Signature Retreat

Blue Derby / St Helens Mountain Bike Trails

Our original must-do retreat. We head to the home of Australian mountain biking, Blue Derby then on to the beautiful St Helens Mountain Bike Trails

Why Derby and St Helens?

Derby is an essential experience for any rider's bucket list. The MTB trails in the stunning wilderness surrounding the historic mining town have been meticulously crafted to offer an unparalleled cycling experience. Regardless of your skill level or preferences, there is a trail suited to everyone. It has expansive wilderness trails offering world-class descents and beautiful green trails closer to town. To enhance our Derby adventure, we combine it with a visit to the magnificent holiday destination, the Bay of Fires region, which boasts its own impressive network of St Helens MTB trails.
We will visit Blue Derby and St Helens MTB Trails. We will ride iconic wilderness trails such as Blue Tier, Atlas and Bay of Fires.
Looking for a different style of trip? Head back to Our Trips page to see what else is on offer.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive, Set Up and Unwind

**You are collected from the airport and travel to the famous MTB Mecca of Blue Derby**
The bus will pick you up from either your accommodation in Launceston or the airport prior to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
It is a 90-minute drive to your accommodation in Derby, with a 30 minute stop at the supermarket and bottle shop on the way, arriving around 6:00 pm
Settle into your preallocated room and your home away from home for the next 4 nights.
Tonight we will have dinner and talk about the week ahead.
Unwind in one of the wood-fired hot tubs or simply enjoy a drink on the deck and meet your fellow riders for the week.

Day 2 - Explore Derby Trails

**Start slowly, meet your supportive guides, enjoy a relaxed ride on the Vally Ponds trail, and then venture into the Derby trails.**
Rise and shine with a continental breakfast & coffee in your lodge.
When you’re ready, a bike mechanic will help unbox and build your bike (if you brought your own), or get you set up on a hire bike if you ordered one of these.
Load bikes onto the trailer and a short bus ride to the starting point in Branxholm.
Meet the guides and complete a short skills session. Form into ability groups and ride the Valley Ponds trail back into Derby.
Lunch is back at the lodge where you will discuss the afternoon riding plan.
Different ability groups will head in different directions for the afternoon. Those less confident will explore the lower trails of Derby while the more confident will take shuttles up the hill.
We will head out to one of the local restaurants for dinner.

Day 3 - Blue Tier / Derby

**A blissful descent from the Blue Tier, pub lunch in historic Weldborough and more.**
Hop out of bed to a continental breakfast & coffee in your lodge.
Today is a big day of adventure!
Starting at the top of the famous Blue Tier you descend the Blue Tier Wilderness Trail.
For those less confident, you will explore the green trails around Weldborough.
Lunch at the historic Weldborough Hotel.
Return to Derby on the bus for shuttles or more exploring.
We will have dinner back at our accommodation tonight.

Day 4 - Derby, Swim and Sauna

**We spend the morning continuing our exploration of Derby before enjoying a luxurious afternoon at the Sauna**
Wake up to a continental breakfast & coffee in your lodge.
We split into groups again to explore the seemingly endless Derby Trails. For those who would like, a trip to the Atlas trail is an option.
Some will shuttle, some will ride up and others stay around the base, it is up to you
In the afternoon we take a break from riding to enjoy Derby Lake and the famous Sauna

Day 5 - Bay of Fires Trail

**The Bay of Fires meets you with a day of incredible riding, food, all with your beautiful new friends**
Rise and shine with a continental breakfast & coffee in your lodge.
It is a big day today. Load your bikes and all personal equipment into the trailers as the retreat changes accommodations tonight.
Bay of Fires Trail starts on top of the Blue Tier but this time heads to the East coast of Tasmania.
You can ride the whole trail or only the first or second half.
Enjoy a beautiful picnic lunch amongst the eucalyptus trees at the halfway point.
Finish the day with nibbles and drinks on the stunning white sands of Swimcart Beach.
Head to the new accommodation for dinner at settle in.

