rail Trail . Before you turn your nose up at a rail trail, be assured this has truly superb, varied scenery and is far from flat. As for Snow Farm, we XC skied there for many years, staged NZ's first 24 hour rogaine across Snow Farm and surrounding properties and are looking forward to mtbing there in January. If you climb east to the top of the Pisa Range you look way down on Lake Dunstan, the town of Cromwell and across to other ranges that will make you salivate at the thought of mtb riding there.

Different but...

I like our Great Dividing Trails (GDT) equally as well as the rides described above. They are very different experiences because of the topography and environment. e.g. eucalypt forests here, pine and beech in NZ or open high country. So if you go to NZ on biz or holiday, take the opportunity to do some riding in a new environment.

Nga Haerenga

And just as a ribbon of our GDT trails attracted government funding for further development and marketing as The Goldfields Track, so too has the NZ government invested in mtb cycle tourism. Their NZ Cycle Trail (Nga Haerenga in Maori) is an ambitious $50m project to establish a network of 18 world class trails the length of NZ. The Westland Wilderness Trail is one of those already in use.

Haere ra

p.s. The Food!

How could I forget this key item. A rellie put us onto a great cafe in downtown Wellington. Exceptionally well priced, good selection of rolls, pastries, muffins etc and good coffee. Margies Coffee Lounge & Patisserie is tucked away back of the ground floor of a 5 storey building on the corner of Grey St and Jervois Quay. Just a shingle hanging outside. It is diagonally opposite the Queens Wharf entrance to the NZ Academy of Fine Arts and also the Olympic Museum, Museum of Wellington City and Sea and other attractions. Nothing flash but great value.

 

 

General Store to General Store : Guildford to Glenlyon

Essentials

IMBA estimated rating: Green (Easy)
23.3k, 1h 40m ride time, avg 14 k/h, 2h elapsed, 50+ years reasonably fit.
Uphill in this direction but seems much more gradual than profile suggests.
One way and circular options available.
Vic Roads maps: Guildford on the Midland Highway between Daylesford and Castlemaine 59 D4, Glenlyon on the Daylesford - Malmsbury road 59 E6.

VL = veer left, 1R = 1st right, SA = straight ahead. GDT = Great Dividing Trail

Description

Guildford has its Big Tree and old Guildford General Store Loddon Tea Rooms while Glenyon has the incipient Loddon River and historic Old Glenlyon General Store cum cafe (photo). Both stores have great food and coffee/tea with very friendly service and prices. You'll have to tear yourself away from your starting store but can bask in accomplishment at the terminus store.

Dirt roads, one 4WD track and tarmac each end. A very pleasant ride when you haven't got a lot of time. Suits being dropped off in Guildford (or Glenlyon). Take careful note of navigation notes along Schicers Track. 

I was staggered when I generated the elevation profile below as during the ride I never staggered. There are three climbs on the route but only one is steep and then only for a very short distance.

Route

I enjoyed a really good coffee with an Anzac biscuit at the old Guildford Store. They have excellent store baked cakes, biscuits and the very best pies we can recall. Sitting outside I noted that each corner of this tiny town had a 'public' building - the store, the family pub (which is also pleasant to visit on a hot day), the hall and the sports ground. And just down the side road from the store is a famous big! red gum.

Fortified I mounted up and headed down the tarmac Vaughan Springs Rd into farm land and less than 1km out of town R onto gravel Shicers Gully Rd. Shortly on L is unusual old excavations of a hillside, presumably gold digging. Nearing the forest entrance and with a good following wind, the dogs at the boarding kennels got wind of me well before I heard them barking their welcome. Into the forest and dirt road. Stay on Shicers Gully Rd until Limestone Track.

Pleasant to be in the forest and soon whipped off my inner layer as getting very warm on this lovely autumn day. You could optionally take Cox Track to the right as it eventually comes back onto Shicers Gully Rd. There are a few houses dotted along the road with goat farming and other lifestyle pursuits. The road is undulating but nothing serious.

At 7k, stay SA on Shicers Track as the L track appears to be the main one. 9.2k veer L onto Limestone Track. Here I met a couple in a ute. He had just finished clearing a fallen tree by axe. The cuts were so clean I thought he had a chain saw. Turns out he used to be  a wood cutter back in the 60s. Retired now but they love the bush.

Steepish down to the creek. If it is lunch time, L across the creek up a 4WD track takes you to a very pleasant spot. Otherwise follow the track right then twist up a rise. At the ridge, (10.2k) ignore Lancaster Track on L but just 25m on, take a 4WD track R. This track cruises down then veers L to head up a main gully that has a distinctly eroded water channel. At 11.3k you turn R onto Porcupine Ridge Rd. Today there is the smell of stale smoke as the forest undergrowth on the E side of the road has been burnt off.

Shortly you might see a cluster of cars and at 12k that will be the Dry Diggings Track crossing the road, If you are taking one of the options described above, this is your departure point from this ride. Do give way to walkers on that track. I more often encounter mountain bikers.

