Distance: 8.5 km
Time: One hour
Grade: Medium
Surface Type: 25% suburban streets, 65% unformed paths, 10% gravel tracks
Map reference: Canberra Cycleways Map
Route Map
Features: A ride along mostly rough unformed paths, through scattered bushland and
open grassland. Views across the Tuggeranong Valley. One long climb alongside Erindale
Drive, and a pleasant ride on quiet roads around the top of Farrer. There are a number of
fences and cavalettis to lift the bike over.
Route Description:
The ride starts at the dirt car park next to the south bound carriageway of Athllon Drive, where it crosses the ridge between south Woden and the Tuggeranong Valley. The major Woden to Tuggeranong bike path runs adjacent to the north bound carriageway, so access to the ride from the bike path is by crossing Athllon Drive from the bike path to the car park at the crest of the hill.
Access into Farrer Ridge Nature Park is via a cavaletti next to a gate, and on to a rough track which heads uphill about 50 metres from the houses at the edge of the south Woden suburb of Farrer. Take a right fork about 200 metres along the track at an equestrian direction sign. From here the track deteriorates and climbs steeply for another 200 metres to the summit (0.4km). Five tracks all converge at this point, which overlooks a huge water reservoir tank and a fine view across Tuggeranong. Bear right at this point and take the track which heads across the hillside towards a stand of eucalypts. The track soon turns into what appears to be the remains of an old dirt road, probably constructed many years before Woden and Tuggeranong were constructed.
Follow this track as it winds through the trees and then heads steeply uphill to a saddle, with Farrer houses on the left and a fine view towards Tuggeranong and south towards the Namadgi National Park on the right (1.3km). This is another meeting point of a number of tracks.
Turning right the track soon meets the first fence to be negotiated at a pedestrian stile. Once over the style a narrow dirt path leads steeply downhill through open grassland towards Sulwood Drive, dividing the suburb of Wanniassa from the Nature Park. At the bottom of the hill (1.9km) another fence has to be negotiated and a huge cutoff drain crossed in order to reach a well formed dirt track next to Sulwood Drive.
Turn left onto this smooth track and follow it as it meanders south east between the drain and the road until it turns north close to the intersection of Sulwood drive and Erindale Drive. As the track turns north it deteriorates and steepens until an equestrian underpass is reached (2.8km).
Ride past the underpass and up onto the rough Erindale Drive verge. Follow the verge for about 700 metres until a gate and cavaletti is reached on the left leading back into the Nature Park (3.5km). Over the cavaletti a very indistinct path heads in the general direction of the Farrer Ridge, with a fence line on the left. Follow the fence line as it kicks away to the right and very soon another cavaletti is reached, with a distant glimpse of the Telstra Tower straight ahead (3.9km). Across the cavaletti there is a more distinct narrow path which leads next to the fence through some eucalypt trees for 200 metres until it intersects with a small catch drain and a number of tracks (4.1km).
Turning right the ride crosses the drain and heads downhill with the Farrer houses off to the left and a line of telecommunications towers straight ahead on the skyline (See Isaacs Ridge Ride). The track improves in quality giving a fast ride through dense wattle and eucalypt scrub until a gate is reached (5.1km).
Through the gate a track leads off sharply to the right to connect with the Isaacs Ridge Ride. Our Ride continues straight ahead on a well maintained track close to the back fences of Farrer houses until it exits onto Dookie Drive (5.5km).
Turn left into Dookie Drive and then first left into Hawkesbury Crescent. It is a pleasant ride along the quiet suburban street past well maintained but architecturally unadventurous houses. As Hawkesbury Drive swings to the right and steeply downhill, turn left into Custance Street and then first left uphill into Cameron Place and back into the Nature Park (8.1km). Follow the track over the crest of the ridge and back downhill for 400 metres until Athllon Drive and the end of the ride is reached (8.5km).
Back across Athllon Drive and opposite the car park a track heads uphill into Mt Taylor Nature Park where it joins onto the Mt Taylor Ride 1.2km from Athllon Drive.
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