Visiting Perth - City to Midland route?

[smithcorp]

G'day all - over here for work for a few weeks and brought the bike. Planning a weekend ride out beyond Midland and just wanted some advice on riding from Perth CBD towards Midland. There's not a complete cycle path? Any particular issues or recommended routes towards Midland and up into the Hills?

thanks in advance

[Sprocket]

Hi SmithCorp

I commute from Woodbridge (West Midland) to the CBD. There is a shared pedestrian/cycleway out to Bassendean - very easy riding. From Bassendean you need to get to Guildford which isn't too difficult. I go through Guildford - Swan Street and Terrace Road. On to Midland is a different story - personally I hate Great Eastern Highway from the East Street intersection to home. The drivers are very inconsiderate and often aggressive. I hop up onto the pavement for this section. If you ride this part on the road you'll need to take the lane and be prepared to be buzzed. If you want to go up to the hills I would suggest heading north out of Guildford and missing Midland at least on the way out. You can cut through the Swan Valley and get up into Brigadoon - there are some nice hills there - Campersic Road & Haddrill/Weir Road. You can get to Death Valley from Campersic. Depends how far you want to go. Another option would be to catch the train out to Midland and head off from there. I can send you a RideWithGPS route if you like?

Sprocket

[wellington_street]

Depends on your confident/skill/speed level really.

The PSP runs from Perth CBD as far as Bassendean Station. Then you get onto Railway Parade and head east to Lord Street. Turn south on Lord St, then cross it at the Guildford Road lights, following the path along Guildford Rd across the river and into Guildford.

There's a reasonable quietish street through Guildford route via Swan St and Terrace Rd.

Once you hit the GEH at the eastern end of Guildford you can cross to the southern side of the road and use the existing path. It's pretty low speed though so if you prefer road riding then just stick to the GEH.

Through Midland, you can cross the rail line to the south side and use Yelverton Rd/Clayton St through to the bottom of the hills. Then either rejoin the highway or Old York Road to climb the hill, or take the rail reserve trail.

[smithcorp]

Thanks folks - yes please Sprocket, could I have that route? I'd be happy to avoid Midland.

Since the Eastern Highway work seems to be mostly finished that looks like an awful cycle environment - the only cyclists I've seen on it are on the footpaths, which don't seem to be used by many peds.

I have also found DoT has some useful cycling route guides on their website.

smith

[Sprocket]

You didn't say how far you wanted to go.....

Here is a RideWithGPS route that I've started at Bassendean station.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2244651" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You head north through the Swan Valley, cut across the river then head up to the hills. I stopped adding points in Guildford - you basically just follow East Street back out of Guildford and get back on to the cycle path.

If it's too far, you can head south down O'Brien Road and cross Toodyay Road onto Roland Road.

If you want to try a nasty climb - keep going up Haddrill rather than turn left on to Campersic. I must admit I have never ridden up this slope - but it's a riot to go down!

wellington_street mentions heading out Clayton Street to the hills - you can pick up the Mundaring Weir Road down to Kalamunda. This is also a good hills route. Just watch out for hoons seeing how fast they can take the bends between Mundaring Weir and Kalamunda.

There are some nice hills in Perth - riders who think Perth is flat and boring just haven't looked hard enough

Have fun!

[smithcorp]

Thanks Sprocket! Probably not as far as that, but it gives me some out and back options.

thanks

[HappyHumber]

Search bikely.com for some of the area/suburb names for routes in WA to. Quite a few people have plotted out their little (and not so little circuits) into the hills.... piece together some of the roads to make a sort of distance you may like.

There's only about 10 or so bitumised climbs up the scarp within 50km of the CBD... less from Midland

In terms of nice "rolling" scenic sections.. the Tourist drive through JFNP is quite nice and generally pretty quiet, though the surface is a little rough if you're running a fast tyre/pressue combo. Mundaring Weir Road, joining Kalamunda to Mundaring is quite nice to, though sometimes it can pay to pick your time of day, as there is a Water treatment facility being built close to the Weir and there's some heavy trucks negotiating the road during work hours.

Mmm.. Aldersyde Road... Glenisia Road through Bickley Valley & Carmel... all quite nice.

Heading South along Ford & Melaleuca Roads through Lesmurdie gives you a fantastic panaroamic view of the coastal plain at night.. pretty close to 180degrees - one of the widest views from the scarp on a road I think. Then you can get a quick fang down Welshpool Road.

I can probably throw a 30-40km scenic evening loop for you together from Midland Centro...

[bradwoodbr]

Sweat & Scenic

[smithcorp]

Thanks - that's a nice one!

[HappyHumber]

Well, I tried plotting mine for you - but as it involved and illicit stretch of going UP the Zig-zag (quick... where's my emergency Lynch-mob survival kit!?) ridewithGPS baulked at me. Righteous blippin' technology.....

[Sprocket]

Well, I tried plotting mine for you - but as it involved and illicit stretch of going UP the Zig-zag (quick... where's my emergency Lynch-mob survival kit!?) ridewithGPS baulked at me. Righteous blippin' technology.....

Did you try flicking the routing over to 'walking' for just that part? I find it allows me to go a lot more places that way - otherwise as you say it can be a real stickler for the rules!

[smithcorp]

Nice route Sprocket, except for one bit where Railway Parade ran out - bit of an unsealed BMX track with some sand drifts that were not really compatible with my roadie.



I didn't do it all today, but will explore some more in coming weeks.

smiht

[Sprocket]

Whoops sorry about that! Didn't check the autorouting of mapmyride carefully enough! Very sorry. Hope the rest worked out okay.

[smithcorp]

No problems! Gave me a bit of a CX experience and i didn't see any snakes.

