Grade: S-X
Distance: 13km, one way
Road Conditions: Mainly cycle paths
Route: From the Family Court building, University Ave/Childers St, City, via the Sullivan's Creek bike path, Bruce Ridge, AIS and ends at Smalley Crct, Giralang.
Map: Location Map (Ride No 3) and detailed Map 2, Map 3 and Map 4 of ride
Starting Point: Family Court building, University Ave/Childers St, City
Description: This route is, in its early stages, the same as that for the City-Dickson and then the City-Bruce-Belconnen Town Centre cycleway as far as the Kaleen turnoff haftway up O'Connor Ridge. (See Commuter Rides 1 and 2.) Take this turnoff, a cycleway to the right, which heads downhill between the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) grounds on the left and carparks and practice fields on the right. The path then curves round to the left until it crosses Leverrier Street.
The bike path rushes through old grazing lands for 1.2 km, then travels beneath Ginninderra Dr. via a tunnel to end abruptly at Alberga St (if you move left on the cycleway you'll end up at the Belconnen Town Centre). Ride to the right down Alberga St (there are no signs around here to guide you) and after 300 metres enter Shannon Crct (right), finally picking up the cycleway again (it's marked this time) behind the local primary school.
As the path proceeds behind the school and houses take care to follow it to the right and not continue on to where an offshoot ends at Maribyrnong Ave. The cycleway passes behind playing fields and under Maribyrnong Ave (a path to the right just before this leads to Daintree Cres., Kaleen). It continues through parklands with playing fields on the left and a floodway on the right, then after 1.1 km crosses this drain by the second of two bridges. The path swings left, crosses another bridge and runs behind houses before making a crossing of Maribyrnong Ave. It continues behind more houses, then crosses Chuculba Cres. (dangerous) to enter Giralang and proceeds between the stormwater drain (left) and the Giralang District Playing Fields (right).
The cycleway crosses Dodwell St and meets William Slim Dr. where you must turn left and cross a bridge over Ginninderra Creek. The path drops off William Slim Dr. at its intersection with Owen Dixon Dr., runs through parklands and ends at a type of T-junction at Smalley Crct--the left arm takes you back across Dodwell St to end at Capella Crct. The right arm continues on to meet Baldwin Dr. and eventually Lake Ginninderra.
Pedal Power is grateful to Graeme Barrow for agreeing to allow this material and
maps to be reproduced here from his book "Riding Canberra's Bike Paths: A
commuter/tourist cycling guide". Other titles by Graeme Barrow include:
