Nglang Boodja to Donnybrook
Munda Biddi Trail
Start
Nglang Boodja Hut
Time
4-6 Hours
Finish
Donnybrook
Date Ridden
27th August 2021
Length
52.1km
Elevation
674m
Traditional Custodians
Kaniyang People
The Ride - Waking up on another beautiful morning, today would see us begin our journey through the farming heartland of the South West. Leaving the long stretches of Jarrah forests behind, this portion of the track sees you go from town to town (or small settlement), with the next official campsite we would stay at being after Northcliffe. Over the years I've developed a deep love for the South West with many happy memories formed in this stunning part of the world and I was confident of adding some more on this trip. I had calmed my farm a little bit after having thoughts of calling it quits the previous night and with a new dawn coming, I was excited to jump back on the bike after a liberal application of butt cream to my padded shorts.
This day would be split into two parts with the first section taking us through the stunning farmland of the Ferguson Valley and the second part would see The Dad of Py meet us at Crooked Brook Forest for the ride into Donnybrook. With my parental units now calling Funbury home and dad really getting into cycling in his autumn years, I invited him to join us for the last half of the day as it doesn't involve any technical riding. Eating breakfast and packing up our things, Aron went on a small mission to retrieve the dice he dropped through the shelter floorboards the previous night so our ongoing battles could continue. Leaving camp, we would have about 100m of climbing to get through over the first 5km before a long downhill through the farmland of the Ferguson Valley towards Crooked Brook. Unfortunately my camera was fogging up a bit in the humid morning conditions so the photos from the first couple of kilometres weren't very usable. Luckily it was just vehicle track riding along nice enough forest but nothing too "wow" worthy that I feel I missed out on.
At the top of the first part of the climb you reach the Wellington Forest Cottages, an alternative accommodation option if Nglang Boodja doesn't tickle your fancy. We didn't linger at the Forest Cottages as I felt like we were intruding somehow, so continued up the second part of the hill that sees you go to the highest point of the day. The riding through here was really nice as you're on narrow vehicle tracks through a mix of Jarrah, Marri and She-Oak. The She-Oaks I really enjoy as they give off a spooky vibe, plus the needle like leaves provide a softer surface to ride on. At the top of the hill you get some of the best Jarrah forest and the views start to open up just a little. The Balgas and wildflowers through here are fantastic and I never pass up an opportunity to photograph a brightly coloured Flame Pea. Starting to head downhill on a long stretch that sees you drop about 240m of vert (would hate to be riding the other way), this was where the fun really began for the day. Popping out of the forest, you are confronted with the vast rolling hills of the Ferguson Valley and it felt like we'd arrived on the borders of the Shire.
The first farm encounter we had was thanks to a large grouping of grass puppies that had gathered to welcome us to the Ferguson Valley and I tried to communicate with them in their own language with poor results. From this elevated position there were great views overlooking the surrounding farmland and I was happy to see plenty of remnant vegetation mixed in with the grassy paddocks. There was even a section of native vegetation on the edge of the gravel road that contained a flowering Hakea and a Zamia Palm. We were in no rush as I had set a time to meet mum and dad and we were well ahead of schedule given the long downhill. Starting to descend, the tree lined roads were a welcome sight and the small uphill sections were easily negotiated by picking up extra speed on the descents. I was stopping strategically to take photos with some views looking better than others thanks to some low, grey cloud to the north ruining the scene slightly. That was a minor inconvenience as the morning was certainly turning out alright and my mood had lifted significantly from the previous night.
Aron was well ahead, enjoying the free riding while I hung back to take photos and it wouldn't be until he stopped at the turnoff for Crooked Brook Forest that I would catch up to him. The gravel road turned into a paved road eventually and the descent became a bit steeper as I stopped at a picturesque little pond on the side of the road. The row of non-native flowers caught my eye and then I saw some Protea poking out before spotting the hidden bridge on the other side. This is exactly how I pictured riding through the Ferguson Valley would be like and was super happy it was every bit as good as I imagined. Reaching Ferguson Road you take a left and then another right, following the sign to Crooked Brook Forest along Ironstone Road. Originally the plan was to meet mum and dad at St Aidans Wines for lunch, a detour off the trail on Ferguson Road but given it was only an hours ride into the day, I changed plans to Crooked Brook Forest instead.
