St John's Wood Ashgrove

This delightful leafy walk/ride follows Enoggera Creek through lush eucalypt groves and past golden bamboo clusters as it twists through St John’s Wood and encircles the Ashgrove Sportsground on its way to Dorrington Park. In the middle section metal plates at intervals along the path give historical time lines of the area. The journey is about 6-7km return, paved and predominantly flat and cycling wise there is a brief on road section at quiet Acacia Drive.

*Those with accompanying dogs might want to start or end the walk a little further east up Waterworks Road at pet-friendly Sweet Crumbs cafe and bakery, otherwise pups can be secured outside Banneton Bakery.

1. Either take the ‘385BUZ The Gap’ bus via Waterworks Rd to Monoplane St Ashgrove or park in the vicinity (those with small children in tow may prefer to turn right into Gresham St and park in Royal Parade). The Banneton Bakery in the tiny pocket of shops here serves excellent coffee and snacks if in need of an energy boost. Cross the road to Gresham St and plunge straight into St Johns Wood via the path on the right.

2. St Johns Wood, named after the 1880’s house that was the residence of Justice Harding, was in its day a hot spot for royal visitors. Grandsons of Queen Victoria including Prince Albert (aka Mad Eddy) and Prince George (later King George V and father of stutterer George VI) stayed here as did the Duke and Duchess of York when here to open the first federal parliament. The royal guest house (commonly known as Granite House due to being made from locally quarried stone) still stands at 31 Piddington St, which intersects with Gresham St.

3. Follow the path around via the old Scouts Hall which is on the site of an ex-quarry and once across the footbridge in the clump of forest, take the gum-shaded path to the left which hugs Enoggera Creek on one side and the Ashgrove Sportsground on the other. At intervals along this section of path are the historical plates signifying events in Ashgrove’s past while the glorious bushy Enoggera Hill behind the creek is a no-go zone belonging to the nearby Enoggera Army base.

4. In the distance the gothic white tower of Marist Brothers peeks through the trees, a relic of its early days as a presbytery in the 1930’s and a communications centre for the army in World War II. Continue with this path, which becomes a standard footpath for the duration of Acacia Dr, avoiding the entry over the bridge into the Marist Brothers school grounds then resume the dedicated walk/cycle path along the edge of Marist Brothers sports ground and creek.

5. Cross Mirrabooka Rd to Dorrington Park. Here the options are to either walk/cycle the length of the park to Stewart Rd and return or head up along Mirabooka rd to the Enchanted Forest Playground before returning the same way to the start.