I had not visited the alpine region since my three adult children were little kids, so we headed to Jindabyne for five nights with a stop-over in Canberra. The NRMA Holiday Park is right on the Lake and this is the view from our cabin.

The lakeside bike tracks run through some of the prettiest country you can imagine. I split the rides across two days: the Trout Hatchery Bay Track runs west, while the Tyrolean Village Track goes east. I set out on the western ride at 8am in eight degrees of chill which soon warmed up to a balmy 11 degrees. The track is sealed for about 4kms and then turns into a well-worn but at times rocky and narrow track.

In places, the track reminds me of the Otago Rail Trail: rugged, isolated, undulating, and beautiful.

It was 25 kms and two hours return, slow going but safe and scenic the whole way.

On the second day, I set out around the same time but in three degrees of chill. I couldn’t feel my hands but dared not delay the morning run because the afternoon was reserved for hiking to Mt. Kosciuszko Lookout. The eastern side of the lake also has a sealed path for a few kms before turning into into dirt track.

The scenery is breathtaking, especially in the early morning light.

I met this tourist couple who were doing a six month tour of Australia. They were living the dream and amazed at the beauty they found here.

The track and views are great until you reach Jindabyne Dam, where it gets really rough. I mistakenly ended up on a Black Diamond track, when I really wanted to cruise the Green Beginners track. Need to be more careful next time. What a great way to spend an hour and a half, but full suspension and wide tyres essential.