Bottelary Hills MTB Trails

[Hellwarp]

With Ribbok dead, when are we loosing Rooikat?

 

No fixed date, a simple case of when the fence is up its closed, could be this week could be end of the month. Will post here and on FB once fenced off.

[Max Headroom]

Rooikat fence poles are in and the wire lying ready to be erected. Might have been possible to start it but I worried the end might be closed. So I would say its gone

[Rouxenator]

Thanks for the update, so do we just stick to the jeep track and take it to the top before heading right down to the Zevenwag split? 

 

Just to recap, is that all one single game farm and what's the name of it again? 

[Hellwarp]

Thanks for the update, so do we just stick to the jeep track and take it to the top before heading right down to the Zevenwag split? 

 

Just to recap, is that all one single game farm and what's the name of it again? 

Stick to jeep track and follow signage to continue with red route, or to link up with green route and continue to right turn halfway up the hill to link up with Geelslang. Game camps on two farms, Bonfoi & Kastanjeberg.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Hellwarp

[Rouxenator]

Thanks for the feedback, will do 

[mountain_lion]

All the BHC MTB trails are mapped on Trailforks, including all the latest changes.

https://www.trailforks.com/region/bottelary-hills-conservancy-mtb-trails/?trailstyle=random&activitytype=1&m=hybrid&z=13.0&lat=-33.90447&lon=18.77488

 

Get the Trailforks app to keep up to date with changes to the trails.

https://www.trailforks.com/apps/map/

You can submit ride reports via Trailforks to indicate trail conditions and report issues that require attention.
Reports are monitored by the trail maintenance team and help to inform priorities for the next round of maintenance work.

 

By connecting your Trailforks account with Strava, anonymised ride data is is shared with Trailforks whenever you log a ride on Strava,
This provides helpful data e.g, to generate heat maps indicating which trails are ridden most often, shows up mapping errors etc.

This is very useful for trail management and can be used by riders too.

If you use Strava and often ride the BHC trails, please consider connecting your account to Trailforks, it is an easy once-off process.

How to connect Trailforks to Strava: https://www.trailforks.com/help/view/1/

(You can also connect your Garmin account directly to Traiforks if you use that but do not use Strava).

 

Also note that Trailforks maps are fully route-able.
Not only can you plan a route on the trail system, you can also route on the public roads to the trails.

You can route for yourself, or you can create and publish a public route which other riders can then use too.

https://www.trailforks.com/region/bottelary-hills-conservancy-mtb-trails/routes/

Edited March 5, 2021 by mountain_lion

[potgieterg]

I am thinking of giving the trails a go tomorrow morning. Will be my first time riding here, question is where on the Brackenfell side can one park, and then where to get a day permit and at what times do the permit office open?

[Grahambza]

You can get permits at the garage at Sonneike

 

You can park near Hazendal and do green

Otherwise park at devonvale

 

See the post above for the routes on trail forks

[ChrisF]

I am thinking of giving the trails a go tomorrow morning. Will be my first time riding here, question is where on the Brackenfell side can one park, and then where to get a day permit and at what times do the permit office open?

 

Just past the last traffic light you will notice a number of parked vehicles with bike racks, next to Hazendal delivery entrance.

[dirtman]

I am thinking of giving the trails a go tomorrow morning. Will be my first time riding here, question is where on the Brackenfell side can one park, and then where to get a day permit and at what times do the permit office open?

Buy a permit at Engen Soneike 24/7.  You can park inside Hazendal.

 

I am riding from Hazendal parking lot at 7 am tomorrow if you want to join. White Jetta.   Riding red and green routes and maybe yellow as well.   Medium pace.   

Edited March 5, 2021 by dirtman

[potgieterg]

Buy a permit at Engen Soneike 24/7. You can park inside Hazendal.

 

I am riding from Hazendal parking lot at 7 am tomorrow if you want to join. White Jetta. Riding red and green routes and maybe yellow as well. Medium pace.

Ah only saw your reply now, thanks for the offer. Went at 6:30 and roped along a friend, was good fun, might just get a year permit now.

[Rouxenator]

Had a blast out there today, thanks for the zippy alternative Ribbok, I like it. 

 

 

Previously I was able to get to Devonvalley by going up the hill straight across from the Welgevonden traffic lights on the R304. However that is no longer and option. It would be really cool if an alternative route up to Devon valley from the R304 was available via Louisenhof/Kanu/Beyerskloof. 

 

This is how I now access Bottelary Hills.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Rouxenator

[mountain_lion]

Had a blast out there today, thanks for the zippy alternative Ribbok, I like it. 

 

IMG_20210306_120327.jpg

 

Previously I was able to get to Devonvalley by going up the hill straight across from the Welgevonden traffic lights on the R304. However that is no longer and option. It would be really cool if an alternative route up to Devon valley from the R304 was available via Louisenhof/Kanu/Beyerskloof. 

 

This is how I now access Bottelary Hills.

The routes shown are the best I am aware of at present.

Unfortunately the farms you crossed (illegally) before are not members of the Bottelaryhills Conservancy, at least not as far as I know.

 

(A public bypass road over the hill to Devonvalley Rd has been on the long term road planning maps for several decades to alleviate the traffic congestion through Stellenbosch; if or when it will be built is unknown).

[Rouxenator]

I was fortunate in that my dad (Vlottenburg Farm) is in a partnership with the farmer who's land I used to access Devon Valley so he knew about me. I actually first started using that route in 2013 when I was working at Woodmill and rode home that way. 

 

I am aware of the bypass road plans but seeing as this has been planned for at least a decade now I am also not sure when it will happen.

 

It would be cool if Kanu or Beyerskloof have a road that could be used to get to Devon valley from this side. Most of the farms between the R304 and R44 are friendly towards mountain bikers and I have met the land owners a few times when I ride there after work.

[mountain_lion]

I was fortunate in that my dad (Vlottenburg Farm) is in a partnership with the farmer who's land I used to access Devon Valley so he knew about me. I actually first started using that route in 2013 when I was working at Woodmill and rode home that way. 

 

I am aware of the bypass road plans but seeing as this has been planned for at least a decade now I am also not sure when it will happen.

 

It would be cool if Kanu or Beyerskloof have a road that could be used to get to Devon valley from this side. Most of the farms between the R304 and R44 are friendly towards mountain bikers and I have met the land owners a few times when I ride there after work.

If you have contact with the landowners, ask them to consider joining the Bottelaryhills Conservancy.

If there is a route that they are willing to let MTBers use to cross their farms, I am sure we can get it formalised and marked via the Conservancy.

First step is always to approach the landowners.

[Max Headroom]

Man, it's so difficult to keep bugs out of your teeth - from the constant enormous wide smile - on the fantastic Yellow (Fish Eagle) and variety and fun on Blue route on the Bottelary trails at the moment !

Still can't understand why we don't have traffic jams on these trails - so few riders, and what a privilege to have these extensive trails and variety.