On arrival, make your way to your hotel in the centre of town. Ipswich is easy to reach by train from central Brisbane - there are regular services taking 60 minutes. The remainder of the day is free to explore Ipswich. To set the mood for your rail trail experience, why not visit the Workshops Rail Museum with its exhibits of locomotives. You can also visit the art gallery, Queens Park or take in the cafes, restaurants and shops at 'Top of Town' on the historic part of Brisbane Street. Dinner at leisure.

Meals:  Nil

Early this morning (usually at 6.30am sharp) you will meet with our local partner for a transfer that will take you from your hotel to the township of Yarraman, the northern end of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, approximately two hours north west of Ipswich. The transfer through the Brisbane Valley is a scenic drive through rural areas with sweeping views of the ranges as you cross the Brisbane River along its upper reaches. This is prime agricultural land and even with the ever increasing urban sprawl of Brisbane and Ipswich it still produces a lot of produce for the Brisbane market. By the time we reach the town of Blackbutt the primary reason for the rail systems construction is on display. This is timber country with huge hardwood trees, one species giving its name to the town of Blackbutt, but there are also huge stands of Hoop pine, cedars and other quality timber. The steam locomotives have long gone and are now replaced by cyclists following the same path. Our cycle tour starts at the top of the range giving you an easy start downhill to the plains of the Brisbane Valley and back to Wulkuraka over three days. Today you cycle from Yarraman to Linville. An ideal lunch spot is in Blackbutt which is only a leisurely 19km along the trail, and has a terrific bakery selling pies. Continuing from here, the route takes you down into the Benarkin State Forest, a scenic section of the trail with impressive views. At the foot of the ranges is the small town of Linville, with its historic station and railway carriages a reminder that you are on an old rail trail. Overnight Linville ascent: 182m, descent: 478m *If you are staying in Linville on a Sunday, please note that the Linville Hotel offers a reduced menu of pizza and hot chips only. *The transfer this morning is from your hotel in Ipswich. If you have your car and prefer to drive to Wulkuraka you can be picked up from the train station instead. The drive between Ipswich and Wulkuraka is less than 10 minutes. This option means that when you finish on day 4 you will be able to drive straight from Wulkuraka rather than first catching the train back to Ipswich. Please let us know if you prefer this option at the time of booking.

Meals:  Nil

From Linville you still have around 128 kilometres of the 161km trail to cover and today you’ll be cycling to Esk passing though the towns of Moore and Toogoolawah. Along the way you will notice a number of sign-posted locations that were once rail stops but now stand as little more than punctuation marks on a rail history long gone. The township of Moore is just 7 kilometres from your start in Linville this morning and is an ideal place to stop for a coffee. You’ll then pass through the heritage listed Yinbun Tunnel, the only tunnel constructed on the entire line and a classic photo opportunity. The township of Toogoolawah is a further 27km from Moore and conveniently located as a great lunch and rest spot. You can spend a little time exploring this classic Queensland country town before heading off on the last leg for the day - a further 19 kilometres to Esk. The small town of Esk has become popular with day-trippers from Brisbane, Ipswich and surrounding areas. Esk is the gateway town into the region and most people stop here for a bite to eatat one of the great cafes, to browse the shops or to simply take a break before heading north. Just west of the town are the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range rising to the Ravensbourne National Park and a number of cyclists and others have reported deer sightings in their travels which explains some of the deer paraphernalia you may see in town. Overnight Esk. ascent: 242m, descent: 270m

Meals:  B

This is the last day in the saddle but with around 65 kilometres remaining you still have some great cycling ahead. If you are looking for good coffee and a big breakfast Esk won’t disappoint. There are a couple of great cafes that open early and welcome cyclists. The whole rail trail enterprise has been warmly welcomed by businesses in the region who have seen not only the economic benefits of rail tourism but also how it has raised the profile of the region. From Esk you will spend the day cycling back to Wulkuraka. It is an easy ride along well maintained cycle trails passing through the towns of Coominya, a possible morning tea stop, then onto Lowood and Fernvale. Each town has a range of lunch break options. On arrival in Wulkuraka, you will be met for the bike and luggage handover, then the trip will conclude. From Wulkuraka it's an easy train trip back to Ipswich or into Brisbane. ascent: 297m, descent: 377m

Meals:  Nil