This ride is about twelve kilometres long and takes about an hour to ride and is predominantly along fire trails although it can be combined with the single trail of the Lerderderg River Heritage Trail. It is marked by the pink trail in the map above.

This ride starts from the Recreation Reserve and is great for those that want to push the extremes of climbing hills on a bike. There is a short section after the climb starts where the trail rises over 80 metres in altitude over a distance of 400 metres so we're talking steep.

Personally, I tend to "hike-a-bike" over this short section but those with really good fitness and technical skills can give it a go as the trail is in reasonable condition. This climb has its challenges in wet or dry conditions. Wet conditions make the track slightly slippery whereas dry conditions also leave a fine layer of dust which also challenges the grip. This climb also really challenges the ability to keep the front wheel on the ground whilst keeping enough weight on the back to get power down to the trail.

Once the main climb is over, the trail gradually rises to the ridge before dropping down the other side of the hill back into the Lerderderg Gorge on a fast curving dirt road. Back in the Gorge, the Lerderderg River Heritage Walk or Lerderderg Road can be followed back to Simmons Reef and the Recreation Reserve.

A shorter loop can be taken using Poveys Track which provides a steeper drop back into the Gorge area or alternatively you can use Povey's Track to get to the top of the range without the steep climb up Pottery Track previously described. Having said that , Povey's Track itself is still pretty steep. Note that if you go down Poveys Track, you can bush bash across the Lerderderg River to get out to the main road or head back out on Poveys Track. Since the drought has broken, bush bashing out has been getting progressively harder and may now be impossible so be prepared to climb out back up Poveys Track if required.

If you take this shorter loop, the Google and topographical maps are a bit misleading at the base of Povey's Track. The maps show that Povey's Road goes right through up to Pottery Track. This is not the case.

The following photo gallery has been taken in order from the Recreation Reserve heading in an anticlockwise direction around the circuit.

Park at the recreation reserve car park. The second photo below shows the hill behind the Recreation Reserve which is where the trail ultimately heads up but follow the directions below to get there. Head back out towards Blackwood from the Recreation Reserve car park.

About 50 metres back along the track there is a dirt turn off (shown in the first photo below). Follow this track, ford the Lerderderg River (second photo below but with the river bed dry) and head along this trail for a few hundred metres until you get to the Greendale-Trentham Road and turn left to start climbing!

Follow fire trail down to the Lerderderg and ford it. Take care when water is flowing.

Follow track out to Greendale-Trentham Road and turn left.

Head up the Greendale - Trentham Road hill past Tim's Lane until you get to the turn off a few hundred metres up the road with the letter box shown below (Lot 33). Head up the driveway until you get to the second letter box and turn up the trail on the right.

Do not proceed straight ahead as it is private property (I think this was the Blackwood Pottery - hence the name of the track).

Throw a left at Lot 33 and then a right immediately before entering the driveway. Start climbing...

The second photo below shows the start of Pottery Track. This is the start of the big climb - it's a granny gear job and will test your resolve to maintain the front wheel on the ground whilst maintaining grip at the rear. The worst that can happen is you take a short walk! Note the photos below are taken with the camera horizontal to try and give a sense of perspective of the steepness of the climb.

At the end of the grinding climb, there are two turnoffs (shown in the first two photos below). These provide the alternative turn offs for this loop. The first is Povey's Road but I believe it cuts across to Povey's Track which is not as shown on the map (ie it does not continue to Simmons Reef Road as shown on the topographical maps). The second track on the left (Povey's Track) ends at the river and once at the end, you need to cross the river and up the hill in front of you and you will end up on Simmons Reef Road. You will have to hike the last 50 metres or so of this trail across the river. Povey's Trail offers a fairly steep run down to the river which is readily rideable and great fun.

Note: bush bashing across the river has become harder since the drought broke so you may have to ride out along Poveys Track.

Poveys Track towards the bottom of the trail.

Poveys Grave is adjacent to the track at the bottom if you keep an eye out for it. Isaac Povey was one of the original miners in the area and is buried in this bush grave. If you bush bash out from the bottom of the track you will end up near the intersection of Simmons Reef Road and Poveys Road. Be aware there are a couple of deep mine shafts in the area but you won't have any issues if you don't do anything dumb.

If you choose not to turn off at Povey's Track, continue straight ahead and continue climbing until you reach the intersection with Dave's Gully Track (3rd photo below) and turn left. This becomes a curving fire trail all of the way down to the river giving a nice high speed run down without too much effort rewarding the previous big climb. Note the last section of this trail is fairly steep so give it a bit of respect as you come into the river and remain under control.

Intersection with Daves Gully Track in right photo.

Follow fire trail down to the river. Nice fast run and can be rough in the winter season.

Coming into the river area.

You can cross the river bridge and:

- head up to the Lerderderg Road and follow it back to the left to get back to the Garden of St Erth and on to the Recreation Reserve or

- about 50 metres up from the river bridge you can turn left onto the Lerderderg River Heritage Walk at the marker shown in the second photo below (this trail covered elsewhere on this website) and this will bring you out in the Garden of St Erth area or

- progress across Lerderderg Road and pick up the upper section of the Lerderderg Heritage Walk and head back.

River bridge and access to lower section of Lerderderg Heritage Walk on left just past bridge.

No video is available for this ride.

	Parking is available at the Recreation Reserve off Simmons Reef Road.
	Toilet facilities are available at the Garden of St Erth car park or in town.
	No drinking water is available.
	Cafe facilities are available at the Garden of St Erth or in town.
	No local information facilities are available at the Recreation Ground.