One thing is certain – you are going to love this area. There is THAT MUCH to do, see, eat, drink, play, that we can’t imagine anyone leaving this slice of the North-east disappointed.
And lucky you – you’ve got a weekend here.
We’ve pulled together this suggested itinerary assuming you’ll get into Bright (where you will base yourself) on Friday night and leave Sunday late afternoon. Have a ball.
Dinner
Assuming you arrive fairly late and fairly frazzled, why not spoil yourself and slip into your getaway in style. Head (down) to 13 Steps in Bright and let Roy, David, Imogen and their hipster crew look after you with the area’s very best wines, sensational craft beers, and some of the most exciting (but not tricked up) cooking in town.
Morning
OK time to enjoy the fact that when it comes to quality coffee, Bright has a lot going for it. We’re going to give you plenty of great coffee stops during this weekend, so worry not! Let’s start you at Bright Velo, just to get you into the mood, and maybe give you a chance to chat with Wayne about riding in the area.
On Your Bike
If you’re here with road bikes, then we suggest starting with a very civilised and very delightful climb up Mt Buffalo. Depending on your level of fitness and riding ability, you’ll do it anywhere from over an hour to maybe even beyond two hours. Go to the chalet car park and make your way to the lookout, or climb even higher to Lake Catani.
Once you’ve soaked up the views you can soar down the hill and head back to Bright for some lunch (see further down).
If you’re here to mountain bike, then head to Mystic, where you have plenty of trails through the pines that will take you past mining relics give you plenty of challenges. Up to you how long you spend here but you could easily keep yourself entertained for at least a couple of hours before you head back to town.
Lunch
You’ve worked hard, so now it’s time to reward yourself with some seriously sensational home cooking from Sam and her team at Coral Lee. It’s like grandma’s cooking (if nan was a good cook, that is) with a contemporary twist.
Afternoon
You could relax in the Ovens River or even go for some great walks alongside it. If you’re into retail therapy then you’ll find plenty of local stores to keep you busy before dinner. Another suggestion is to duck out to Porepunkah and visit Feathertop Winery. A stunning spot for picking up a bottle of something lovely to take home…
Dinner
How can you go wrong with Bright Brewery? They’ll fill you up on wholesome meals and some of their sensational craft beer. This is a win-win destination, even if you’re not into hops (they also sell cider and local wines). It’s also where so much of Bright descends on a Saturday night – rub shoulders with some locals or swap stories with other riders who are in town, too.
Morning
Make a bee-line to Monique at Ginger Baker and she will look after you with terrific coffee and something sensational to get you going for a big day of riding. Once you’ve carbo loaded, you can either get on your bike (to make it a really big day) or jump in the car – with bikes – and head to Mt Beauty. We’ve assumed the latter.
Ride
If you’re on a roadie then park yourself at Svarmisk (check in with Lena first and make sure that’s OK) and head up to Falls Creek, the front way. This ride can be made as easy or as difficult as you want, but it’s a longer day in the saddle than yesterday. If you’re on a mountain bike, then do the same with the car and then just ride a few hundred metres further up to the Big Hill MTB Park, where you can have a ball for hours.
Lunch
Once you’re back down at Svarmisk, just keep going straight ahead, in through the doors where you’ll finish at this sensational Swedish delicatessen for some hard-earned, super tasty Nordic fare and Illy coffee.
Afternoon
You’ll have trouble leaving Svarmisk and Mt Beauty, which gets a name like that for good reason. Before you tear yourself away completely, stop off at the terrifically friendly Sweetwater Brewery where Pete will look after you with some of his refreshing ales. Again – worth getting a six-pack memento to take home…
Follow this guide and you’ll leave the North-east a very happy visitor indeed. Let us know what you thought!
