TasmaniaRail trails

Tasmania's rail trail riding centres on the north-east, where old lines run out of Launceston towards Scottsdale and on through the hills near Derby. The country is green, cool and often forested, with steady gradients on the old railway grades and short, sharp weather changes.

Derby has become a cycling town in its own right, so rail trail days combine easily with rest days, cafes and shuttle services. Surfaces range from compacted gravel to rougher, wetter sections, and mud is common outside summer.

Best time to ride: November to April; expect cold, wet days outside summer.