SURF & TURF: MORNINGTON PENINSULA GRAVEL RIDE
A few Soup Bæs CX riders gathered on the peninsula seeking to answer the question: is the region underrated for gravel riding?
FIND THE ANSWER BELOW...
We begin this long-winded answer with a video, filmed and produced by your favourite ladder enthusiast and Premiere whizz Kip.
I: THE ROUTE
Within cycling circles, and amongst the Instagram hunks the Mornington Peninsula has itself a pretty strong reputation. If you’re not feeling a Sorrento return on the road (just in case you come across notable Giant Ambassador Mr Burns) but still want to get a ride in while you’re on your way to either a) Portsea Polo or b) Eve Eve at the Portsea Hotel; consider this loop as the perfect way to combat the froth-based calories that will soon be on-boarded closer to Point Nepean.
ROUTE: SURF & TURF
Distance: 43.4km / Elevation Gain: +757m
This was a route created entirely using Google Street View and Strava Heatmaps. A formula and perhaps a random collaboration between the two led us to have the hunch that there was a network of locally made and maintained single track along many of the roadsides in the area, connecting us between wider gravel roads through state park, single track, and forgotten trails from yesteryear. We had no idea if the route was going to pay dividends, but nonetheless a group of 5: Adrian, Ben, Kip, Davo, Nick and a missing sixth gathered at Arthurs Seat to find out.
II: WHERE'S RON?
The group that was supposed to be 6 was currently a person light due to a missed ferry. As such, we were provided with a second round of “Where’s Ron?” the game that famously swept the nation very specifically during the 2017 Ol Dirty. While we sincerely hoped there would be no speeding fine of a few hundred dollars involved for the game’s namesake, the cafe at Arthurs Seat had opened, we’d already eaten our fill and were now keen to ride. Maybe we’d cross paths.
The descent down the east side of Arthurs Seat took a slight detour onto some unexpectedly exciting single track, but after passing through Main Ridge we were onto the first real gravel drag strip of the route. So far there were no signs of Ron, and this road would be taking us deeper into unknown territory so his time was running out.
We skirted the edges of the Mornington Peninsula National Park, along a wide, loose gravel track that had a few runners warming into their Saturday. To one side was the whole spectrum of typical coastal bushes, and to the other, an assortment of trees native and imported, instantly disappearing to our right as things game to an excitable grinding halt.
Nope, not for Ron, but the vast expanse of a local (???) plantation. Let’s go with Fenugreek.
Initially the dirt service roads that surrounded the plantations were too tempting to pass up, but upon closer inspection and then practice – those dirt roads were nothing but glorified sandpits as we accidentally got some pre-season sand training in ahead of the first CX race of the season.
In our joyous racket we must have attracted Ron, using his finest Bear Grylls instincts to track us down from around the bend. While he was 14km late we were overjoyed to have found him, albeit on a less-than-suitable bike, but with sponsor correct tyres.
Finally, all 6 of us could carry on.
III: WHAT TO EXPECT
THE 1st THING TO EXPECT
Just in time too – the real adventure aspect of the ride was about to begin. One of the things that should be expected from any decent gravel ride is the progressive degradation of the surface underfoot, or in this case tyres.
Surrounded by unique coastal bushland we danced along the edge of State Park to our left, orchards, huge commercial vegetable farms and horse studs to our right. For the most part, for as far as gravel roads go the terrain was pretty sandy, only interrupted as we were treated to small rock gardens reminiscent of the climbing terrain of Ol Dirty 2019.
We ventured further towards the south side of the Peninsula, taking some lefts and rights as we occasionally came across more sections of lovely single track that seem to line most roads on the peninsula. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, from Adrian on his 33mm full mud tyres to just short of Ron on his 30mm road’s.
Small patches of wildflowers poked through the typical coastal landscape before things opened up to farmland on one side and we began a steady descent while some startled Kangaroos bounced away in a hurry.
THE 2nd THING TO EXPECT
At the end of one piece of trail, things came to a grinding halt where the descent came to a dead-end at a fence belonging to that aforementioned farmland. Twenty metres back was a right-hand turn we had just missed, and with a quick hike-a-bike section we were back on track towards Cape Schanck with a fun and much more technical section.
Those fun times continued for a little while, the twisty single track only interrupted by the occasional fallen tree – occasional dismounts becoming the third thing to expect, while also offering us a chance to fine-tune our remounting skills ahead of the racing season.
THE 3rd & FINAL THING TO EXPECT
The single track washed away, replaced with the familiar surrounds of a much more typical coastal gravel road. The lushness remained, only now at the roadside. Still – you could be mistaken for falling into a daydream about being stuck on Jurassic Island, but the sounds of gunshots and motorbikes in the distance would break you out of such a trance. Such noises are the final thing to expect.
IV: SOUTH SIDE
You're given one last, very short but grindy hill before you're spat out into a car park of sorts, then a wide gravel road, which turns out is used by the suppliers of aforementioned suss noises: the local motorbike speedway and gun club. Same venue. As you head further along this road you can feel the wind pick up a little, and the smell of the ocean becomes more and more pronounced with each kilometre until you connect with the tarmac at Cape Schanck.
Turn left and that tarmac skirts along the southern edges of the peninsula for a while. It provides you with a beautiful pair of switchbacks as you descend into a gully, but then counters it with a climb so sharp it would be tough enough going on a road bike. Your time spent on the tarmac won’t be without reward, as there are regular glimpses of the ocean to your right as you edge closer to Flinders.
BUT YOU WON’T GET THERE.
Because you need to turn at Meakins Road. The Guinness World of Records “World’s Largest Vanilla Slice” at the Flinders Bakery will have to wait for another day.
You might think to yourself “Why does this thoroughfare get referred to by its full name?” Well Meakins Road isn’t just any gravel lane, but is a gravel lane that holds a particular place in Soup Folklore. While on this particular day it was being ridden back to front compared to a few years prior, it was still just as magical as it was when Adrian deemed it worthy of including in his La Velocita Weekly Rider profile.
It was also Meakins Road that signalled the final stretch of “real gravel” – soon the road turned black and we began the gradual climb back to Arthurs Seat, with a few side mission single trail offering some bonus fun on the way back to the cars.
By the time you get back to Arthurs Seat you might be feeling a little tired, more tired than you might expect from a 40km bike ride. Fortunately the beach is close by, grab some fish and chips then go and recover – our pick is Bridgewater Bay.
V: THE VERDICT
All things route-planning considered, you’d have to say that the Mornington Experiment worked out. As far as a gravel ride goes, 43km might not be a full-day epic, but the real reason you should head down there is for the points of difference the Mornington Peninsula offers – fish and chips, amazing ocean beaches, not being along the Yarra Delta so frequented by gravel grinders. Our only gripe would be that too many of the amazing gravel roads are people's driveways or amazing laneways that finish with a dead end.
While it doesn’t achieve Great Success status, we still award the loop 4 “Very Nice’s” out of 5, and deem the Mornington Peninsula underrated for gravel riding. We’ll definitely say go check it for yourself.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