Last weekend we took off for a ride in the Byron Bay hinterland. Set conveniently adjacent to the NSW North Coast paradise town, a few hours riding in this agriculturally rich, subtropical setting is the perfect place to give your legs, your eyes and your Instagram a workout.
Whether you are environmentally-conscious, culinary-obsessed or just thermo-intolerant, Byron Bay is a mecca for all things leisure and tourism. In what is a unique social combustion of surfies, greenies, foodies, thrill seekers, leisure seekers and peace seekers, just a few days at the easternmost point of Australia will have you stimulating all the senses.
Though while Byron is probably better known for its beaches and vibes; the geography, climate and culture also make it a paradise for cyclists. A short ride from Cape Byron and you enter into a ‘spaghetti network’ of quiet roads meandering through a sub tropical setting, dotted with unique and interesting small townships along the way.
Lifecycles Travel host a variety of guided rides into the hinterland and along the coast every day and have an abundance of official routes we choose from depending on your tastes and abilities.
Confident that our general curiosity would get the better of us, we decided to head off on our own on a route that was challenging, yet still left enough in the legs to take in the amazing panorama on offer over every crest and around every turn.
Leaving Byron via the flat northern road out through Ewingsdale, we crossed under the newly upgraded Pacific Highway and begun a clockwise hinterland loop heading through Federal, Goonengerry, Montecollum and then back via Myocum.
Riding in the hinterland, there’s no need to visit the supermarket anymore. Around every corner on the quiet roads are farmers selling fruit, veg, herbs and treats in tiny self-service stalls. Just pop a dollar or $2 in the jar for every bit of fresh produce you take, bring a musette with you or make a bit of room in your back pockets and it is happy days.
The hills aren’t very long (we never got over 300m elevation), but you know when you’re climbing. Today’s ride was carefully planned, the gradient only snuck up over 10% a few times, fortunately.
If you would like to come riding with us in Byron Bay, get in touch and check out our website for your next cycling adventure, holiday and ride in Byron Bay.
