The way points of this bicycle route:
This circuit is not intended as a commuting route, but is a good 40k circuit that contains a couple of steady climbs, some undulating sections, a _STEEP_ downhill and a flat section at the end to warm down on. Getting there : Train : Pakenham Railway Station is less than 4k from the start point. Car : Turn north up Toomuc Valley Road from the Princes Highway in Pakenham. There is some parking opposite the end of Syme Road which is off road, alternately, the school carpark is usually vacant on weekends (except for Sunday AM), but never overflows with cars. Hazards. ---------- Most of the roads have poor shoulders but are reasonably wide where the traffic speeds are high. Lack of easily accessible water
Right into Syme Road
Left onto Pakenham Gembrook Road This road has no shoulder & there are frequent gravel trucks on weekdays heading to Mt. Shamrock quarry.
Gentle Climb starts here to Upper Pakenham
Watch for Quarry trucks entering and leaving Mt. Shamrock road. Typically weekdays & saturday AM quarry is in operation.
General Store (corner Army Road) here if you forgot water etc. Might be closed Sunday PM. First easy climb ends here
Orchards, Grazing, Rural
Steady downhill to Roundabout for Gembrook, Cockatoo turnoffs.
Veer left at Roundabout to head towards Cockatoo. Speed limit 100k in this area. Steady climb begins here.
Steady Climb, relatively wide winding road, poor shoulder
Road levels out here for a bit.
Left onto Paternoster Road, heading towards Emerald Second Climb starts here. Road is relatively quiet, but is a through road to Emerald, gets busy on school mornings, afternoons.
Some excellent views to the south towards Westernport Bay from here.
This bit is a _STEEP_ downhill, but quite short and visibility is good.
Left onto Beaconsfield Emerald Road, heading towards Dewhurst
Dewhurst ?
Lookout here for Cardinia Reservoir. Not sure if there is water available here. Gravel/muddy carpark.
Speed limit drops to 80km/hr here. Next few ks are winding road, very popular with motorcycles & tow trucks.
Road is good, shoulder is not.
Speed Limit drops to 60km/hr
Bakery on West Side, General Store on East Veer left at General Store, if you see Church to your right, you have gone too far.
Public Toilets & Water
Speed limit rises to 80km/hr
Speed Limit rises to 100km/hr
Dodgy shoulder around here, tight lefthand _STEEP_ downhill. Easily 70+km/hr rolling on a roadbike.
Look for cars pulling out of White Lane (gravel road to left)
_STEEP_ downhill :-)
Toomuc Valley Community Hall. Water available Leave gate how you found it.
Right onto Toomuc Valley Road from Leppit Road
Toomuc Valley Township
Pass under 3x PowerLines
Nearly 40k Loop, Some good consistent climbing and a flat fast finish to warm down!
