Distance: 10.4 km
Time: 1 hour approx
Grade: Easy/Medium
Surface Type: 3% bitumen, 47% gravel maintenance tracks, 40% unformed path
Map reference: Canberra Cycleways Map
Route Map
Features: A ride through open grassland and some eucalypt bushland, with extensive
views over central Canberra and Woden. A couple of short steep climbs, but mostly easy
going.
Route Description:
The ride starts at a small unofficial parking area and gate next to a wooden sign identifying the Canberra Nature Park: Red Hill about 100m into the climb up Gowrie Drive from the roundabout intersection with Mugga Way, towards the Red Hill summit. (Look for the sign to the “Red Hill Lookout” at the roundabout). It is less than 4km access by bike from the major bike path around Lake Burley Griffin.
Facing back downhill towards the roundabout, head right (south) through a gate and onto a smooth track which runs parallel to a huge cutoff drain (Photo 1) separating the wild flanks of Red Hill from the grand houses of Forrest and Red Hill, and the Red Hill Heritage Precinct, including Calthorpe's House (well worth a short diversion). Continue along the track, keeping uphill of the drain, past a path which heads off to the right up Red Hill (1.4km) to a new looking cattle stockyard and incongruous security guard post (1.8 km). 100m further on the ride emerges through the fence and into an open grassed area (Photo 7) . Keeping the fence on the right, the ride continues south along an unformed track uphill behind more houses until it meets a track entering from Red Hill on the right (2.7 km), and a curious small concrete hut on the left.
The track deteriorates as it crosses a much smaller cutoff drain and climbs steeply above the houses with magnificent views across South Canberra towards the Parliament House, Lake Burley Griffin and the City centre in the middle distance and Black Mountain, Mt Ainslie and Mt Majura just across the lake. (Photo 3)
Following the fenceline which separates Red Hill from the roads and suburbs, the path turns sharply right (3.4 km) and heads west (Photo 4) up to the saddle between Red Hill and Mt Mugga Mugga (813m), with Hindmarsh Drive in a deep cutting below.
The top of the ridge marks the highest point on the ride (3.8km), and affords extensive views west towards Woden town centre, with its single white office tower punctuating the landscape, and the panorama of the distant Brindabella Mtns (Photo 5) . The track now plunges steeply down (Photo 6) , skirting to within 20m of Hindmarsh Drive, past a fork to the left and a gate through the fence to the right(4.2 km). Continuing along the track close to the fence leads to the edge of Garran houses (Photo 8) and another huge cutoff drain structure (4.5km). Bear right along the cutoff drain maintenance track between the drain and the Red Hill fenceline, until the path divides (5.4 km). One path crosses the drain and follows a flat narrow footpath close to the rear of the houses, while the alternative route follows a gravel track which heads steeply up two short hills (Photo 9) until a fence line and gate is reached (6.0 km). Turn left before the fence and head steeply down an indistinct grassy path to join the alternative path close to the head of the Brereton Street cul de sac (6.2km).
A short section of concrete bike path can be seen heading back to the right, connecting Brereton Street over a low ridge to join with the narrow road which leads to the Federal Golf Club (Photo 10) . Take this concrete path as it heads down to join the road (6.3 km), then ride for 700m until two gates on the left mark the boundary of the golf course (7.0 km) (Photo 11) . Continuing along the road quickly leads about one km back to the start of the ride.
Through the right hand gate and back into the Reserve an unformed dirt paths follows the edge of the golf course. Bear left at an intersection (which heads uphill towards a water reservoir tank glimpsed between the trees)(7.6 km) and continue along a narrow footpath (Photo 12) close to the golf course edge until another path intersects (8.0 km). Taking this path to the right and uphill for 50m connects with a larger track at a stone cairn. Go left and then almost immediately right after 30m. The ride heads downhill for a 50m until a track enters from the right. Turn right and take a left fork onto a narrow path which heads north following a line of power poles through mixed scrub and up a sharp hill to a huge water reservoir tank (8.7km) (Photo 13) . Skirting around the tank the ride crosses a major gravel track and heads north to a gate leading out of the reserve and back to the edge of the cutoff drain (8.8 km) (Photo 14) and suburban Deakin.
Through the gate the ride turns sharply right along the smooth cutoff drain maintenance track, which leads for 1.8 km between the drain and the Reserve edge until it emerges back at the start of the ride (10.4 km).