[HappyHumber]

Oh... I ended up doing mine for you, Smithcorp. Looky here

I haven't however sanity checked the auto-generated cue-sheet..... and well, there's the caveat about going UP the Zig-zag. It's a one way road (down). But I figure as long as you're not being a d!ckhead about it, yield to oncoming traffic by pulling over etc - it shouldn't make you Public Enemy #1. FWIW, I've had cops pass me coming down and not had them say anything. I think they might have been having too much fun tapping on the windows of the canoodlers or getting the parked up P-platers to quickly hide their pot.

Even if you chop & change the route as posted - I would still recommend doing the section of Ford & Melaleuca Rds, heading South after dark (from the 33.7km mark on my plot). Awesome city vista - one of the widest from the hills. Then you also get the fun of doing a fast down hill along Welshpool Rd.

[Sprocket]

Hi HappyHumber - that looks like a great route - might have to give it a whirl one day. Still being incredibly sheepish about my bad route I had a quick look over yours for obvious glitches - you are right about it not handling the zig-zag. It's definitely gone CX there and there appears to be something funny at around 35km.

I'll have to try going up the zig-zag. I normally come down it - and it would sure beat going up Gooseberry Hill Road - I have to confess I've never actually got up it. Crack every time around The Corkscrew and have to swallow my pride and walk up.....

[HappyHumber]

Yeah, I realised after I plotted it, the join between Melaleuca & Welshpool Rd is actually 'Exit Only' from Welshpool. Didn't go back and pfaff around to "walk" that little section. Should be obvious enough though.

I think the Zig-Zag is probably one of the easiest climbs to the scarp. Just not technically legal Whether going up or down, I'm usually concentrating on wildlife or the road ahead to really appreciate the view. Only attempted Gooseberry Hill Rd once (oh, and Lenori) killer! I need something lower than 39x26 for them me thinks. I've been mainly climbing further south Gosnells/Karagullen lately. The ZZ/KM/Lesmurdie stretch as plotted is just a way I take home from a mates place.

[wellington_street]

Yeah, I realised after I plotted it, the join between Melaleuca & Welshpool Rd is actually 'Exit Only' from Welshpool. Didn't go back and pfaff around to "walk" that little section. Should be obvious enough though.

You can use the path which is perfectly legal.

[smithcorp]

I tried bradwoodbr's Sweat and Scenic route last weekend and I quickly found the constraints of bringing a flat-land bike with me on this ride. I packed my old Kerry Hopkins for my trip over here. It has an 11-19 7-speed rear cluster and 36/46 fronts. Definitely not low enough to get up the Helena College climb!

Because I was having to stop regularly to check my map (I even ended up following one cyclist who I thought was on the right route, only for him to pull into his driveway. I lost about 2kms and a reasonable bit of elevation through that mistake) I didn't carry any speed into that climb - by half-way up Leithdale, I couldn't turn my pedals any more (I was worried about breaking a crank too - my bike's more than 20 years old!) and had to walk it and half of Ryecroft. After that, I was smashed and starting to cramp up. I only made it a few more kays before turning back.

Are there any other slightly friendlier Hills routes? I don't mind a climb, but Strava reckons that Helena College climb maxes at 73%!

smith

[HappyHumber]

Are there any other slightly friendlier Hills routes? I don't mind a climb, but Strava reckons that Helena College climb maxes at

Did you have a look at mine, Smithy? maybe the hyperlink wasn't obvious enough... (tip.. it's the word "Here" a few posts back on mine)

If by Helena College, you mean the start of Ryecroft Rd out of Darlington - yeah, that's a cow.... albeit a not especially long one. You can't even hit at speed, cos it's just after a reasonably blind turn.

[smithcorp]

Hi Humber - ah yes, I see yours now. Does this go the wrong way on the Zig-Zag Scenic Drive and is this practical / safe? Looks very narrow on Google Maps...

Is the reverse direction doable?

[HappyHumber]

I generally do it up after hours - with a good light. You can see cars coming and you just pull over, don't shine 'em in the face and let them have their entitled right of way. There's room for walkers as wells cyclists to stand to the side. As said previously, do so at your own risk - but I hardly think it's going to make you a character in the upcoming series of Underbelly Perth.

I've only ever had one quip from a motorist, and that was just one of a P platers passenger mates trying to look "big" as they do.

'Roos between dusk & dawn are probably a bigger risk than going the wrong way. If you want to enjoy the view between these times, best stop to the side regardless. I concentrate on the ride when moving.

Refer back though to my comments on Ford & Melaleuca Rds in Lesmurdie if going after dark... well worth doing.

[iseverythingspam?]

(I even ended up following one cyclist who I thought was on the right route, only for him to pull into his driveway. I lost about 2kms and a reasonable bit of elevation through that mistake)

Where/When was this?
I noticed someone that seemed to be following me the other day and had an unimpressed look on their face when i pulled into my driveway!

[smithcorp]

Ah - it was Sunday the 7th, probably about 9.00 am or so. I was struggling slowly up Pine Terrace near Darlington (suffering from a skipping rear derailleur and mostly lost) and a cyclist passed me (nice white modern bike), turned into Owen (I knew my next turn was supposed to be Owen, but it should have been left not right), so I thought, "right, he probably knows where he's going, so I will follow" then about halfway up he turned into his driveway! I eventually got myself on the right track, but I suspect I did look dismayed when I realised I was following someone home!

[iseverythingspam?]

Ahh, ok wasn't me then, i'm up in Glen Forrest.

Once you get to the end of Ryecroft its relatively easy, Mundaring weir road is nice and hilly but the gradients on it are all pretty reasonable.
other positive is that its just the one road to follow!

I've never been that back way from Kalamunda towards Carmel, I might give it a shot tomorrow!