September 27, 2022 to October 3, 2022
Bonus Munda Biddi warm down
The Munda Biddi is the longest mountain bike trail in the world, with custom built huts, going mainly through forests from near Perth to Albany.
From that description, it sounds like it ticks all my boxes but for some reason I wasn’t entirely convinced that I wanted to do any of it this trip. I think my issues with it were that it’s super inefficient (true, it takes 1000km to cover what is 450 km by road) and that I thought it might be built for macho mountain bikers/bikepacking gear purists and my touring set up wouldn’t fit in. That is blatantly false. I had read some accounts of people trying to do it really quickly and then you kind of need a purist gear and macho mindset. But most people just do it on whatever rig they have, take 2-3 weeks and have a lovely time, they just don’t write it up.
I did choose the easiest section, by all accounts it is technically a harder trail in the north and more remote in the south. The bit I chose is the luxury stretch, going through towns, not too many hills, fun trails and beautiful forests. Here’s my days:
The first day I got a transwa bus to Bunbury and rode out to the Nglang Boodja hut. This is not the closest point on the trail to Bunbury but it’s a delightful hut. It did mean riding up a big hill only to ride down it again a few kilometres further east the next day.
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The huts have four sleeping platforms inside, but an open breezeway in the middle. I found this cold, and also found that the most common munda Biddi cyclist, the middle aged man, snores, so camping next to the huts is more comfortable. They all have tent pads.
Day 1 on the trail: Nglang Boodja to Donnybrook (48km)
There were a few climbs and big descents through valleys on mostly fire trails or minor roads to Boyanup.
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I had a leisurely bakery lunch and nice coffee in Boyanup with two other cyclists, Peter and Matt. I left for Donnybrook first, which was mostly road cycling for the first 12k. Matt overtook me and we rode the firetrails to Donnybrook together. I spent the afternoon drinking beer in the fairly average Donnybrook hotel, but the transit park camping area was lovely.
Day 2: Donnybrook to Nannup (60k)
I started with a coffee from Donnybrook, and then rode some nice minor firetrails out of Donnybrook. On the first section of single track, I got overtaken by Matt, who’d picked up a friend, Tom. I caught them again on the wider forest tracks, cause they stopped more often than me, and I rode a bit hard to keep up with them to the next hut. If you weren’t a bit tired from a long west coast stretch, you could ride to this hut, Nala Mia, from Nglang Boodja. Peter caught us for lunch at Nala Mia and we all gunned it down the rail trail to Nannup.
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Tom and Matt were trying to finish in 10 days. I thought they should’ve gone further than Nannup but they weren’t sure about accommodation further on so they stayed at Nannup and we all went for curry night at the Nannup brewery.
Day 3: Nannup to Karta Burnu
Matt, Tom and I rode out together up a long bitumen hill with very little traffic. Then we got to a delightful gravel road descent to a Bibbulmun track (the walking option from Perth to Albany) campsite. Then there was a super fun single track section to Donnelly River. Matt and Tom were way faster than me, but we all, including Peter, reconvened at the general store at Donnelly River for sandwiches and scones with jam and cream. Donnelly River was built for a sawmill which closed in 1978, so the workers cottages are now holiday accommodation and it was busy in the school holidays. They let you feed kangaroos, parrots and emus so there’s heaps of them hanging around.
From Donnelly River there was a roller coaster section of single track along the side of a river valley, which was very nice but would’ve been more fun on a less loaded bike.
I caught up with Peter at Glenoran Pool where we went for a very brief swim in the Donnelly River, because it was incredibly cold. But it lowered the body temperature before a series of switchbacks uphill to the hut.
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I camped outside. Dylan and Julian, a father and son team, and Peter slept in the hut and I could only hear their snoring as a faint rumble from 20m away.
Day 4: Karta Burnu to Pemberton (102k)
I packed up early which was fine except my tent was really wet with condensation. It was an easy ride into Manjimup where I had a delicious coffee and toastie, and got some fruit and home made cakes from the Saturday farmers markets. It was largely downhill on forest fire trails to Quinninup, except for a few hills through pine plantation and farmland towards the end. I had a burger and a pint at the tavern. Not exactly energy food, and potentially why I felt sluggish in the afternoon.
It was nice trails through Karri forest, except it started to rain when I was in the river valley before Pemberton. I didn’t get in til 5, couldn’t find the backpackers, so had to go to the caravan park. I was impressed that my tent dried out inside despite the misting rain.
Day 5: Pemberton to Northcliffe (44k)
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By the time I’d ridden up and down the mountain bike hill twice, and packed up my tent, Dylan and Julian were riding into Pemberton from Quinninup. We all went for coffee and brunch at a nice cafe, then rode out together. It was uphill through town to the Gloucester tree, which is closed for climbing. The single track down from the Gloucester tree was insanely good. We met Marina and Saul, from Wollongong at the bottom, but they rode faster than us. I rode pretty comfortably between Dylan and Julian’s pace. The rest of the ride to Northcliffe was mostly forest firetrails, with some single track, and seemed to be mostly downhill. The only low point was going past a dairy farm on a sealed road near Northcliffe just after they’d moved the cows across the road. There was so much wet cow poo on the road and some of it flicked up to my face which was probably the hygiene low point of the entire trip.
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We found Marina and Saul next to the fire at the Northcliffe pub. They were staying there. Dylan and Julian were being picked up as they were out of time. I rode out to the run down but fine caravan park two kilometres out of town.
Day 6: Northcliffe to Yirra Karta return (100k)
I hadn’t really sorted out distance when I left, just booked a bus back from Pemberton a week after I left Bunbury cause it seemed like a good time to have three days back in Perth. I was really close to being able to make it Walpole on the south coast. From Yirra Karta hut, it’s only 80k. But I had made the call to bus back from Northcliffe and take it easy. So I left my tent and most gear at the caravan park and did a day ride out to the next hut. It was not as fun a ride cause it was largely on forest roads through scrappy forest and swampy country.
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I climbed up there and felt a real sense of peace and gratitude for the trip. It was a really special place.
The following day, I went for a forest art walk in Northcliffe, had a cafe breakfast and caught the bus/train back to Perth.
It was the best week of cycling I’ve ever done. I can’t recommend it highly enough, get over and do the Munda Biddi!
Today's ride: 400 km (248 miles)
Total: 5,270 km (3,273 miles)
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2 years ago
You picked the best time of year to do the ride, too.
2 years ago