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Yarra Junction, Yarra Valley
(03) 5966 9646
info@ridetimebikes.com.au
GRAVEL riding
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48km​ 615m
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Gravel Riders - Enjoy one of our favourite 2 hour loops, commonly featuring on our Saturday morning Social Rides. A little bumpy on Gravel Bikes along the O'Shan Trail but otherwise very nice ride. Watch for sticks on the ground after wind.
Recreational Riders - Best suited to an eBike for most riders, with a few solid small climbs. A beautiful loop, capturing the best of the Redwood Forest and the O'Shan Aqueduct.
The ride takes you the quiet way out of Warburton to Big Pats Creek into Lyrebird Road and left at the end onto Brahams Road. You'll spend only a short moment on Woods Point Road before turning into Cement Creek Road and cruising past the Redwood Forest. Take time to enjoy and explore the Redwood Forest and down by Cement Creek which runs behind the forest. Then exit the forest and turn right up to the O'Shannassy Aqueduct which will take care of getting you back to town.
ROUTE 1: O'Shan - Redwood Forest - Lyrebird​​​​
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57km​ 1,096m​
This ride incorporates one of our areas finest climbs with one of the longest and most exhilarating descents. The Warby Trail gets you to Wesburn and the start of the Britannia Creek Road climb - a long and undulating climb of good gradient and impeccable natural surroundings. Just before you reach Mt Bride Road, the gradient kicks up a few degrees but only for a short distance. Starlings Gap Campground is a great spot for a break before beginning the long descent down Smythe Creek Road into Big Pats Creek and back to town.
ROUTE 2: Brittania Creek - Starlings Gap
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99km​ 2,296m​
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This challenging route starts on the Rail Trail for an easy warm up. After Wesburn the real ride begins, climbing up Mt Bride and Mt Myrtalia. Next you'll descend into the Gladysdale / Gilderoy valley followed by a climb up Mt Beenak, which then heads down the mountain into Gembrook (good spot for lunch). After Gembrook the route heads back towards Yarra Junction. This section has a couple of climbs, but they are less challenging than the first half of the route.
ROUTE 3: Gembrook Loop via Brittania and Black Sands (shortcut options available)
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57km​ 1,156m​
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The iconic Dirty Donna loop. This popular route allows you to get the legs warmed up on the Rail Trail, before heading north up Don Rd to start the long, beautiful climb to the top of the Yarra Ranges and Mt Donna Buang.
The first 6-7kms of Don Road are bitumen, but beautifully and gently rising up through the Don Valley. Then, at the iconic 'Curved Wooden Trestle Bridge' an awesome place for photos, you will start on the Gravel Sector. This continues to climb up for a few kms on Gravel, before getting to 'Pantons Gap' intersection. At this point, turn right onto the bitumen for a few more kms.
After a very brief downhill section, you start the 'proper' Gravel climbing sector, where the scenery is just truly stunning. Even though you're climbing, you'll enjoy every second of this magical sector. Large ferns, mystical waterfalls, tall eucalyptus trees and great views of the valley. After the Hang Glider lookout (you'll see it) - you will come up to the T-intersection of Mt Donna Buang Road. At this point, decide if you want to turn left and ride a further 1.5kms to the summit (you really should) and take those rewarding summit top photos, and walk up the lookout tower. BE WARNED !! The weather on top of Mt Donna Buang can be very cold and foggy/misty, even when its warm in the Valley. Always be prepared for cold weather on the mountains, and wear/pack clothes accordingly. Warm gloves and a lightweight spray jacket are a must, even in most of summer. The descent from Donna could be the coldest 30 minutes of your life! Be careful on the descent, high speeds, road debris and sneaky corners can catch you off guard, but its a beautiful piece of road through stunning forest. Roll into Warburton, warm up with nice hot drink or some lunch, and then cruise back down the Rail Trail back to Ride Time Bikes in Yarra Junction. This is a GREAT ride !!
ROUTE 4: Dirty Donna Loop
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93km​ 1,989m​
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This is a challenging but beautiful Gravel loop, taking in some fantastic roads with great views. The first climb up Mt Beenak Road is fairly long but with mostly gentle gradient. It gets you up onto a lovely ridgeline with some filtered views of the valley. Once you arrive at the Seven Acre Rock carpark, you can walk or ride very slowly out to the lookout point which is quite spectacular.
Be Aware !! The lookout on top of Seven Acre Rock is exposed and can be dangerous. Always use caution.
A fun descent off the ridgeline will set you up into the climb to Starlings Gap, where you will enjoy a fast, flowing descent into Big Pats Creek. At this point, turn right into Lyrebird Road to head towards the Redwood Forest where you can enjoy the mystical surrounds before rolling back on the O'Shannassey Aqueduct Trail. Enjoy a snack and a drink in Warburton before rolling back on the Rail Trail to Yara Junction.
Big Loop - Great terrain.
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ROUTE 5: Mt Beenak - Seven Acre - Smythes - OShan
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82km​ 1,763m​
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​​This Route starts off in Warburton for a fairly adventurous loop of the nearby Gravel Goodness. Head out on Riverside Drive towards Big Pats Creek and enjoy the long and challenging climb up Smythes Creek Road to Starlings Gap (Campground)
Then make your way across the top of the mountain range to the famous (and HUGE) Ada Tree.
After this, follow Starvation Creek Road back towards Woods Point Road and a quick dogleg into Road 1, which will take you up to the O'Shanassey Weir - a peaceful spot to remind us of the importance of the Aqueduct infrastructure for Melbourne's water supply.
Now, follow the Aqueduct Trail back into Warburton via the mystical Redwood Forest.
This is a very cool loop with some really interesting sections.
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ROUTE 6: Big Pats - Ada Tree - O'Shannassy Weir
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28km​ 207m​
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Enjoy this fantastic loop to the Redwood Forest via the Rail Trail and O'Shannassey Aqueduct Trail. Experience the beautiful scenery of the open valley trail, alongside the Yarra River and then into the stunningly lush and green forest of tall trees and large ferns. Once you reach the Redwood Forest, immerse yourself in the uniformed beauty of the mystical, tall Californian Redwood Trees. Be sure to ride 'around' the Forest and enjoy the peace and quiet of the babbling Cement Creek area - perfect spot to eat your picnic. Return along the same trail, but you have the option of continuing along the O'Shan Aqueduct Trail onto Dee Road (Use Caution coming down Dee Road - it is quite steep and fast). Be sure to stop off in Warburton, Millgrove or Wesburn for food and drinks. Enjoy this ride - its one of our favorites.
ROUTE 7: Dee Road - O'Shan Aqueduct - Rail Trail
