Copyright © Athletesworld, 2001. All rights reserved
Individual 3rd Bike: (M) Paul Smith - 1:23:28, 1998 (F) Jody Purcell -
1:42:58, 1998
Team 3rd Bike: (M) Richard Bontjer - 1:01:48, 1998 (F) Bronwyn Wiseman - 1:25:28, 1999
Grade: H-X X
Distance: 24km one way
Road Conditions: Bicycle paths and gravel tracks.
Route: Tuggeranong Town Centre to Fadden Pines, Wanniassa Hill, Farrer Ridge, Isaacs Ridge, Garran
Map: Canberra Cycleways Map , route map
Starting Point: Tuggeranong Town Centre at KFC
Description:
Tuggeranong Town Centre to Fadden Pines
The last mountain bike leg starts at the grassed space between the KFC outlet and the Tuggeranong Arts Centre on Reed St, Tuggeranong. Cross over Reed St, onto the concrete path leading up onto the bridge across the lake, then immediately left after the bridge, and left again to loop back under the bridge (Soward Way), where the path turns to red brick before reverting to concrete. Ignore the first cycle path to your right, but proceed under Drakeford Dr, at which point the concrete becomes a regular bitumen cycle path heading to the right, then veering to the left past Isabella Pond.
Stay to the left at the next fork - never cross the storm water channel (Tuggeranong Creek), which you keep always to your right. After passing under Isabella Dr, follow the cycle path to the right beside a little dead-end road, continuing alongside the storm water channel. The path leads under Ashley Dr before passing back under Isabella Dr. Be sure to ignore the concrete paths heading off in various directions, but stay to the left at the one genuine fork in the cycle path. Continue under Weinholt St, then Kellett St before entering Fadden Pines.
Veer right at the first fork amidst the pines, heading over a small wooden bridge, then past the children's playground and picnic area to your left. After re-entering the pines, turn left off the cycle path at the next concrete path, which leads past a tennis court complex on your right, then under Coyne St into Macarthur, and straight ahead. Follow this path under the power lines, before turning at the 4th path on your left, coming out at the end of Dennys Pl. At the top of Dennys Pl, cross over Jackie Howe Cres, and continue straight onto the dirt track up the other side, past houses on your right. Go right at the fork in this rough track, past a peculiarly shaped storage tank and yellow day-care centre on your left.
Look for a gate to climb on your right, followed by another on your left, onto a track heading straight up the ridge, becoming quite steep and rocky in parts. This ridge ends in a saddle, where you turn left onto a faint track heading uphill. Continue up, then along the summit ridge of Mt Wanniassa to a trig station, offering unparalleled vistas of the whole of Tuggeranong Valley and the Brindabellas.
Take care as the descent becomes very steep to the next saddle, where you turn right onto a walking trail, dipping towards a small dam. Go to the left of this dam, then head for the tunnel underneath Erindale Dr. Cross through the wooden fence opening at the "Equestrian Trail" sign and through the tunnel. After the tunnel do not turn right, but climb the gate and continue straight ahead.
Round a small dam on your left, then immediately take a right hand fork to follow the smaller power lines up Farrer Ridge. Follow this track ahead even when the power lines dip to the left. When you reach the next fence, climb over and go immediately left over a mini causeway, then left onto the main track, with the fenceline to your left. Do not take the obscurer track forking to the right, as Mt Taylor appears ahead, and the track dips. Turn to the right at the large reservoir on your left, heading up and back around the rear of Farrer. Go left at the T-junction, following the power lines with the houses of Farrer on your left.
After this track smooths and flattens out, take the first right into the bush up a rocky sidetrack, then right again at a fork. At the fence, go through the wooden fence opening, then turn immediately right at the main track, through the tunnel to pass back under Erindale Dr. Before swooping down near the houses, look out for a sharp right hand turn past a metal bar gate onto a track which is briefly bitumen, then dirt again, heading back towards Long Gully Rd. Take the next left onto the main track sweeping up to the pines, then right at the T-junction, heading uphill.
This track veers to the left and becomes steep. At the top of this climb, do not follow the track around to your left, but instead go straight ahead onto a very rocky trail leading directly to the summit of Mt Stanley. If it's any consolation, this is the steepest climb of the entire course. Coming out at the radio repeater stations, continue along the ridge, with a small-looking Mt Taylor away to your left. Ignoring the first track on your left, which would take you back the way you came, go left at the fork, heading down towards the pines.
Follow this trail through the pines down a considerable descent. Ignore the first potential right hand veer as you sweep down to the left, but take the next right to head back uphill again, commencing the last real climb of this leg, up Isaacs Ridge. Turn left at the T-junction with a fenceline to the right and forest to the left. After climbing a little more, a quarry appears on your right, with panoramic views towards Fyshwick and Queanbeyan beyond. Passing another radio tower, take the right hand fork to pass close to Sheaffe Trig.
With the whole of Woden stretched below, the track starts to dip, before switching back to the left and diving into a very steep descent. Go right at the first fork, then right again onto the main walking track.
Enjoy some flat pedalling with the houses of Isaacs and O'Malley to your left. Go right at the fork before the reservoir, then right again just after the reservoir, heading downhill. When this rough track flattens out at the bottom, go straight ahead at the first fork, then almost immediately right onto another mountain bike trail, and right again at the next fork. Duck down as you head straight into a long pipe under Hindmarsh Dr, turning to the right as you emerge at the next transition compound.
