girls gravel & Gourmet weekend
2024 DATES TBC
MILAWA - beechworth - milawa, vic.
Join us for our small-group Girls Gravel & Gourmet Weekend and explore the roads less travelled in the beautiful High Country while eating and drinking along the way! Stunning gravel roads meander through farmland, forest, wineries and rolling hills as we get off the beaten track to visit some of the highlights of north east Victoria.
Together we will ride a 3 day loop, starting and finishing in the foodie destination of Milawa, in the King Valley. The roads are quiet, the gradients (mostly) gentle and the scenery is stunning. Along the way we stop off at some of the touristic and foodie highlights of the region, indulging in regional produce, visiting micro-breweries, country pubs, cheese factories and wineries. We stay 2 nights in historic Beechworth, a gravel cyclist’s paradise, and enjoy the picture-perfect view, quiet roads, the historic township and the great regional food, wine and beers on offer.
This tour is supported with our HCWC vehicle, crew and the camaraderie of others. So grab your gravel bike or mountainbike (hardtail/29er best), an overnight bag, a sense of adventure and get ready to ride!
fri
meet & Greet, welcome drinks & Dinner
We start our weekend in the foodie destination of Milawa.
Check in from 2pm
3:30pm - Optional 1hr loop ride
6pm - Welcome aperitivo of local wine & antipasto over looking the vines. Michelle takes us through a wine tasting of hand-selected Brown Brothers wines.
7:00pm - A relaxed evening meal with some regional produce & drinks at a local restaurant with a weekend introduction & briefing by Michelle and Clare.
Meals: Aperitivo hour, Dinner
saT
milawa to beechworth
After a delicious breakfast our gravel-expert will take us through a mini skills session to gain a few tips before we head off along the flat roads of the Milawa Gourmet region, framed by surrounding hills and Mt Buffalo in the far distance.
What’s not to love about a route that features names like Bobinawarrah, Whorouly, Kneebone Gap, Merriang & Murmungee and a lunch-stop at Gapsted Winery!
Today’s riding is mostly along super-smooth gravel roads, small sections of Rail Trail (bitumen-sealed) and a couple of kms of quiet bitumen country roads. There’s so many highlights, so be prepared for a relaxed ride with plenty of insta-worthy moments to capture!
Our destination is historic Beechworth, with its beautiful gold rush era buildings and burgeoning food, wine and beer scene where we enjoy aperitivo hour in the garden.
We’ve booked a table at the famous Beechworth Brewery for a relaxed evening meal… and perhaps a beer or two!
Distance: approx. 80km
Elevation Gain: 850m
Meals: Breakfast, Aperitivo hour
SUN
beechworth gravel loop
Today is a big and incredible day riding some of the best gravel roads around Beechworth. This ride delivers the gravel goods from rolling farmlands ‘please shut the gate’ to the pristine bushland of Mt Pilot National Park with its impressive lookout, past strawberry farms serving up berry-flavoured ice cream and smoothies (in season) to the historic town of Chiltern, where we re-fuel the body with local gourmet goodness, before taking the roads less travelled to Beechworth via Eldorado.
We return to our hotel in Beechworth, enjoy an aperitif together and in the evening head out for a celebratory group meal at one of the town’s best restaurants.
Distance: approx. 90 kms
Elevation Gain: approx 1100m
Meals: Breakfast, Aperitivo hour, Dinner
MON
beechworth - milawa
Day 3 is an easier end to the tour with a relaxed pace half-day ride back to Milawa, via the historic Woolshed Valley. This mostly flat, smooth gravel road winds its way past waterfalls, craggy granite tors and old hideouts of ‘Ned & the boys’! We stop at the cute as a button village of Eldorado, famous for its giant dredge and more recently….the pastries at Firebox Bakery.
We’ve organised a warm shower at the end of our ride so you can freshen up before a final lunch at the beautiful and delicious Sam Miranda Wines.
After lunch it’s time to say our farewells and head home.
