The climbs of Bright

 

Photo: Tim Bardsley-Smith

 

 

“Great things happen when men and mountains meet”. I don’t think William Blake had mountain bikes in mind when those words dripped from his quill. Poor him! The greatness he allured to could be the challenge that mountains can offer us. The challenge to conquer and not be conquered.

 

 

At its core, rocks and dirt are all that make mountains stand tall. But this bland list of ingredients has the power to create an adventure. An adventure to breathe rarefied air while looking out across landscapes that those who don’t dare climb will never see. But of course the descent down is the real reward.

 

 

The small town of Bright in the Victorian Alps is able to boast some big mountains and epic singletrack in its vicinity, all with their own unique and amazing experiences. Mt Hotham, Falls Creek and Mt Buffalo are climbed year round by World Tour pros and weekend warriors alike. Mountain bikers from all around frequent the awesome singletrack that Bright has to offer. But what about the road less travelled, or perhaps the climb less climbed? Ditching the bitumen and looking past the main mountain bike areas, you can gain access to some amazing climbs to both test and reward you.

 

 

As an extreme example, the climb up to Buffalo Gap, which averages some 11% for 7km can make for an epic test but can also reward with some of the most amazing views of Alpine Victoria. Or maybe closer to town, and slightly more subdued, you can climb 8.7km at 6.3% up to Clearspot lookout. And, of course, you can ride to the heights of Mystic Mountain, climbing up through the Mystic Bowl, where the bulk of the dedicated mountain bike tracks that have made Bright famous weave through the forest.

 

 

Most ascents climb through pine plantations and native bush land. Gradually producing bettering views as the tree lines break and you see out across the Ovens Valley or even the snow-capped peaks of the higher mountains. Depending on your luck and, of course, how acquainted you are with your stem at the time; you may see one of the many Australian animals that call the Alps home such as the elusive lyrebird. Deer and wild horses can also be seen wandering the mountains.

 

 

Heading further afield from Bright you can unlock many all day adventure options that the Alpine National Park (ANP) provides. Stretching from Central Gippsland to the NSW border, the ANP has a myriad of dirt roads and rougher 4WD tracks just waiting to be explored. All set in untouched natural bush land. Well, untouched apart from the roads, signposts, and helipad clearings! All of which are tolerable, when you look south to see nothing but dense bush land.

 

 

Once you’re on top of the range you can really appreciate just how big Australia is. To look out across mountains and see nothing but endless bush is so unique. It’s a stark contrast to the parts of Europe I’ve been to, where you couldn’t travel more than a few kilometres without seeing a building or small town.

 

 

Diversity is key to making an area a great family destination for bike riders. And with the added expansion of Bright’s dedicated mountain bike infrastructure coming at the hands of Dirt Art and local volunteers, Bright is set to be vying for the number one spot as Australia’s greatest biking regions. But remember, just off the beaten path is a whole world waiting for you to explore.

 

 

Getting there

 

 

Bright is located 1:30 hours away from Albury and 3:30 hours from Melbourne. Most of the tracks are located within 10 minutes of the centre of Bright. The Alpine National Park can be accessed via the Buckland Valley Rd. Checking Strava can give you a great insight into the wider area and what it contains!

 

 

Technical nature

 

 

The singletrack around Bright have a great level of variety from national level DH and XCO tracks to family orientated river cruises. The technical nature of the trails mainly comes from gradient and less from ‘features’. Most tracks do have very rooty sections, which can raise the technical nature of the track in wet weather.

 

 

You’ll need

 

 

The sparseness of human habitation can make adventures further from Bright both a blessing and very risky. Starting with the obvious risks associated with mountain biking from bike mechanicals to crashes. You also need to remember that you’re entering a powder keg of flammable material. Checking the CFA website for the fire danger rating and downloading the Fire Ready app to your phone can go a long way to making your adventure a whole lot safer. Also knowing what you are going to do in the event of either an injury or fire can be a huge help.

 

 

Local knowledge

 

 

The temperature change can be quite a lot from the bottom of a climb to the top. Taking a lightweight vest can make all the difference to your overall enjoyment and safety. General weather conditions can also change abruptly being in the Alps. Especially over a 6-hour adventure, being adequately prepared can make all the difference.

 

 

Best time of year

 

 

Early to mid spring can be a great time to visit Bright. The closer to winter you are the more likely you are to view the snow-capped mountains, or end up riding in the snow! Summer can get very hot varying from extremely dry to extremely humid conditions.

 

 

Local bike shops

 

 

Cyclepath Bright is the most established shop in Bright with All Terrain Cycles just opening up a new shop to go along with their Mansfield and Mt Buller stores. Both are great stops to get some inside local knowledge!

 

 

Distance

 

 

Mount Porepunkah – 11.3km 6.6%

 

 

Difficulty – 3/5

 

 

Views – 4/5

 

 

Huggins Lookout – 2.1km 6%

 

 

Difficulty – 1/5

 

 

Views – 2/5

 

 

Mystic Mountain – 6.8km 6.2%

 

 

Difficulty – 4/5

 

 

Views – 3/5

 

 

Clearspot – 7.5km 7.3%

 

 

Difficulty – 3/5

 

 

Views – 3/5

 

 

Buffalo Gap – 7km 11%

 

 

Difficulty – 5/5

 

 

Views – 5/5

 

 

WHERE TO STAY

 

 

Bright is well setup to cater for cyclists, Adina Lodge on Ashwood Avenue is a comfortable option right on the rail trail. They have self-catering apartments with ground level parking and access, plus a secure garage, washing facilities and a pool. Rates and details can be found on adinalodge.com.au

 

 

WHERE TO EAT

 

 

Like any country town there are hit and miss locations – but beyond some great cafes and a lovely Thai restaurant, it's very hard to go past Bright Brewery. Not only are they completely smoke free, they are bike friendly with plenty of bike parking, have a great menu to accompany their beers, and a huge beer garden that flows down to the river. Brightbrewery.com.au

 

 

Ratings:

 

 

Technicality 4/5

 

 

Fitness level 4/5

 

 

X-country 3/5

 

 

Trail 4/5

 

 

All/mtn 5/5

 

 

Downhill 5/5

 

 

JUMP 1/5