Continuing along paved back roads, this was proper country touring and it felt good. We had dropped all of the elevation from the top of the hill as we exited the forest and from here it would be relatively flat riding with only a few smol to medium puppa hills over the next 40 kilometres. The biggest of the four remaining hills was coming up after we crossed a couple of creeks. Another paddock full of cows was off to the right and I once again had a good moo at them. I must have said something offensive as quite a few of them started to run over to the fence line and were a bit vocal as if to say "eff off you silly muppets". Not one to argue, I shuffled off and began the climb, which was made easier by the smooth tarmac surface. The forest either side of the road was really nice with lots of brightly coloured wattle providing a vibrant scene that reminded me of a photo I took at Mokine Nature Reserve last year. I was busy stopping and taking photos that Aron blew past me at a rate of knots and then proceeded to rocket down the hill on the other side of the climb. This steep little descent was a great place to cruise but I decided to tuck into the most aerodynamic position possible and max out my top speed.
It's a fun reward for the climbing and you don't get too many opportunities to relax on a descent on the Munda Biddi as the gravel roads and single track often involve a good deal of concentration so you don't fall off. The run into Crooked Brook Forest was all on tarmac road with Ironstone Road coming to an end and the trail joining Crooked Brook Road. There are some nice looking old houses along here and near the turnoff for the Munda Biddi entry into the forest we came across a local woman walking her doggo. Having being separated from our own dogs for a week now, both Aron and I stopped for pats and a talk with the lady. It was a nice interaction and doggo pats are never a bad thing. Entering Crooked Brook Forest, I had told mum and dad to park at the first little car park after the entrance but didn't really communicate this titbit that well to Aron. He raced ahead as I was amazed by the quality and quantity of wildflowers that dotted the edge of the trail, so much so that I decided to ride along at walking speed so I didn't miss anything cool like an orchid or new wildflower. One plant I was really happy to see was the Pineapple Bush (Dasypogon hookeri), a plant similar to the Balga but not at all related. I always associate them with Crooked Brook as this was the first place I saw them and was amazed at their appearance.
While I stopped and photographed everything in sight, Aron was well ahead so when I finally reached mum and dad with no Aron in sight, I assumed he sailed straight by. I sent him a quick message while I said hello to the parental units. Mum had bought muffins (or moofins for you English people playing at home) so I waited for Aron to arrive before letting him pick. Dad was kitted out in his old man riding gear and had the bike raring to go. I devoured my muffin quickly and thanked mum before she departed and the three of us rode off into the sunset (or middle of the day as it was). Continuing along single track, I was once again stopping a lot as we hadn't had this much variety of orchids and wildflowers since day one of the trip. My previous visit here to do the Marri Trail was in autumn so I think I might have to schedule a return visit during spring to get the place packed with all the different species. Reaching Boyanup-Ferguson Road, we didn't check out the playground and short walk area, continuing along the road instead. As I said before, this section was perfect for dad and his touring bike as it was mainly roads and very little, if any, technical riding.
The wildflowers continued to be amazing with a Darwinia catching my eye, along with more bright yellow wattle (and many more I couldn't fit into the galleries). Over the past couple of years Dad has been riding a lot with his old man cycling group doing a few rides a week around the Funbury coast and inner estuary so I've started bringing my bike down whenever I visit so I can join him for rides. It was nice to have him out on the Munda Biddi for this section and along with Aron, they are the two main old men in my life (Aron still has over 20 years on Dad so only semi-mature instead of vintage). The riding along Boyanup-Ferguson Road isn't thrilling but it was a great day to be out and the surrounding forest was pretty. Reaching Joshua Creek Road, we made a turn and climbed up the penultimate hill of the day, heading towards the turnoff for Boyanup. Joshua Creek Road turns into tarmac after the hill as you ride past Joshua Lake Park, a place I visited with my family right after the first ever Covid lockdown so that brought back some memories. The descent down towards Hurst Road was dispatched quickly and a decision was made to head into Boyanup for a coffee. The Munda Biddi doesn't officially go into Boyanup but the 2km each way detour is very easy given it's all on pavement.
