Coldstream / Gembrook / Toolangi Loop

Feeling fresh on a Saturday, it was time to take the road bike out to the Yarra Ranges to get those legs rolling over. Somewhere I hadn’t ridden for quite some time.

A quick drive out to Coldstream with a Macca’s coffee and toastie along the way, I was out and rolling by 7.30am.
A few short and sharp climbs and I was cruising down quiet-ish country roads canopied by tall gumtrees.

The weather wasn’t great and a little bit of rain was coming down in the form of mist, but it made the leaves look greener and the photos brighter.

Before long, you’ll find yourself in Gembrook, where you can grab a coffee or push on, bearing in mind that your next opportunity won’t arrive until Healesville at 95km.

Some flattish country roads will guide you until you take a sharp left and find yourself riding through a tree’d Don Valley and up Don Rd towards a gravel pass of around 4km (2km up, 2km down approx.) passed Donna Buang Rd and over to Healesville where a slight left off the GPS will take you to Beechworth Bakery.

After your filling of caffeine and pastry, you’ll find yourself ascending once again up Myers Creek Rd, this time in rainforest. Certainly one of the more beautiful climbs this close to Melbourne and around 8km of it.

At this point, I felt my rear tyre buckling under my weight and sure enough I had a flat. I remember thinking to myself that very morning, will I need my mini pump? Surely not, I never get flats. Well, my CO2 inflator had been damaged without my knowledge and that was to be the end of my ride for that day. Thanks Dad for grabbing me.

However, yours will continue up and over Myers Creek Rd, through Chum Creek and back through Healesville where you will find yourself rolling onto quiet country roads once again into Coldstream to finish.