I first heard the legend of Blackstone Castle when I was fifteen and my Nanna had joined the local historical society. So, with our imaginations full of visions of turrets and drawbridges my grand parents and I headed to Blackstone where we took a walk up the hill in search of the lost castle.We wandered up a dusty track and reached the summit of the hill to find...well, not very much actually, just a single half-collapsed brick wall and some rusty old car bodies. Not exactly the Welsh castle I had been imagining, but intriguing none the less. Skip forward (cough) twenty odd years. I've been to Wales and back, I've seen a few castles but I am still just as fascinated about our "castle". How did Ipswich have and lose a castle, who built it, what's really left of it?HistoryFortunately for me, in 2015 the Ipswich Art Gallery held an exhibiton "Brynhyfryd – lost castle of Blackstone Hill" which bought together a collection objects from Brynhyfryd, including decorative objects, furniture, family heirlooms and other parts of the building retrieved from demolition. The exhibition also featured photographs of the building in its glory days and was accompanied by a history of its rise and fall.

Who doesn't love a day out on the trails? Twisting through chicanes, pushing up ascents and thundering back down to earth on the other side. It only makes sense that we give a little back to ourselves on occasion and what better way to do it than delving into some of the best in mountain biking that the region has to offer.Thankfully, right here in Ipswich there's loads of places to explore and we've done the hard yards to get all that information right here in the one place.

My name is Ben Forbes, I’ve been racing for 21 years across 29 countries. I continue to race whilst coaching mountain biking to all levels and providing mountain bike hire to push my mission of making it a more accessible sport for all. If you like what you see and hear on this article and want to get involved but don’t have a bike, contact me on ForbesMTB.com.au.We are truly lucky here in Ipswich, and here’s why.Castle Hill is the BEST option for rainy daysWhen it Rains, it Drains. Due to the porous gravel and rock, the trails of Castle Hill hold up super well when it rains so your bike isn’t going to degrade as much as going to somewhere where the mud would get amongst your drivetrain, brakes, frame bearings and suspension.

An escape to the country doesn’t always have to be road trips that turn into hours! Just 45 minutes out of Brisbane and you could be putting two wheels to this stretch of rail line from the 1800s… also known as the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.   The trail famously takes in beautiful towns like Yarraman and Esk… but let us tell you, all the fun begins a whole lot closer to home! Wulkuraka is the start of this 161km ride… located just 10 minutes from the City of Ipswich. It then continues to Fernvale, before looping westwards to Lowood and then continuing north to Coominya, Esk, Toogoolawah, Moore, Linville, Benarkin, and Blackbutt before finally arriving in Yarraman.

Fresh mountain air… the wind beneath your wings… just you and 12,000 acres of pure biking bliss! If this has triggered your inner adventurer, well you’ll be pleased to hear you only have to travel to the City of Ipswich for this experience… welcome to Hidden Vale Adventure Park! Drive an hour from Brisbane to the City of Ipswich and soon enough you’ll find yourself exploring their rugged trails that span over 100kms in length. But don’t be fooled if you think entry here is just for the elite… this place caters for all.

Hidden Vale Adventure Park (HVAP) is quickly becoming one of the hearts of mountain biking in Ipswich. With over 110km of professionally built trail networks and some of the longest descents in all of Southeast Queensland, HVAP is a must ride destination!Having ridden and raced at HVAP more times I can count, with many successful results, here are my top five trails to tackle at HVAP!