Riding a bike can be a great way to connect with nature while enjoying some activity. Hermitage Estate offers mountain bikes for guests to take rides around the beautiful Gleniffer area. From pleasant drifts along the roadside and river bridges, to more intense off-road fun, the options are endless.

While there was once a locally owned and family run business called ‘Bellingen Nature Bike Rides’, (which was featured on this page), it seems they have since closed down, since their website is off and social media is not active.

Therefore we will use this page to elaborate on Nature rides through Bellingen and Gleniffer.

Our high quality complimentary mountain bikes are available to guests of the Estate, with 4 adult bikes and 2 children’s bikes offered, plus safety helmets of course.

 

Biking through the country
Couple biking through the country

 

Options for local bike rides can include driving to established bike trails along the scenic Urunga seaside, where you can bike along to lovely Sawtell. Lunch at Treeo cafe, then bike back to Urunga and drive home. (Your vehicle will obviously need bike racks to transport your bikes for this course.)

Or you could simply take a left exit from the Estate gates on your bike, and follow winding Gleniffer road. (Carefully; traffic can be moving fast around some corners!) Meander through stunning rainforest towards Bellingen, enjoy a coffee, then bike back out to the Promised Land for a swim in the wonderful pristine Never Never River, or enjoy a soak in your private outdoor spa on the Estate.

With a right turn from the Estate gates, you can follow the road around the whole 11km loop, and end up back at the Estate gates.  Or enjoy the full ride, and really get a good workout.

The wonderful weather encourages you to reconnect with the simple joy of bike riding. Our late model mountain bikes are designed for comfort and easy riding. Nature bike riding is a healthy, fun and environmentally friendly way to explore and experience the unique Bellingen Shire and surrounding beautiful locations.

Mountain bike riding through the forest.
Mountain bike riding through the forest in Bellingen
The Gleniffer valley is as beautiful as any picturesque country valley you could imagine, with constant highly photographable moments throughout.  With its rolling green hills, almost-always-perfect weather, peaceful happy cows grazing, and the largely untouched forest leading into the escarpment, the world will seem a million miles away during your nature bike ride.