Onwards past Loop Track until at 13k VL onto Green Gully Track. A great swoop down for start but do sit well back as there is jutting rock along the way. Then you should scream up the other side for measly metres. For a very pleasant break spot you could diverge on either of two tracks off to the L into the stream valley. And if the main stream is running then you might see my basking crocodile per the photo.

Otherwise continue on the track to ford a splash of water before the start of a gradual rise to a bridge on a sharp L bend. Then the only steep climb of the day 50m up an interesting rocky section. Take a glance if you can at the creek bed on the R and the view into the valley at L. Round the bend past the farm gate it eases but does continue for some way to the ridge where a short flat ride leads to a screaming drop to a T at Green Gully Rd. Brake well and carefully beforehand as this road does have some traffic.

R at the road and a shallow climb with beautiful small flowers on the bank in spring. Then undulate past farms and consider dropping into Butlers Lane or Ellender wineries. Ellender serves meals also. At 18.7 k cross Kangaroo Creek, usually piddling along on its tortuous journey, to hit the tarmac and the foot of the last of the 3 climbs. This 2.4 k climb has plenty of false crests to excite then disappoint but it does relieve with a few flattish sections. You will soon see on your right the Canadian vista and then the hobby farms each side keep your interest. Eventually a sweeping L followed by R takes you up to a T at Back Glenlyon Rd, 21.2k.

L here and cruise down to The Old Glenlyon Store at 22.3k for excellent coffee, cold drinks (awaiting alcohol licence), ice creams and other treats. The store has reopened after lying fallow for 2 years and locals and visitors are again enjoying its atmosphere and offerings. Of note are the reasonably priced fmeals mainly based on local produce including Red Beard Bakery sourdoughs, Istra ham, free range eggs. Seating inside (3 log fires in winter) and out. MTbers and motor cyclists welcome.

If you have to bike back to Daylesford, head back up Back Glenlyon Rd to enjoy the plunge down the tarmac to yet another bridge across the ubiquitous Kangaroo Creek.

Options

Circular route from Guildford

When you meet the GDT Dry Diggings Track crossing Porcupine Ridge Rd (12km) L onto the GDT to Vaughan Springs (11.5k). When you lave Italian Track R onto Porcupine Ridge Rd again you can shortly choose to swing L to Tarilta and wend your way to Guildford on mainly dirt roads. Else if you prefer tarmac or want to visit Vauugahn Springs, continue on down the hill and after crossing the old road bridge at Vaughan Springs, you can swing R uphill and R into the reserve for a bathe, minderal water or just to relax. Else off the bridge and L onto the tarmac to follow the signs to Guildford (6km).

One way to Hepburn Springs, Daylesford

At GDT Dry Diggings crossing (see above), R on Dry Diggings Track. Follow the trail to Hepburn Springs. From Hepburn Springs the trail is closed to mountain bikers so use the cycle track along main road to Daylesford. Side trip to the Chocolate Mill? Then R when you hit Midland Highway.

 Main Route Map and Track - GPSies link & QR code

 

Boundary Creek circuit, nr Glenlyon

Essentials

13km, up and down on dirt roads. No single track, nevertheless a varied surface road that keeps you alert. Classification IMBA easy.

Description

This is a neat circuit in the Upper Loddon Forest not far from Glenlyon. Accessible by 2WD. The first section along Ridge Rd gives eases you in and then @ 1.3km when you R onto Boundary Creek (photo) you get your first rush as you start a longish downhill on a surface skittery in places. The first of a number of interesting creek crossings brings you to a bit of a climb which works out your lazy lungs and legs. Then you skirt a hill with a significant gully on your L and on leaving the next creek crossing start a gradual climb to Scobies Rd @ 4.5km and turn L.

Ahh, civilisation. To the R (east) are lifestyle blocks. If you like wineries, there are quite a few off the nearby Glenlyon - Malmsbury road so maybe you would prefer to make this your starting point.  Cruise along until a tad after the 6km mark, you do an acute L onto Keilors Track.

2.5k of downhill! Although there is the occasional slight rise that might need a pedal if you aren't game to swoop the bends at max. Do stay aware of other road users. The final creek before a real rise is worth a stop to check out the flood damage either side. A large tree was poised tentatively on the brink of the scoured bank (photo). OK, now its up,up and away on a reasonable climb back to Ridge Rd @ 9.5km and a L turn to the S. Now you are on a bit of a roller coaster though gradually increasing your elevation, past your original turn off (take it for another circuit?) and back to the car.

Options

Start at the pine fringed Glenlyon cemetery on Holcombe Rd just before the end of the tarmac from Glenlyon. This offers an easy lead in to the ride and a cruisy downhill at the end. Explore the history as you are cooling down.

Or start from the Glenlyon General Store (see next post) where you can enjoy a post ride cafe meal or just a great coffee. Signs to nearby wineries hang out opposite the store. Other rides in this blog start from the store.

Maps and Track - link or QR code