Grade: L-XX
Distance: 300km return.
Road Conditions: Cycle paths to Cotter Road, then sealed and mostly unsealed quiet
country roads.
Route: A ride from Canberra through the rugged country to the west to Tumut via Wee Jasper and return.
Maps: Natmap 1: 100 000 Topographic Map of the Australian Capital Territory; Brindabella 8627; Tumut 8527. See also sketch map of area. For routes within the ACT see the Canberra Cycleways Map.
Starting Point: Weston Park.
Description:
This ride links up with the Northern Snowy Mountains rides.
Wee Jasper, the mid-point on this ride is the only stop, after Canberra, offering shops or accommodation. Mainly quiet unsealed roads, but with some bitumen.
Follow the Canberra to Wee Jasper Ride as far as Wee Jasper. From Wee Jasper there are two preferred routes. The most scenic involves taking the Yass Road 10 km towards Tumut where a sharp left turn off Yass Road, marked "Fairview" takes you via Wee Jasper to Bondo, a little Forestry Commission settlement. On the western side of Bondo, take the Argalong Road heading for Lacmalac Vale, where one descends to the Tumut valley and thence to Tumut The easier option is to take Yass Road all the way to Tumut.
The return options include either the train back via Cootamundra and Yass, or Bombowlee Creek Road, which turns east off Yass Road about 3 km north of Tumut. Then on reaching the Billapaloola State Forest turn left or due north to rejoin Yass Road at Woodleigh where a right turn takes one east back to Wee Jasper. The big attraction of this latter route is that it is half bitumen and pretty as well.
