Distance: 7.2km km (or 12.9km with the Gossan
Hill Ride)
Time: 45 minutes (or 75 minutes with Gossan Hill Ride)
Grade: Medium
Surface Type: 60% gravel maintenance tracks, 40% unformed tracks and paths
Map reference: Canberra Cycleways Map
Route Map
Features: A ride along undulating track and pathways through eucalypt bushland,
with glimpsed views of North Canberra.
Route Description:
The ride starts at a small informal parking area on Dryandra Street, O'Connor, about 400 metres north from where the City to Belconnen bike path crosses Dryandra Street close to the Macarthur Avenue roundabout.
About 10 metres on the right through the gate a narrow path winds steeply uphill into the O'Connor Ridge eucalypt woodland. Taking this path the ride swings sharply left after 100 metres, heading for the ridge where it joins a wider path (0.2km). Follow the wide path as it climbs gently northwards along the ridge. Ignore paths leading off to the left and right and take the steepest route through the trees until it emerges at the highest point of this part of the ride (0.6km). A gentle descent takes the ride into more open grassland dotted with small trees, as the path deteriorates into a double wheel track. Veer right at 0.9km towards a small line of pine trees until a view of North Lyneham houses comes into view from a rocky ridge (1.3km). A steep descent takes the ride to a 'T' intersection (1.4km) and a left turn back up a heavily eroded section to the ridge and another 'T'. Heading right the track soon reaches a gate marking the most northerly point of O'Connor Ridge and the ride (1.4km).
At the gate turn left towards the huge light towers of Bruce Stadium and follow the path through open country as it narrows and meanders past a path to a small wildlife dam (2.0km). The path widens where it re-enters the woodand and continues parallel to the ridge line until an intersection is reached just below the highest part of the ridge (2.5km). Take the right fork along a rough path which descends and swings left until it reaches a gate leading out of the reserve (2.9km).
Through the gate and across the City to Belconnen bike path, the ride enters the Bruce Ridge Nature Park through a stile and fence. Follow the wide maintenance track which leads off to the right and heads staedily uphill along a line of electricity poles. Keep straight ahead past wide tracks off to the left and right at 3.0km, 3.4km, 3.8km and 3.9km. The ride passes close by the Bruce Stadium, home of the Canberra Raiders rugby league team, and the Australian Institute of Sport .
At 4.1km the ride joins a track which enters from the right and continues uphill to a crest and intersecting paths about 50 metres short of a gate (4.2km).
[Those who want to add 5.7km on to this ride can continue straight ahead to the gate to join the link route to the Gossan Hill Ride].
[Note: The distances shown below are for the Bruce and O'Connor Ridge Ride only.]
Do not go through the gate but take the narrow path which leads left off at an acute angle from the track, into the bushland. The path, which is frequently used by athletes from the Australian Institute of Sport for training runs, meanders downhill through a uniform stand of eucalptus, past a right fork, until it emerges onto a wide maintenance track about 50 metres uphill from another gate (4.6km).
Turning left onto the track the ride now heads steadily uphill for 600 metres to the crest of Bruce Ridge, and a huge covered water reservoir (5.2km). Follow the track which edges past the reservoir, giving fine views across Barry Drive towards Black Mountain and the Telstra Tower , and over North Canberra towards Mount Ainslie in the distance.
Leaving the reservoir the ride follows a wide track along the ridge, passing a cross track (5.6km), until it emerges above a second covered reservoir (5.9km). Follow the track clockwise around the reservoir onto a track which descends steeply off the ridge to the south and down onto a track close to the caravans of the Motor Village (6.3km). Go left and follow the track as it gently descends along the edge of the bushland until a gate is reached leading back out onto the bike path (7.0km). Through the gate and across the bike path, a track leads 100 metres back to the start of the ride (7.2km).