Distance: 50-55km
Elevation Gain: 250m
Meals: Breakfast
A few other things…
You must read and agree to the Girls Gravel Weekend Terms & Conditions as part of participation in this Event.
Once you sign up for the Weekend, we will send you a detailed Girls Gravel Weekend Guide with more information on arrival/accommodation, a suggested packing list, each days itinerary and GPS cycle routes.
You must ensure your bike is in good working order - we highly recommend get it checked by a qualified mechanic prior to attending and obtaining relevant insurances for your bike, yourself and 3rd party.
This is the inaugural Girls Gravel & Gourmet Weekend, so the itinerary may change slightly over coming weeks as we fine tune the program. Additionally, in case of extreme weather we may need to alter the itinerary for everyone's comfort and safety.
In the case we have to cancel the event due to COVID-19, you will receive a full refund.
BOOKINGS OPENING SOON
$TBC
(twin share)
$400 deposit to secure your spot!
your 2023 Milawa beechworth GIRLS GRAVEL & GOURMET weekend includes:
3 days, 3 nights supported cycling weekend in the Milawa - Beechworth region of Victoria’s High Country
Camaraderie, fun & support: women supporting women!
3 days of food, wine & regional produce - breakfasts, dinners and “aperitivo hour” included each day!
Designed and run by Michelle Armstrong & Clare Holdsworth with extensive knowledge of the region, the rides, the local food & wine and in delivering high quality supported cycling events and tours
Explore the best gravel roads in the region! Each day is around 80% on gravel roads.
Hand picked routes to showcase the stunning scenery, countryside and villages along the way.
Gravel skills session to give you a few tips for riding on dirt!
Ride with GPS route uploads for your GPS cycle computers
3 nights twin share accommodation - in comfortable, well located motel/hotels. 1 night in Milawa, 2 in Beechworth. Our Beechworth motel has a pool for post-ride swims!
Limited single rooms available for $300 extra per person (book early to secure a single room)
Relaxed Welcome Drinks & antipasto in Milawa followed by a group dinner to chat through the rides & weekend ahead!
Sag wagon / support vehicle for all the rides - it’s OK if you only want to ride part of each ride!
3 healthy cyclist friendly breakfasts each morning
Relaxed Saturday night dinner at Bridge Road Brewers or similar (e.g. shared pizzas and a pot).
“Aperitivo hour” - a glass of something local and a nibble in the late afternoon on Friday and Saturday.
Nutritious on-road snacks for while you’re riding
Celebratory final multi-course dinner at one of Beechworth’s top-notch restaurants including drinks!
We’ve organised with our hotel in Milawa so you can leave your cars and shower back at the hotel after the Sunday ride before heading home
For further
information
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
Your bike, spares etc.
Travel to/from Milawa
Lunch each day
Additional drinks to those not included in group meals
Specialized sports drinks/nutrition for on the road
Cycle mechanic - we will have basic mechanic support however for any significant bike repairs we will use our friends at the bike shops in the region as needed.
Insurance - this is recommended to protect yourself, others and your bike in case of incident. If not already covered, you could check out Cycling Aus insurance and/or home/contents for your bike.
Contact us if you’d like info on hiring a suitable gravel-friendly bike
who is the ride for / how fit do i need to be?
You don’t need to be a gravel expert or CX-star. So long as you have a gravel/adventure or MTB and have cycled on gravel previously - join us! We will be learning together and there to support you as you learn more about riding on gravel.
You need to be a relatively fit/strong rider and be able to be able to ride in rolling hilly terrain for approximately 4-5 hours on consecutive days (less on Monday).
If you have minimal experience cycling on gravel , that’s OK so long as you are a strong, confident road cyclist and have a suitable bike.
We do have a support vehicle if required - so if you get tired we can help you out!
The weather can be changeable and the gravel can be impacted in case of significant weather events so we may need to alter the route. You should also be prepared with cycling clothing for all conditions.
This ride is not suitable for beginner cyclists as some technical skills are required as is bike fitness.
Unsure? Contact us and ask!
