Grade: L-XX
Distance: 75km
Road Conditions: Fairly quiet, mostly rural roads. Lots of steep hills along the way, especially into and out of the Murrumbidgee River valley.
Route: A loop ride via Cotter Rd, Paddys River Road, Point Hut Road, Woodcock Drive, Drakeford Drive, and through Chapman along Eucumbene Drive back to Cotter Road.
Map: Canberra Cycleways Map and 1:100 000 Topographic Map of the Australian Capital Territory. Sketch Map.
Starting Point:Corner Cotter Road and Uriarra Road
Description:
Follow the Cotter Road as it heads mostly downhill to the Murrumbidgee River at the Cotter Pumping Station and the long wooden Murrumbidgee River Bridge. Cross the bridge and continue across the smaller Cotter River bridge at the Cotter Reserve. A small shop at Cotter sells snacks and ice creams.
Turning south, the first big hill leads up through the pine forests, and along the banks of the Paddy's River, with picnic spots and toilets at Murray's Corner and Flint's Crossing. The road continues its short (and not so short) hills up and down as it heads out into more open country around the Tidbinbilla Valley.
Worthwhile sidetrips to the left to the NASA Tidbinbilla Tracking Station (known as the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex), famous for its role in tracking the probes to Mars and Jupiter. Next road off to the right leads into the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, with picnic spots, wildlife, walking trails and a nice loop road around the valley.
The ride continues past Tidbinbilla Road and also the turnoff to Corin Dam and more great rides. The next road to the left is the Point Hut Road, leading to Point Hut Crossing and back across the Murrumbidgee River into Tuggeranong.
Passing the Point Hut Pond on the right, the ride goes left onto Woodcock Drive, and soon a bicycle path on the left can be joined, which heads north along Drakeford Drive as far as Athllon Drive. Turn left onto Athllon Drive to bypass the Tuggeranong Town Centre, and rejoin the bicycle path where it goes under Athllon Drive north of Lake Tuggeranong. Alternatively, follow the bike path as it crosses under Athllon Drive, heading alongside Lake Tuggeranong through the town centre (lots of fast food outlets right by the path). Keep along the lake shore and cross the dam wall. Follow the bike path and take a left under Athllon Drive to rejoin the route.
Follow the bike path north until it reaches Sulwood Drive. Turn left into Sulwood Drive and along the bike path as it climbs to the ridge separating Tuggeranong from Woden valley. Back on the wide Namatjira Drive, turn left into Perry Drive, right into Thring Street and left into Darwinia Terrace. This road leaves Chapman at Hindmarsh Drive, where the ride turns left onto Hindmarsh Drive then right into Eucumbene Drive along the back of Duffy.
Within a couple of kilometres Eucumbene Drive reaches Cotter Road, where a right turn takes the rider back to the start.
More information about the Murrumbidgee River in the ACT
