Our coastal cycling treasure

Since I started cycling I have enjoyed a lot of riding around Perth. I am much more adventurous when riding with a group. But as a beginner I lacked confidence and needed to ride somewhere I felt safe.

I am very fortunate to live only 3km from the beach in our fair city. And once I had conquered that 3km ride I soon discovered that our coast has a lovely cycle path stretching from Fremantle to Burns Beach (up near Joondalup) on which I could enjoy safe 'on path' cycling with plenty of cafes and toilet blocks, and with a beautiful view.

Burns Beach Cafe - worth a 'killer hill' or two

This stretch is about 45km  in total, stretching from the cafe at Burns Beach to the cafe strip in Fremantle and beyond. So if you are lucky enough to live within an easy ride of this coastal cycling treasure you have the perfect inspiration to get you on your way to being bike fit.

But for most of us, the ride to this coastal path will be delightfully down hill…. which means that the ride back home from this coastal path could be torturously up hill even if it's not a long distance.

It's easy enough to work out your approximate distance to the coast from your starting point. Either use google maps or drive it and estimate. If your fitness level can already manage both to and from the coast then you already have access to any number of coastal 'goals' to work into your training program.

A Fremantle Cafe

But for those of you with out that good fortune, your big issue will be conquering that dreaded up hill that stands between you and your enjoyment of that coastal path.

Some tips to conquer 'the dreaded up hill'

When I say 'the dreaded up hill' I don't mean the up hill that you can manage okay. But each of us will have a hill, that stands between us and more fun on our bike, that we find a struggle. This is the hill I mean. The one that either gets you off your bike, or puts you off riding….or both.

First of all, if your distance from the coast is more than three kilometres might I suggest you look for something a little closer to home as your first milestone. Once you have built up your fitness and can cope with the distance to the coast, then turn your attention that way.

Secondly, don't feel the need to conquer 'the beach and back' it all at once. Most of us will have an uphill return from the beach to our home, as I certainly did. So its better to do it in stages. Feel free to only go part way to the beach and return till you gradually get your 'uphill legs' going.

When I say 'uphill legs'  I don't mean the ability to ride at top speed up the worst hill, I mean the ability to make it up a hill, using your easiest gear if necessary, whilst remaining on your bike and feeling a sense of achievement rather than total abject misery.

Hillarys Boat Harbour

Thirdly, there is no room for pride when getting started. So until your 'uphill legs' are run in, if you feel the need to get off and walk to the top of the hill it's okay. We all have to start somewhere on our fitness journey. I certainly did my share of walking…. but only to the top of the hill, or until that steep section eased off enough to let me get back on that bike.

Also, if there is a route you could take that allows you to bypass the worst of the dreaded uphill, take it. It might add an extra kilometre to your journey but make the ride a whole lot more achievable and enjoyable. You can always save that dreaded uphill for later in your fitness journey…. it will always be there!!

I found winding my way back through the streets, with little uphill sections in between, a more time consuming way to get back home but more manageable, and I gradually took on more and more of my 'dreaded up hill' till eventually I had it beaten.

Your suburb topography will dictate your options, and your legs will guide you to work out what is best for you.

When you feel ready to go all the way to the coast… and, essentially, back home again.

My best advice once you have gradually worked up to feeling ready to conquer 'the beach and back' milestone either in distance, or with your 'dreaded uphill', is to choose your day.

Midway on the coastal path
Scarborough Beach

If you are pressed for time you might be wise to choose another day because your challenge will be enough just to achieve the ride, without trying to achieve it under time pressure.

If there is a strong easterly, south easterly, or north easterly wind either blowing or expected, anything over about 15km/hr (you can check online at  http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/  - the Bureau of Meteorology) then I would suggest you save your milestone ride for another day. Riding back up the hill from the coast is enough of a challenge to start with, without a 25km/hr wind blowing at you as well.

