BIKE PATHS, RAIL TRAILS and CYCLE ROUTES
(www.northeastvictoria.online)
EVERTON STATION to BEECHWORTH
This Rail Trail runs from Everton Station (altitude 236m) to Beechworth (altitude 550m), following the path of the former railway that ran between the two towns. Everton to Beechworth is about 95% uphill, making the return journey a nice downhill run in cruise-control. Distance covered is about 15km, and you should allow about 90 minutes for the journey (one-way, obviously the downhill run will be much faster than the uphill).
There are several shuttle services operating out of Wangaratta and Myrtleford that will help position bikes for you, and/or come and get you from your chosen destination, and take you home. Your luggage can also be handled by the same companies.
As with any other cycle trip, weather watching should also be a part of your trip planning, with hot weather and wet weather being times to avoid. Dehydration will be a major problem on days of 30+, and wet weather creates miserable cycling conditions. The cooler months of the year often provide ideal cycling conditions, with a nice sunny day in autumn or winter being hard to beat.
Mobile coverage along the Trail is almost 100%, with Telstra currently providing the best outcome. Many riders take a small repair kit with them, including a spare inner tube, and the necessary tools to fix simple problems. Don’t forget to take some nibbles in case you get peckish, and at least one litre of water per person.
Visitor Information Centres in the North-east have a brochure on the Rail Trail, and this is well worth consulting prior to setting off.
The Trail begins at Everton Station, a key stop-over on the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail; see the MTM description for details of how to get to Everton etc. The Station is about 500m from the township, so with a short detour, you can also access the Everton General Store, Everton Gardens Caravan Park and the Everton Hotel.
Setting off from Everton Station leads into a section with a low gradient, with things getting steeper once you make contact with Diffey Road. About 10km of action brings you to the former Baarmutha Station, and from here the gradient flattens out, giving a nice final run into the historic township of Beechworth.
Beechworth has a good array of shops and services, as well as a wide range of accommodation options, including motels, hotels and caravan parks (Lake Sambell and Silver Creek) and is a great place for a stop-over. See the Beechworth description for more details.
Intro Screen on a fresh browser page
COPYRIGHT © 1995-2020, Chris McLaughlin.