Esk is a small country town in the Brisbane Valley, about eighty kilometres north-west of Brisbane, and a handy place to stop on a day in the hills. It sits on the Brisbane Valley Highway, with fertile farmland all around, growing lucerne, grain and vegetables, and grazing cattle. The town has a classic main street, with a pub, a bakery, a few shops, and a war memorial, and the pace is pleasantly slow. The district was settled in the 1840s by pastoralists, and the town grew with the railway, which brought the produce of the valley to the city.
The railway is gone, but the old line has been converted to the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, a long cycle and walking path through the countryside. The valley, with its soft hills and the broad green flats beside the Brisbane River, makes a gentle contrast with the rainforest roads of Mount Glorious. Nearby, Lake Wivenhoe, the large reservoir built after the 1974 floods, holds much of Brisbane's water and acts as a flood buffer. Its shores have parks and walks, and the area is popular for fishing and kayaking.
The riding around Esk is easy and enjoyable. Roads such as the Esk-Hampton road and the road to Toogoolawah run through rolling pasture, with long views and light traffic. Corners are mostly open and flowing, and the surfaces are good, though cattle grids and the occasional pothole call for a little care. Kangaroos and wallabies feed along the verges at dawn and dusk, and cattle sometimes cross the road. In summer, heat can be intense, and storms build quickly in the afternoon.
For a rider, the town is a service stop with a rural flavour. Fuel is available in the main street, and there are places for a meal or coffee, with a bakery that is a traditional stop for pies. Parking is easy, and the locals are friendly to travellers. Gatton, thirty-eight kilometres to the south, is a larger town with more choice.
Winter and early spring are the nicest times, with cool mornings and clear skies. On a Sunday, the town fills with riders on their way to and from the lakes and hills.