Boyanup is a town I usually pass through on my way out to other adventures so it was nice to finally stop here. Unfortunately the bakery was closed for renovations so we settled on the rainbow coloured Gingerbread House for a coffee and chips. The coffee was a good hit of caffeine but the chips were a mistake as they took over 30 mins to arrive so by the time we were ready to depart, they had not arrived. We gobbled them down quick and grabbed our bikes, ready for the next section that was just under 12km of road riding along the narrow Hurst Road. My podcast partner was not a fan of this road and I can understand why but looking on the map, the only way to avoid this is to cut through private land and avoid going anywhere near Boyanup. The scenery along Hurst Road isn't bad with a mix of farmland and forest but the narrow nature of the road and lack of a decent shoulder means you have to be aware of your position at all times. Along here we got rained on a few times but the showers were brief and we managed to huddle under a tree for the worst bits. I didn't take too many photos as it was dangerous to keep stopping and I'd put my buff over the camera so getting it on and off the camera clip was a longer process. What we did see was quite nice with Black Cockatoos, the Batmobile and a road sign pointing you to Perseverance Boulevard, very apt for the Munda Biddi.
Crossing the Preston River that you actually ride parallel to for most of Hurst Road but don't really interact with, South Western Highway is right up ahead. Entering orchard country, you cross the highway and ride along it for about 400m before turning off and riding along another orchard on the other side. With about 10km to go until we reached Donnybrook, this was the home stretch and we only had one medium puppa hill in the way. In summer and autumn, these orchards would be super green and full of apples but were looking a little bare as it was late winter. As we scooted around the orchard and headed towards the forest once again, a big crackle of cockatoos flew by and I was quick enough to extend the lens and capture them flying off, some with gum nuts still in their beaks. This was a cool moment and distracted from the upcoming hill that leads up towards a couple of dams. The wildflowers were back in good numbers through here as I spotted some Pink Fairy Orchids and some nice looking Blue Squill. Unfortunately through here my camera clip was playing up and making getting it on and off very difficult, so much so that at one point I was trying to release it and hit myself in the face. Aron and Dad were well ahead by now so I zoomed off to catch them as we rolled through some mixed forest and farmland scenery that was a treat in the afternoon light.
Approaching Donnybrook, the town is accessed via a spur trail so when I saw the double trail markers, I knew this spot from riding it last year with Donovan. Cruising into town, we saw a paddock full of kangaroos that quickly hopped away and got barked at my a good doggo as we passed by his house. The entry into town is very good considering its size and we were soon on the old railway station where the Munda Biddi trail head is located. We still had enough daylight to have a quick play in the famous Apple Fun Park but it was closed for a complete redevelopment while we were there. Dad would be driving back to Funbury before returning with mum and my youngest niece and nephew for dinner so I said my goodbyes and Aron and I went to go check into the Donnybrook Hotel. Recently renovated, the rooms are basic but comfortable and the bathroom/showers were clean and modern looking. We had a bit of a walk around town after we had cleaned up to see what was open before heading back for a rest before dinner. Mum and dad returned later on with the nippers in tow and we enjoyed a nice country meal and a well earned wine. Lucky for me I was so tired that the pub entertainment didn't keep me up as I was dead to the world by about 8:30pm that night. Another cracker of a day and we had entered the cruisy part of the trail.
Final Thoughts - As I've said a few times in this post, this section was one I was looking forward to as it marks a transition away from the hilly terrain of the Jarrah forests and into more of a gentle touring style of bikepacking.
We had got through the worst of the hills for now and this was the time where the legs would come good and we could enjoy some easier days in the heart of the South West. The saddle sores weren't as bad as the previous day and that contributed to a better mood and a feeling that I would be able to continue on towards the finish in Albany.
The highlights through here were definitely the Ferguson Valley farmland, the wildflowers and Pineapple Bushes of Crooked Brook Forest and the enjoyable company.
With the parents moving down to Funbury to be closer to my sister and her family, I don't get to see them too often these days so it was nice to have dad join us for this stretch (and then mum come for dinner in Donnybrook).
Dad has been my biggest influence in life and especially when it comes to getting me involved with sports and keeping active. Whether it was coaching the junior soccer team, playing backyard cricket, kicking the footy, playing golf after school or riding our bikes, he always made time for those activities.
Now he's getting to be more of a fossil, it's nice to continue with the shared experience and cycling has been a way to do that in recent years. I'm hoping over the next few years to re-do sections of the Munda Biddi and have him join me as I think he'll enjoy it as much as he enjoyed this day.
Get out there and experience it!!!
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