Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail 1: Smythesdale Lunch

Start the morning off right with breakfast at the Lake View Hotel as you look over beautiful Lake Wendouree. You will need a hybrid, Cyclecross, mountain bike as today we are getting off road and hitting the crushed granite sand surface of the Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail. If you’re looking for a change of scenery or a fun family ride, this is the perfect ride! Head straight out of down, under the iconic Arch of Victory and not long after take a left on to the Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail. You’ll ride open grasslands and eucalypt forests as you make your way to Smythesdale, an attractive 19th-century town. Stop for lunch at the Courthouse Hotel or pack a picnic before making your way back along trail. You will be stopping close to where we started with a coffee to wind down at Pipers By The Lake. Distance: 44.16km Elevation gain: 274m Ride type: Road Start: Lake View Hotel