Booner Mundak to Jinung Beigabup
Munda Biddi Trail
Start
Booner Mundak Hut
Time
3-6 Hours
Finish
Jinung Beigabup Hut
Date Ridden
8th September 2021
Length
56km
Elevation
898m
Traditional Custodians
Minang People
The Ride - Getting to bed early the previous night thanks to the mozzies at Booner Mundak, my thoughts as I lay in my tent were towards the weather that was forecast the following day. With an incoming cold front that promised to deliver a day and a half of rain, Aron and I had made plans to leave camp as early as possible to get to Jinung Beigabup before the rains hit. In the back of my mind though, I was hatching a plan to cycle all the way into Denmark so we avoided cycling the Jinung Beigabup to Denmark section in what was guaranteed to be a wet day. Getting up at 6am, I found a pleasant sunrise with clear skies and peaceful feeling in the light morning air.
Packing up our gear and enjoying a morning brew, the couple that joined us the previous afternoon were also up and about, hoping to get into Walpole early for some well earned treats. Booner Mundak had been one of the better campsite experiences for me so it was a bit sad to leave it at a tick after 7am. Ahead of us was more of the same riding we experienced yesterday with long stretches of road riding through a variety of terrain ranging from sandy plains to stunted forest. Exiting the single track that leads in and out of the campsite, we turned north and continued along Middle Road. With the morning sun streaming through the trees, the lighting was a challenge to shoot in so the beautiful wildflowers that lined the track turned out a bit blurry in most photos. Pushing on, the early part of the day involved a few small climbs that were made a little harder when the surface turned much sandier than I would have liked. Trying to keep a good pace up, we soldiered on and eventually reached the Boronia Road turn. Now heading east, this would mark the start of some long stretches of road riding that is a theme for this whole section.
I didn't mind as the crisp morning air and sense of adventure that comes from trying to outrun an incoming weather system had me excited. The road surface had also changed to be a friendlier compacted gravel so when the going was flat, the pace was pretty good. I was still taking the time to appreciate the scenery and stopping just as much as I normally would to photograph flowers and anything that took my fancy. Spotting a few Black Cockatoos, they decided to stop in a nearby tree for a clear photo so I obliged. I was really looking out for a Boronia to photograph on Boronia Road and there were a few lining the trail but the photos didn't turn out that well. Reaching the turn at Nornalup Road, you continue heading in an easterly direction along winding and rolling roads with some really nice forest in places. One thing I really enjoyed about the riding either side of Booner Mundak was that it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere, away from logging, mining, development and all the things that take away from the majesty of these natural places.
In previous posts, 9km of riding would probably equal a gallery or two of photos but between Nornalup Road and the turnoff for the Kent River crossing I've only included eleven photos and four of those are of wildflowers. That's not to say that the scenery wasn't enjoyable because it was, it's just that the galleries start to look the same if all the photos are "pleasant view down tree lined road". I love taking those shots, especially the ones where I can zoom in all the way and capture the feeling of distance but it doesn't make for a great layout if that's all I include. With a good mix of taller forest and open plains, there was never a point where I felt like it was a same-same slog. The road signs telling you that the road is going to last for at least the next 5-10 kilometres didn't worry me as my this stage I was starting to really embrace the idea that this was just the first half of the day and we would be cycling into Denmark that afternoon. For now the skies were still a clear blue and that was a good sign that my plan of avoiding most of the rain might bear fruit.
Arriving at the turnoff for the Kent River crossing and not looked at the map for a while, I didn't realise we were so close. Having covered 18km in just under an hour and a half (excellent pace compared to our previous two weeks), I decided that this was a good spot to stop for a break. Waiting for Aron, I spotted some Purple Tinsel Flowers and Rose Coneflowers on the side of the trail and was pleased to see these varieties for the first time on our trip. Aron arrived and suggested we travel a bit further before we took a break. That turned out to be the right decision as we arrived at the Kent River and a pretty special spot given the relative monotony of the mornings road riding. With a lovely suspension bridge, flowing river and granite platform, this idyllic location is essential to making sure the first 40km of this day isn't just a long road slog. Having a wander around, I took plenty of photos of the river from various angles and soaked it all in while we refueled and talked about the day so far.
Conscious of the time and wanting to press on, after some lollies and fluids, we gathered our bikes and crossed over the narrow suspension bridge. The views up and down the river were superb and I could have stayed here for much longer, just enjoying being in the middle of nowhere. On the other side of the river there are some cool granite boulders to admire as you make your way along the single track leading back to Break Road. Back on the road, it was back into pounding out the kilometres as we still had just under 40km to reach the campsite. For the next 15km we continued along at a merry pace, enjoying the scenery including some distant views looking towards Mount Romance and a fair few pinch climbs thrown in for good measure. For the most part I was ahead of Aron, taking photos of the wildflowers and one of my favourite types of scenes of this area, the long road leading down an incline with forest either side and an ominous looking hill in the distance. To the north of us were the twin national parks of Mount Roe and Mount Lindesay, stretching far into the interior of the landscape and providing a refuge for all kinds of flora and fauna.
