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No 25, December 2002
| Contents | |
|---|---|
| Cycle Touring | 1 |
| Advocacy | 5 |
| Diary Dates | 6 |
| Tyres: Part II | 7 |
| My Commute | 8 |
| Other Editions | |
Editors: Catherine Stuart, Fran Griffin
Production: Keith Griffin + Stacey Ward
The views expressed in Chain Mail articles are those of the authors only and do not necessarily represent either the common views shared by a majority of Bike North members, or Bike North policy as formulated by the Bike North Executive Committee.
Cycle Touring
Murray to the mountains
WHERE
The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail runs from Wangaratta to Bright via Everton with a branch line to Beechworth. These towns are located in Northeastern Victoria along the Ovens Valley. Wangaratta is about one hour south of Albury on the Hume Highway by car.
ACCOMMODATION
It is 83 kilometres from Wangaratta to Bright via the Rail Trail. A good starting point is the town of Myrtleford, half way between Wangaratta and Bright. There are two caravan parks in the town and a number of motels and hotels. All of these facilities are close to the rail trail making it easy to start your journey each day. One of the advantages of staying in Myrtleford is that you can head out in all directions along the Rail Trail and easily travel to the end and back in a day. If you were to stay at Bright or Wangaratta the return journey to the opposite end of the rail trail would be around 160 kms. If you were to attempt this it would mean that you would have very little time to wander around and explore your destination before you had to make the return journey.
SHOPPING FACILITIES
Shopping in Myrtleford is good. There is a well-stocked IGA supermarket with plenty of fresh meat, fruit and vegetables along with all the other items you might care to buy. It has a good selection of pasta and rice for all those high carbohydrate low GI meals you will be cooking during your stay. There are two bakeries in town to supply the essential post ride food groups – coffee and cake. Heiner’s Bakery down by the Railway Hotel is particularly good, although the one closer to the centre of town has a wider selection of high GI carbohydrate products. There are a couple of cafes and restaurants in town where you can buy your evening meal but you might be better off taking advantage of the supermarket and cooking your own. There is a bike section in the local sports shop in the main street where you can purchase bike spares.
Old wooden-decked rail bridge
TRAIL DESCRIPTION
The rail trails are all bitumen sealed and are 1.8 to 2.2 metres wide. The surface is a little bumpy and does contain a fair degree of loose aggregate. This combined with the narrowness of the track means that riding side by side is not always an option. The trails are mostly flat and where there are hills the gradients are easy and consistent. This allows you to select a comfortable cadence and get into an easy rhythm for the climbs. There are a few exceptions where the rail trail has to divert to go around a road or a farmer’s property, but in general these diversions are short and not too steep. Whilst most of the bridges have been re-decked with concrete there are still a couple of old wooden sleeper decks that you would be well advised to walk over, as they are very rough and uneven.
TRAIL FEATURES
The beauty of the rail trail is that you can ride at your own pace without having to worry about road traffic. This allows you to spend more time looking around at the flora and fauna (echidnas, wallabies, ‘roos, birds, birds and more birds). In most places the trail travels in a straight line allowing you to travel to your destination via the most direct route. Some sections of the rail trail travel through open countryside with little protection from the elements. In the middle of summer some of the longer exposed sections could be quite hot. Tank water is available at most of the old station sites while stations like Everton and Eurobin have toilets, tables, shelter and bike racks as well as tank water. The wind is generally stronger in the afternoons so it is a good idea to think about the wind direction when planning your ride for the day.
Eurobin Station Facilities
DESTINATIONS
There are three major destinations on the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail for anyone starting at Myrtleford. They are Beechworth, Bright and Wangaratta. By far the most picturesque of these is Beechworth.It is about a 42km ride from Myrtleford to Beechworth, with a 15km climb at the end. This gradient of the climb is about 1 in 50 and is consistent for the whole climb. The trail travels through some beautiful countryside that you view from high up on the embankments or from deep down in the cuttings as you climb. You will have plenty of time to marvel at the engineering involved in the construction of the original rail line. Beechworth itself is well worth the climb. You will need to allow at least three hours to fully appreciate this charming historical town. Leave yourself plenty of time to eat at the Beechworth Bakery. [Ed: and avoid the weekends!]
Rail trail disappearing into the horizon
Bright is also up hill from Myrtleford but the gradient is almost flat. You will not need quite as long to see Bright but there is an excellent French patisserie in town and a bakery if you want some carbohydrate with a slightly lower GI. On the return journey there are two worthwhile stops. One is the Bright Berry Farm and the other is the Westerns Nut farm. Both of these are easily accessible from the rail trail near Eurobin.
Wangaratta is at the western end of the rail trail and is a large bustling country town. There is plenty to see and do in what the locals call “Wang” but it is 53km from Myrtleford so you will travel over 100km in the day if you do the round trip. The café that most of the local riders hang out at is Scribblers and it can be found in Reid Street. If you buy something at Dean Woods Cycles you may be lucky and get a free coffee voucher for Scribblers. Wang has an active BUG that run regular rides so drop into the Information Centre and pick up their ride calendar.
ALTERNATE DESTINATIONS
If you are looking for other places to ride to, then Lake Buffalo is an ideal destination. It is about 24km south of Myrtleford on the road and once you get a few kilometres out of town there is very little traffic. There are a couple of hills but it is a much easier ride than Pie in the Sky. There is a large picnic area by the lake and free electric BBQ facilities if you want to take a picnic lunch. The water at the lake is not suitable for drinking and as there are no towns or shops on the way you will need to take all your food and drink with you.
One of the many dams
Milawa is also a great place to visit. Use the rail trail to get to Everton and then the very quiet back roads to Milawa via Markwood. There is no park or public toilets in Milawa so it is a good idea to head straight for the bakery and enjoy some fresh bread and cheese in the covered outdoor area. The café in the centre of town is also good value so you can top up as you are leaving. The main attraction in Milawa, besides the bakery, is the mustard shop. Here you can sample a range of mustards from mild to super hot. Just what you need to get the blood pumping for the return journey.
ALTERNATE ROUTES
When you have had enough of quiet car free riding on the rail trail then there are a number of alternate routes you can use to return from Wangaratta, Beechworth or Milawa. Most of these roads are quiet and the Snow Road from Milawa to Myrtleford via the Whoroulys is as flat as the rail trail. The Bucklands Gap road from Beechworth back to Myrtleford has a great 3 km steep twisting descent but you do need to climb a few hills at the beginning and the end in order to enjoy it.
OVERALL SUMMARY
If you are looking for some quiet riding in the country, then you could do a lot worse than head down to Myrtleford for a week and giving the rail trails a spin. There is plenty to see, do, eat and drink. The facilities on the rail trail are good even if the surface of the trail is a little rough. There are plenty of beautiful towns to visit, vistas to view and fresh produce to taste and purchase. There are many options where you can combine rail trail and on road riding to visit places further afield. The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail is well worth the visit.