Wheel Good
Sun Herald
Sunday February 10, 2008
Rob McFarland finds the perfect way to burn off calories while tasting the delights of Mudgee.
As someone who has never used the words bike and holiday in the same sentence, I'll admit I was hesitant about trying a new cycling tour in the Mudgee region. Growing up in Britain, my memories of cycling consist of grimacing anorak-clad struggles into driving wind and rain. In contrast, Australia has an ideal climate for cycling yet organised tours are nowhere near as popular here as they are abroad.Mudgee cycling enthusiasts Robyn Murphy and Barbara Hickson have enjoyed numerous cycling holidays in Europe and, after failing to find a comparable product back home, they decided to remedy the situation last year by setting up Green Pedal Tours.Using their local knowledge, they've devised a series of itineraries around a region which lends itself well to exploration on two wheels. Not only is the terrain flat but there are 40 cellar doors, all within a 15-kilometre radius of the town. With themes such as Vine Lovers, Wilderness and Adventure Bug, the tours range from two to six days and feature wineries, stays in national parks and visits to historic towns.Each tour is graded as easy, moderate or difficult and the distances covered each day vary accordingly from 20 to 60 kilometres. There's even a "Back on the bike" tour designed for novice cyclists. The beauty of the tours is that your luggage miraculously appears at your accommodation each night and you have the security of knowing that vehicle support is just a phone call away.With only a weekend to spare, we opted for a two-day version of the Goulburn River Wilderness Tour. The plan was to have a gentle 20-kilometre ride around some wineries on the Saturday before tackling a 40-kilometre hop between Gulgong and Goulburn on the Sunday.Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas. Ominously familiar London-style grey skies and the gentle rumble of thunder greeted us on our arrival in Mudgee, so we decided to postpone our debut on the bikes and check the wineries by car instead. Far from being the boutique-wine region I'd imagined, Mudgee now produces more grapes each year than the Hunter Valley. It is famous for its shiraz and cabernet sauvignon but it also has some interesting smaller wineries such as di Lusso and Vinifera that specialise in varieties normally found in Italy and Spain.After stopping for lunch at Wild Oats Cafe (do not leave without sampling their gloriously creamy Turkish delight parfait), we spent the afternoon meandering between wineries and stocking up on delicious handmade cheeses from High Valley Wine & Cheese Company. Accommodation depends entirely on how much you want to spend; it can be arranged in anything from country pubs through to luxury guest houses. For the ultimate indulgence, there's even a "Pampa Me" option where a guide accompanies you on the rides each day and whisks you off to five-star accommodation each night.We spent our first night at Beverley House in Mudgee. This charming B&B contains four apartments, each of which has been furnished with a wonderfully eclectic array of antiques, paintings and ornaments. It is two minutes from the centre of town, meaning we could wander in for a relaxing dinner at Elton's restaurant and not have to worry about taxis. The following morning we woke to two glorious sights: roasted mango with brown sugar and cinnamon for breakfast and bright sunshine and unblemished blues skies outside.Robyn and her husband, Norm, dropped us and the bikes in the nearby historic town of Gulgong (famous for being featured on the old $10 note) and we were finally ready to hit the road. We had a detailed map, plenty of water and a pannier full of goodies for lunch. We cruised along Gulgong high street, past its quaint heritage-listed buildings and out into the open countryside. Now this was more like it. Long, winding tree-lined roads. A warm breeze in our face and not a rain cloud in sight.We spent the next couple of hours cycling past idyllic rural scenes. At noon, we pulled over and picnicked on a grassy verge. There's nothing like a bit of exercise to justify over-indulging and I managed to consume three times what I'd normally eat for lunch.We arrived at Goulburn River Stone Cottages feeling weary but accomplished and celebrated, appropriately, with a bottle of local Abercorn wine on the veranda overlooking the river. Facilities at the one-room settler-style cottage are basic, but that's its appeal. Supplies were waiting for us and we cooked up a feast on the rustic old stove. I was surprised to feel a twinge of sadness when we handed the bikes back to Robyn and Norm the next day. I could easily have spent a few more days in the saddle exploring. Perhaps there's a fair-weather cyclist in me after all.TRIP NOTES? Getting there Mudgee is about 3 1/2 hours (260 kilometres) from Sydney. Take the Great Western Highway through the Blue Mountains and the turn off for Mudgee is just past Lithgow.? Staying there Beverley House, 4 Lawson Street, Mudgee. Rates start at $165 a room a night and include breakfast. See www.beverleyhouse.com.au or phone (02) 6372 4225. Goulburn River Stone Cottages, signposted off Cassilis-Ulan Road. Rates start at $85 a night midweek. See www.stonecottages.com.au or phone (02) 6373 4650.? More information Green Pedal Tours self-guided cycling tours start at $260 a person for a two-day-and-one-night tour staying in two-star accommodation. Tours include accommodation, luggage transport, bike and helmet hire, detailed itineraries and mechanical support. See www.greenpedaltours.com.au or phone 0404 594 893. The Wild Oats Cafe, Craigmoor Road, Mudgee, phone (02) 6372 4320. Elton's restaurant, 81 Market Street Mudgee, see www.eltons.com.au or phone (02) 6372 0772.
© 2008 Sun Herald