Having covered 33km for the day, I stopped at the intersection of Harewood Road, where the two giant national parks meet. With the cloud cover starting to come over, I looked at the map and was thinking of ways to make the ride into Denmark seem more palatable for Aron. When he arrived, it turns out he had the same idea and decided that following Harewood Road would cut out a chunk of distance and get him pretty close to Jinung Beigabup. On previous days when Aron suggested little shortcuts I wasn't too pleased but if that's what he needed to make Denmark a possibility this afternoon then I was all for it. He departed along Harewood Road while I continued along Break Road as it makes its way towards Mount Lindesay before looping back around to Jinung Beigabup. Putting on the afterburners, I was riding solo for the next 23km and could pedal at my own pace without stopping every 5km or so to wait. With the goal of getting to Denmark by the end of the day on my mind, I powered on at a brisk 16kmph for the next hour as the road riding continued. Still stopping quite frequently to photograph wildflowers, Black Cockatoos, my second danger noodle encounter of the trail and the excellent views looking across the farmland towards Mount Lindesay, I was in a good rhythm.
Break Road turns into Mount Lindesay Road at the turnoff for the excellent walk trail up to the summit and my original plan had us taking the detour with the possibility of tackling the 10km return walk. With plans now adjusted, I continued on and admired the peak from a distance as the scenery changed from forest and plains to farmland. The road riding felt like more of a slog now I was in the farmland areas so used this as a spot to put my head down and not worry about photos too much. You do leave Mount Lindesay Road for a stretch as the trail turns off and follows the edge of a farm that presented a new challenge, a muddy bog. This wasn't great for my average speed and I was baffled at the decision to take you along the fence line but on the other side of the paddock, the reason became clear. With some lovely views looking over the farmland to Mount Lindesay, now shrouded in cloud, the detour was worth it. Heading into some lovely forest as you make your way back to Mount Lindesay Road, the wildflowers through here were fantastic.
Back on the road, it turns into a paved surface and this allows for some turbo time as you head towards the final stretch leading into camp. After stopping to say hello to some local cows, I could see the turnoff into the forest and knew I had one last burst to go, albeit uphill, before I was at Jinung Beigabup. This finishing stretch was fantastic riding with the lush forest filled with wildflowers and the closed in feeling a welcome change after so much road riding for the day. Checking my phone here, I received a message from Caris telling me that native logging would be banned from 2024 onwards and it was the perfect location to receive this news. Having done a cycling tour of logging in the South West over the past two weeks, it was a nice feeling knowing this wasteful and taxpayer funded lunacy would be coming to a stop (although they left a loophole for the FPC to continue logging under the guise of "environmental maintenance").
Pottering around on the old vehicle tracks and single track leading up to the final climb, I took the time through here to appreciate the forest and the excellent wildflowers dotted through the undergrowth. The final climb wasn't as bad as what I thought and I rounded a corner to be surprised with a sign pointing me into the campsite. Located on top of a hill, this is an excellent spot for a campsite with the surrounding Karri forest providing an extra element to enjoy. Aron was already there and getting ready for the next leg of the journey into Denmark, although he wasn't entirely happy that we were doing it. Ignoring the frosty reception, I was having a blast and was concentrated on refueling and refilling my water bottled for the second half of the day. Signing the log book, I was a bit sad not to be staying here overnight but given it was going to rain for the entirety of the following day, I would rather be wet for an hour or two this afternoon than the whole day tomorrow. After getting all my gear ready, I took some time to walk around the campsite to photograph this stunning spot before heading off to catch up to Aron.
Final Thoughts - As we discussed on the podcast episode for this section (recorded before I write this day up), I think tackling this section as part of a long day into Denmark skewed my experience a fair amount.
If we had ridden this as a normal day by leaving at our usual time and only covering the 56km into camp then the road riding might have seemed like more of an issue. Given I had to press the pace a little bit more, road riding through seemingly endless landscapes is the perfect way to achieve this.
Even taking this into account, I really enjoyed the openness of the stretch from Booner Mundak to Mount Lindesay and only found the road riding a drag when I reached the farmland area.
While this day may not be to everyone's liking, the crossing of the Kent River and the outstanding location of the campsite go a long way to redeeming the long stretches of straight road.
Hopefully I'll return one day to camp a night at Jinung Beigabup and soak in the magic of this iconic location.
Get out there and experience it!!!
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