Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail
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Where: Yarra Valley, east of Melbourne
Length: 79km
Difficulty: easy
Terrain: flat/slightly undulating
Surface: well-made crushed gravel. Can be done on a road bike.
What: attractive pastoral areas, fresh produce, wineries, Yarra River, forested hills
THE RIDE
A short out-and-back ride starting and finishing in Lilydale in Melbourne's east. OK, there's no shortage of info about, or awareness of the Warby Rail Trail, but I feel I have to include it because it's just such a good beginner's ride. It’s easily accessible via the metro train network, completely off-road, no great hills or distances, well-serviced by bike shops and cafes, and just so damned nice! There are usually plenty of people on the trail, the scenery is gorgeous, and the valley is known as a gourmet destination, so check out the related tourist info if you're into that.
If you want a bigger challenge, you could try riding the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail, which runs roughly parallel to the rail trail.
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ATTRACTIONS
Yarra River—wash off the sweat and dust with a swim at Warburton.
WHEN
Any time. As always, be prepared for heat in summer and cold/rain in winter.
GETTING THERE
Jump on the Lilydale train line which will take you to the start at Lilydale.
MAPS
Download GPX Track file of this route
OTHER LINKS
OTHER RIDES LIKE THIS ONE
Disclaimer: should you choose to cycle this route, you do so at your own risk. Although all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure its accuracy at the time of writing, Adventure Cycling Victoria cannot guarantee that the information herein is 100% correct. The information published is meant as a guide only, and should be combined with your own due diligence and planning. Adventure Cycling Victoria and its contributors are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other such situation that might happen to individuals following this route.
Where: Yarra Valley, Yarra Ranges, Lake Eildon, Goulburn Valley, Ruffy Highlands—Central Victoria
Length: 316km
Difficulty: moderate/hard
Terrain: some flat riding, some quite hilly riding. Most of the climbing is not terribly steep.
Surface: mostly well made gravel, some chunky gravel, some sealed roads. Can be done on a standard gravel bike.
What: pretty rural areas, temperate rainforest, rail trail riding, quiet back roads, lakeside riding, eucalyptus woodland.