22% Single Track
14% 4WD Track
30% Sealed Road
34% Gravel Road
Technically challenging and fun singletrack eases into pleasant 4wd track that takes you into Lees Valley. Gravel road then leads through the impressive Ashley river gorge to Oxford.
Description
Starting from the car park you are immediately cycling on great singletrack terrain. A steady climb with a few stream crossings takes you to the saddle. The going is technical in places but generally rideable. From the saddle its a great descent down to the hut. Apart from a few very eroded river crossings its pretty fast. People generally turn back at this point to get the most out of the singletrack.
From the hut the track continues in the same style for another 1.5kms of great riding. But as you get to the edge of the forest you get to the first of many river crossings and a little further brings you to the start of a 4WD track. Its about 9kms from here to the road of easy riding, several river crossings and great views.
Once on the Lees Valley gravel road the real grind of this loop begins as you have 2 large climbs to get through the Ashley Gorge. Even though the climbs are long they don’t seem to monotonous, the descents are fun and the views are great.
In Oxford its probably worth stopping for a coffee as you’ve still got 25km, a third of the route, back to the car. Most of this is on sealed and gravel roads, with the final 5km up to the car park being the toughest.