Day 6 - Yoga, Dreaming Pools & St Helens

**Morning Yoga then Ride the Dreaming Pools Trail or St Helens shuttles**
Today is a slow start with some easy morning yoga to stretch out those tired muscles. Read a book, go for a walk along the beach or duck into town for a coffee.
Later in the morning, we will load the bikes and head to the St Helens trail network for our final ride.
Choose between completing the classic Dreaming Pools wilderness trail (with a dip in a natural waterfall for the brave), or enjoying shorter runs on the many descents from Loila Tier on the main St Helens trail network.
Finish in the beautiful town of St Helens where you will have some time to sample a local cafe and look around the town.
Tonight we dine at a fabulous local restaurant. A fitting last supper.

Day 7 - Departure Day

**Sadly the trip concludes and it is time to head back to Launceston**
Start the day with a delicious breakfast and a final walk along the beach
Pack up your bike ready to go with help from our guides
The bus will depart the accommodation at 9:30 am and arrive at Launceston airport at 12:30 pm and then onto Launceston CBD.

What is included*

Scheduled airport shuttle to/from Launceston Airport & accommodation
5 days of incredible mountain biking with optional coaching and skills
6 nights of boutique accommodation
A visit to the Derby Floating Sauna & Yoga at the Bay of Fires
All breakfasts
All dinners
3 lunches
All mountain bike shuttles as indicated in the itinerary
2 x MTB guides when on the trails, bike mechanical support + more
*These are the standard inclusions in the signature Derby / St Helens retreat. Other trips have different inclusions. Check their page for details.

What is not included

Bike Rental: This is an extra if you do not have your own bike. Click here for details
Non-scheduled Launceston shuttles. Sorry, we don’t offer shuttles at alternative times. You are welcome to make your own way to Derby, and from St Helens, if you like, just let us know when you register.
Beverages: In general, you are responsible for your own beverages & alcoholic drinks.
Specialised Riding Snacks: Although some snacks and drinks will be available each day, you might like to bring your own personal ride snacks and electrolyte replacements.
Airfares
Travel Insurance. We strongly recommend you take this to cover you in the event of cancellations or accidents/ loss.

Signature Retreat FAQs

Our aim by the end is to allow you to escape, connect, evolve … and of course, indulge in local delicacies.
Who is this trip suitable for?
The retreat caters for up to 12-15 women, has flexibility, and accommodates all skill levels. Riders normally form into 3 groups each day based on confidence, fitness and skills, exploring trails most suited to that group. Take a look at the day-by-day itinerary for more details. If you are a beginner and not sure if this trip is for you, please reach out. It will come down to
- do you want to improve to ride blue trails?
- do you have adequate base fitness?
- are you confident mounting, dismounting, or riding a bike off roadside curbs?
- if yes to the above, then you are a great candidate for this trip.
- if not it might be worth looking at our new Gravel and Greens trip.
Is this a Women's Only Trip?

Certainly is! The trip is specifically designed for women, creating a safe and inclusive environment that fosters female empowerment. It offers a unique opportunity for women to connect, support each other, and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. So, yes, it is a women's only trip.
What sort of a bike do I need?

For this trip, we will likely head onto the blue trails and think you need a full-suspension bike. While you can get away with a hardtail, it will be a much better experience on a dual-suspension bike.
You need to make sure your bike is recently serviced and bring some spare parts. We are heading to remote areas with limited support for bikes. We will have a bike mechanic along for the trip with some generic parts as we understand how important it is to keep you moving. As with all our trips, we are there to support you build and pack your bike out of the bag/box you transport it in.
What is the group size for this trip?

The group will be between 12 to 16 riders and 4 staff. The larger group enables us to split into ability levels and choose different routes to suit. On most days we have 2 female bike guides, a bike mechanic and a driver to keep everyone enjoying the riding.
How do I book?

Head to our dates and inclusions page for details