If it is a really hot day, then try riding early (bearing in mind the wind) or late in the day (more likely to be a friendly westerly wind), to avoid the heat. Riding up hill in the heat can be very dehydrating and you might need everything you have to get you home. If this is not possible you might be wise to choose another day.

Once you do make your coastal run, my advice would be to do the 'beach and back' ride two or three times before adventuring too much further afield… tempting though it may be…. remember you still need your energy for the ride home.

The beautiful Cottesloe Beach

Once you have conquered the coastal homeward journey

Well all I can say at this point is 'yippee'… you're well on your way and you now have that wonderful coastal cycling treasure with all its glories accessible to you.

As you start to explore up and down the coast from your point of entry to this cycle path it's a good idea to add a kilometre or two at a time and to increase this as you feel comfortable.

It is also a very good idea to think in terms of wind direction and wind speed. I don't usually worry too much if the wind speed is forecast 15km/hr or less. If it's closer to 20km/hr its worth thinking about.

When I reach the coast I tend to choose to ride into the wind. This is because if I ride as far as I feel comfortable whilst battling this 'breeze' then I know I will more than likely will have this 'breeze' behind me for the return journey.

There is nothing worse than gaily riding along feeling like you could conquer the world and marvelling at your stamina to have ridden so much further than usual….. to then turn for home and realise you had a howling gale at your back for the journey out and now have to ride into that howling gale for the ride back.

Usually in Perth, if there is not much of a wind when you leave home, the only wind you might have to worry about is the 'Sea Breeze' or 'Fremantle Doctor' as it is affectionately called. This is usually a westerly or south westerly so you are generally reasonably safe if you head toward Fremantle on your outward journey.

The reward at the top end
 of the Mullaloo 'dreaded uphill'

The ultimate goal on your coastal adventure 

Your ultimate goal on your coastal adventure will be when you actually make it to 'Fremantle' or 'Burns Beach' depending on which is further from where you enter the coastal path.

In my experience the path towards Fremantle is less difficult, and more likely to have a tail wind on the return journey, than the path towards Burns Beach. It does have some uphills coming south towards Cottesloe.

Between Hillary's Boat Harbour and Mullaloo there is a 'significant uphill', and again about 2km from Mullaloo Beach there is a 'dreaded uphill' but one with a spectacular view from the lookout at the top.

There is 'a bit of a challenge uphill' at Ocean Reef Marina and then some 'killer uphills' closer to Burns Beach. These 'killer uphills' near Burns Beach are short and sharp and very walkable, with the cafe only about 200m away.

From Hillarys Boat Harbour south to Trigg Beach the path is often very busy with pedestrian traffic, but I find if I just slow down and relax it's a good opportunity to give my legs a break. That stretch is a bit undulating (not too tragic) but the view is breathtaking.

And from Scarborough to Fremantle its really rather pleasant unless battling a headwind. As long as that headwind is part of your outward journey just embrace it. If not…. gear down till you can manage comfortably and take your time.

You can google map your particular section of the coastal path and work out distances between different sections. Google has a cycle button for this section now. Try this link below, hover over the three dots next to the walking symbol (to bring up the cycling symbol) then press the cycling symbol. The blue line indicating the cycle path will show along with instructions. You can do your own exploring based on your particular section.
 https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Burns+Beach+WA/Fremantle+WA

The serenity of Ocean Reef Marina

Your personal fitness journey

Now don't feel daunted if you feel this is way beyond you.  It was way beyond me when I first started as you will know if you have read my first blog 'Hello from Cycle Mumma'.

I never dreamt I could even do my 3km ride to the coast. And really, if you conquer even that first 3km you will already have achieved a significant fitness milestone.

This coastal cycling dream is for those of you who need such a dream to get you motivated to begin your fitness journey. It is also for those of you already on the way but looking for further inspiration to get to the next level of your fitness journey. But it is a 'dream' that is achievable over time with consistent effort.

Just remember that we all need to start somewhere, so give your self permission to start small and to take your journey towards fitness at your own pace…. one pedal at a time.