I knew a little about Aberfoyle lodge from other ride reports but it was only when we turned a corner and saw it for ourselves that I realised photographs are useless references when it comes to such things of beauty.. it is a visual experience and then you start to dig a little deeper. To enter you have to pay $5 but that is redeemable at the bar or restaurant.
There is clearly a lot of history at this place, the whole story of how the plantation was started and what they are doing now including a hydro electric plant is on display for visitors to read, it is a remarkable place.
Upon arrival we were greeted and hosted by very friendly and warm staff and seeing as we had been on the road all morning to get here we did’nt see the harm in treating ourselves to some 5 star food and a cold beverage. Besides Aberfoyle being a visual masterpiece the more you chat to the staff the more you learn about what they have to offer there.. the list gets more and more impressive.. Full size snooker table, squash court, swimming pool.. um, 9 hole golf course that would make Gary Player smile, and we are just topping the yip of the iceberg, white water rafting, bird watching and .. what was that.. trails, what kind of trails ??? Well according to one of the nice staff members, there is an old road that leads through the surrounding forest, through the valley and about 70km later ends up back on the main drag. There was sadly one snag, the road is unfinished, it was used about 15 years ago but recently they have started to revive the road so that they can start leading hiking trails and birdwatchers through the forest. Our ears pricked up and we cocked our heads a little, we had to have a look.
The other teenie problem is that the road was not accessible due to it being cut off by a locked gate..hmm, ‘so who has the key?’ asked Martin, “I can get it” was the reply.. oh my goodness, is it possible that we could explore a road not on the maps, it had to be our holy grail.. “have you seen those forests..” we were like kids in a candy store. We chomped away at our gourmet steak rolls with giddy anticipation. Once all done we sought out the key master and after a few rounds of ching chong cha, Martin took his top bag off his bike and loaded it onto mine.. not before he dropped his bike again. I think the score on that account was sitting at about 5:0. The said gatekeeper pillioned on Martins bike and we set off into the unknown.
After a few km of traversing the side of the tea plantation we hit the edge of the forest and disappeared under the canopy. The massive gate barring our path to bliss turned out to be a locked boom that we could have easily just ridden around, but it added to the dramatics that we needed to get someone to open it, anyways it seemed that if someone opened it we had permission and were not trespassing, something that we always respect.
The road to the lodge leads you through these great dirt roads with overgrown hang-overs, it is an impressive sight
Arriving through the tea plantation..
OMG look at that forest, little did I know our afternoon ride was going to take us through that and over the top to the valley on the other side.
A rare treat for 2 okes on the road used to eating packets of nuts for lunch !!
Martin.. making the fall tally 5:0 .. I managed to get rare proof that he can't hold his bike up for the love of money, he usually picks his bike up before I manage to get the camera out !! ba ha
After the gate keeper helped Martin pick up his bike up we were off.. unlocking the gate to the most awesome adventure road ever made.
