
Old Timberline Trail
Nannup
Directions - Located in the outskirts of Nannup, the Old Timberline Trail starts from the Nannup Foreshore Park, where the pedestrian bridge crosses the Blackwood River. Officially it's a one way trail, finishing near Cambray Siding, but for the purpose of this post, I have linked up with the Sidings Rail Trail/Munda Biddi to loop back into Nannup.
The Ride - The Old Timberline Trail is a ride that I have been looking forward to completing ever since hearing about it, and getting a brief taster of it at the Kondil Wildflower Park in 2020, along with riding through on the Munda Biddi in 2020 and 2021. The idea of a half day loop through the mixed forests of the South West is a lovely one, with the option to hike it and stay overnight at Sleeper Hewers Hut if you wanted to make a weekend of it.















There is great potential for every town along the Munda Biddi to have it's own loop but for now Nannup is the best option, given the Waterous Loop near Dwellingup takes you mainly on roads and through scarred mining land. Saving this one for late winter, it's my favourite time of year to explore the South West, thanks to the moist forest, cooler weather, and the crossover period where the fungi are still out, and the wildflowers/orchids are starting to appear. Selecting a free weekend in late August, I invited my Dad along on the journey, as he is now an avid cycler in his old age, and enjoyed the time he joined Aron and I cycling from Crooked Brook Forest into Donnybrook on the Munda Biddi. I drove down to Funbury on the Friday afternoon before doing this trail so I wouldn't be rushing, and had fun walking at Manea Park in-between heavy showers.
The weather forecast was showing more showers for the Saturday, and given Dad only has an urban bike with relatively skinny tyres, he elected not to join me for the ride. He did however cook me pancakes before I set off, fuel I would need for the ride given how little riding I had done in 2024. Driving through a few showers on the trip down to Nannup, it was all sunshine and rainbows when I arrived in one of my favourite towns in the South West. I have fond memories of this place from multiple visits over the years, and I was here today to add another one. Unloading the bike at the Foreshore Park, checking tyre pressures, and getting my drink/fuel supply ready, I was soon ready to go and explore a trail that promised to be a good one. The start is very familiar to me, having ridden this section of the Munda Biddi a few times, the bridge over the Blackwood River is a fantastic place to begin.















The trail between the pedestrian bridge and Vasse Highway still has the old railway sleepers embedded in it, and this is a nice reminder of the old railway line. Passing a small farm, I do enjoy photographing the grassy hill, as there is usually a few animals having a graze. Spotting the wooden sign for the Old Timberline Trail, this is where I would leave familiar territory and start enjoying some new trail. After passing a bigger wooden sign, I was on a wide gravel road, that unfortunately for me, was a short 30m climb. With my riding fitness being close to non-existent, this would be the first indication that maybe I should have done at least a couple of training ride before coming out here. Luckily there were wildflowers and orchids on the side of the road to distract me, as I wandered over to photograph the first of the Little Pink Fairy Orchids and Honey Bush I would see for the day.
Surviving the first hill, at the top you reach Barrabup Road, where the Kondil Wildflower Park is located. This is where I made my first and only navigation error of the day, as I headed straight into the car park, and not to the left where the Old Timberline Trail continues. Looking at it on Google Street View, it's quite easy to spot but for some reason I thought different. After faffing about looking at the signage within Kondil Wildflower Park, I decided to take the walk trail I knew linked up with the Old Timberline Trail, and I was soon on the right path. The whole trail is shared with walkers but this area you need to be extra careful in, as it's the section you'll most likely to see other people. I remembered this area being fun to walk, and on a bike it was even better, with the slight undulations through the forest creating a flowing ride, couple with the excellent scenery.