Route advice: Cycling to Mt Dandy from Albert Park

[andyintokyo]

Hi everyone,

I'm in Melbourne for a few days and plan on cycling up to Mt Dandy and back from the Albert Park area tomorrow. After looking through some rides and routes on RideWithGPS I've cobbled together a route:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4532800

It's a bit late in the day to be asking this but is this route OK? If not, any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Andy

[__PG__]

Avoid Punt Rd/Hoddle St. You'll get killed.

Rest of the route is OK. Although maybe come home via Burwood Highway/Toorak Rd.

[djw47]

If you don't object to going on cycle paths, you can pick up the Eastlink/Eastern Freeway trail and ride that all the way to/from the city to the outer eastern suburbs. Your route also misses out Skyhigh at Mt Dandenong (the summit) you need to take a right onto Ridge Road at Kalorama and then turn right up Observatory Road to get to the top - seems a shame to go all that way and not at least get a nice view over the city!

[rangersac]

As already noted you could do a significant portion of this ride on paths if you want to stay off the roads. See here for a map of on and off road facilities. Otherwise....

For the start of your route I'd either be getting to Studley Park Road via your return route and by turning down Nicholson St, or by riding into the CBD down St Kilda Road and taking Flinders, Landsdowne, and Albert St to Nicholson. As PG has said Punt Rd is definitely a no go.

Here are the rest of my suggestions which are mostly quieter, smaller, lower speed roads than the ones you have nominated. It is not the most direct route, and will involve a few short connection areas which have some minor backtracking to be done (less than 1km really) So if you are after a high speed TT hit-out then pay no attention.

Outbound, instead of taking High St to all the way to Doncaster Road, I'd turn into Harp Road and take Harp/ Belmore all the way to Elgar Road. Do a bit of a squiggle via Woodhouse Grove, and Dorking Rd to get onto Springfield Rd. Ride this to the end, then do a quick backtrack on Mitcham Rd to meet Park Rd.

On the return instead of taking Mountain Hwy all the way until it meets Boronia Rd, I'd take the turnoff onto Forest Rd and meet Boronia Rd earlier. Mountain Hwy has some nasty bits on it around Bayswater and carries a lot of truck traffic. Then turn left onto Canterbury, and into Terrara Rd, and connect up Hawthorn, Eley and Riversdale Rds which will get you back to Swann St. From here retrace to Albert Park.

[andyintokyo]

(AT)__PG__ @djw47 @rangersac Thanks for the great advice - good job I asked! Will make some adjustments to the route once I get back to the hotel.

I have no problem with using cycle paths but wasn't sure of the surface - I've hired a road bike so gravel or other loose surfaces are a bit of a no go.

[rangersac]

If you were to use trails you'd be potentially using the Main Yarra trail combined with Eastern Fwy/ Eastlink or Gardiners/ Scotchmans Creek/ Dandenong Creek Trails. All of these are sealed.

[andyintokyo]

If you were to use trails you'd be potentially using the Main Yarra trail combined with Eastern Fwy/ Eastlink or Gardiners/ Scotchmans Creek/ Dandenong Creek Trails. All of these are sealed.

That's good to know. I might try using those then, as I'm not in a hurry and it would make a nice change of scenery.

Right then, time to get down to some route-planning!

[iaintas]

This reply might be to late but I ride along commercial road, onto Glenferrie, then barkers and Mont Albert then back onto Canterbury road (my normal commute route), then follow this until you hit Boronia road follow this until you hit Mtn Highway at knox private hospital.

The only problem with this route is that peak hour times and school times on both Glenferrie and Canterbury road can be a bit hairy, despite the bike lane on Glenferrie road.

[andyintokyo]

@iaintas Thanks for the info but I did Mt Dandy on Sat. Ended up taking Toorak Rd then Highbury Road, then followed the trails to Liverpool Road. Great to get out and do some cycling - was going cold turkey! Great view from the top of Mt Dandy, as well:



Followed the same route to get back into town. Toorak Rd got a bit busy but nothing unmanageable. Thanks everyone once again for the advice. Hopefully I'll be able to do it again sooner rather than later.