On arrival, make your way to your hotel in the centre of town. Ipswich is easy to reach by train from central Brisbane - there are regular services taking 60 minutes. The remainder of the day is free to explore Ipswich. To set the mood for your rail trail experience, why not visit the Workshops Rail Museum with its exhibits of locomotives. You can also visit the art gallery, Queens Park or take in the cafe's, restaurants and shops at 'Top of Town' on the historic part of Brisbane Street. Dinner at leisure.

Meals:  Nil

This is your first day of cycling and you’ll be leaving from the Ipswich suburb of Wulkuraka which is an Aboriginal word meaning either red flowering gum tree or plenty of kookaburras. You’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Ipswich and transferred to the northern side of the Wulkuraka Train station. It is a pleasant ride out along the first section as you slowly leave suburbia behind you and quickly find yourself in the semi rural areas of Fernvale and Lowood. Either of these towns and the small town of Coominya are all great locations to stop for morning tea and lunch depending on your progress down the trail. As the rail follows a former rail line the trail passes right through the centre of these towns making it easy to stop for a break, food and refreshments. It is an easy ride along this section of the trail being fairly flat and well maintained. You will find a lot more ‘cycle traffic’ here as many locals utilise this end of the trail for return day rides as well as a steady flow of those coming full distance from Yarraman at the head of the BVRT. From Lowood the ride changes from outer urban to distinctly rural with patches of bushland. You will end your day in the small town of Esk which has become popular with day trippers from Brisbane, Ipswich and surrounding areas. This is the gateway town into the region and as such many people stop for a bite at one of the great cafes, browse the range of shops or simply take a break before heading north. Just west of the town are the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range rising to the Ravensbourne National Park and a number of cyclists and others have reported deer sightings in their travels which explains some of the deer paraphernalia you may see in this town. Overnight Esk. Ascent: 499m, descent: 420m

Meals:  Nil

Esk is the gateway to the Brisbane Valley and has embraced the whole rail trail enterprise which is warmly welcomed by businesses in the region who have seen not only the economic benefits of rail tourism but also how it has raised the profile of the region more generally. Today you’ll be cycling north to Linville passing though the towns of Toogoolawah and Moore and a number of sign posted locations that were once rail stops but now stand as little more than punctuation marks on a rail history long gone. The township of Toogoolawah is just 19km from Esk so may be a little early for lunch but it is a great breakfast stop after sharpening your appetite on the rail trail. Check out the ‘Have a Chat’ café for great coffee and breakfasts. There is also a well stocked IGA supermarket. From Toogoolawah you’ll pass through the heritage listed Yinbun Tunnel, the only tunnel constructed on the entire line and a classic photo opportunity. The next and last town along the trail today is Moore. There are a couple of great options for lunch here, try Tilies Café or Kai Lounge. Both have a great café lunch menu and the Kai Lounge has a leafy outside area resembling a Bali garden. After lunch you might like to check out the Old Church Gallery (Thur-Sun 10-4) which is located right alongside the rail trail just to the north as you leave town. From Moore it is a short 7km cycle to Linville which is perhaps the quietest and smallest town on the whole journey but your hotel and accommodation at the Grand Hotel for the night has a lot of charm and a grand hotel indeed considering its location. Ascent: 341m, descent: 319m

Meals:  Nil

Today you pass through two towns on your way to Yarraman, Blackbutt and Benarkin. Although you will be cycling up the Blackbutt Range thankfully you’ll be cycling along a rail trail with a significant yet manageable gradient. There are some great views along this section as you climb out of the Brisbane Valley region into the Blackbutt Ranges which are part of the Great Dividing Range. As you climb you’ll notice the climate, soil and vegetation is markedly different from the plains. By the time you reach the higher parts of this region the primary reason for the rail systems construction is on display. This is timber country with huge hardwood trees, one species giving its name to the town of Blackbutt but there are also huge stands of hoop pine, cedars and other quality hardwood timber here. The steam locomotives have long gone and are now replaced by cyclists following the same path. The first town of the day is Benarkin which is fairly small but it does have great public conveniences in the park right alongside the trail and there is a small store for drinks and snacks as well. Then Blackbutt is a great lunch stop with cafes and probably the best bakery on the BVRT with a huge selections of cakes, slices, snacks and coffee. After Blackbutt it is a further 19km to Yarraman and the completion of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. An afternoon transfer back to Ipswich will conclude the trip. Ascent: 478m, descent: 182m

Meals:  Nil