Dullstroom MTB Routes

[CraigCCW]

Hi Guys,

 

I am going to Dullstroom this weekend and permission from management to do a long ride on Saturday.

 

I have heard about the Kruisfontein Loop, and Dullstroom to Tonteldoos rides, which both seem to be nice rides.

 

My main concern is that I will be on my own, has anyone done these routes, are they safe to do on my own.

 

Any other suggestions of routes in that area would also be appreciated.

 

[Cav']

Look on Strava (Segment explore) to see some rides people did whilst there.

[gtr1]

Ridden them. Very safe. Pity they tarred the section from the Bird of Prey centre to golf course. Some nice climbing.

 

Can also ride along the railway line.

[Brettowski]

Hi Guys,

 

I am going to Dullstroom this weekend and permission from management to do a long ride on Saturday.

 

I have heard about the Kruisfontein Loop, and Dullstroom to Tonteldoos rides, which both seem to be nice rides.

 

My main concern is that I will be on my own, has anyone done these routes, are they safe to do on my own.

 

Any other suggestions of routes in that area would also be appreciated.

Soooo, prey do tell... how was the riding?

 

We heading there in 2 weeks time and id like some feedback on routes. My wife and I are both fairly fit, so id be keen to hear all about it.

[Eldron]

I did the Tonteldoos loop and the small loop from the Bird of Prey centre by myself this week and felt safe as houses. Do it! Tons of climbing.

[Eldron]

Failing that buy a day pass to Dunkeld and ride the 3 loops inside their property.

 

Or chat to the backpackers - I think it's run by a Hubber.

[Sitting@89]

Someone started a thread a while ago asking for advice on setting up shop and accommodation catering specifically to the needs of cyclists in the dullstroom area

[Pall Catt]

Sorry I'm a bit late to the party here but for future reference, there is plenty of MTBing to be done in Dullstroom. Some suggested routes on public roads are as follows (all starting and ending at the Seattle Coffee Shop on the main road:

 

You can ride out to Tonteldoos and back all on scenic gravel roads. Tonteldoos makes an awesome halfway stop for a coffee or breakfast. You can either stop in the town itself (about 22km each way from Dullstroom) or you can continue on up the road to the Riverman Cabin which has a restaurant too (about 29km each way from Dullstroom). In this route I've also added a detour loop you can take on the way back for some added scenery and to check out a quaint old little church but you could obviously just head straight back along the main road if you prefer.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972829204

 

This one is a 40km ride down to the Highland Gate Golf course on a really nice quiet smooth tar road but then after the golf course it becomes a gravel road. It meanders along the highlands for a while quite close to the escarpment edge and then takes you up a monster gravel road climb back towards Dullstroom to pop you out for the last 3km on the tar road between Lydenburg and Dullstroom.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972806251

 

This is slightly longer variant of the above. Instead of turning straight off on the golf course road, you go further towards Belfast (extra 6.5km on that Belfast road which is not great if you're uncomfortable with high speed traffic) but then turnoff onto a gravel road which loops back around and joins up with the golf course tar road about halfway down and then follows the remainder of the route as described above.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972811150

 

This is a 47 km loop which heads out on the railway gravel road (which is nicer than that sounds) up to De Berg road. From there you follow the tar road for about 6km towards Lydenburg (there is a way to avoid the tar road but I'm not entirely its all public roads - I've never had to jump any gates or anything going that way but it kindof has that private land feel) and then turnoff at Santa to follow the railway gravel road all the way down as it winds along the contours above Walkersons. Then a right turn meanders you along the highlands again with the escarpment on your left and and then you turn right up the same monster climb as the above routes and finish the same.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972814057

(Here is the link for the alternative route avoiding the 6km on the Lydenburg road which as I said, feels like it might use some private land, so be warned - http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972820423)

 

You can also sort of combine the above routes for a bit more distance:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972827251

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972826846 (this one uses that section that feels like it could be private land)

 

This 72km route in my opinion is the best one to do if you are up for a challenge. It takes you out on the railway road and turns into and through Verloren Valei Nature reserve (gravel road) and peaks at about 2300m above sea level, before dropping you down a tar road pass (with a nice wide shoulder) and then turns off on more gravel to Tonteldoos and heads back to Dullstroom. Its a tough 72km.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972823372

 

There are more options of other routes but these should keep you busy for now. Any of these routes could also otherwise be done in reverse. You should be able to export any of these routes from Mapmyride to GPX or you can download the mapmyride app and then I think you can follow them on your phone.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Pall Catt

[Cabous9]

Sorry I'm a bit late to the party here but for future reference, there is plenty of MTBing to be done in Dullstroom. Some suggested routes on public roads are as follows (all starting and ending at the Seattle Coffee Shop on the main road:

 

You can ride out to Tonteldoos and back all on scenic gravel roads. Tonteldoos makes an awesome halfway stop for a coffee or breakfast. You can either stop in the town itself (about 22km each way from Dullstroom) or you can continue on up the road to the Riverman Cabin which has a restaurant too (about 29km each way from Dullstroom). In this route I've also added a detour loop you can take on the way back for some added scenery and to check out a quaint old little church but you could obviously just head straight back along the main road if you prefer.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972829204

 

This one is a 40km ride down to the Highland Gate Golf course on a really nice quiet smooth tar road but then after the golf course it becomes a gravel road. It meanders along the highlands for a while quite close to the escarpment edge and then takes you up a monster gravel road climb back towards Dullstroom to pop you out for the last 3km on the tar road between Lydenburg and Dullstroom.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972806251

 

This is slightly longer variant of the above. Instead of turning straight off on the golf course road, you go further towards Belfast (extra 6.5km on that Belfast road which is not great if you're uncomfortable with high speed traffic) but then turnoff onto a gravel road which loops back around and joins up with the golf course tar road about halfway down and then follows the remainder of the route as described above.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972811150

 

This is a 47 km loop which heads out on the railway gravel road (which is nicer than that sounds) up to De Berg road. From there you follow the tar road for about 6km towards Lydenburg (there is a way to avoid the tar road but I'm not entirely its all public roads - I've never had to jump any gates or anything going that way but it kindof has that private land feel) and then turnoff at Santa to follow the railway gravel road all the way down as it winds along the contours above Walkersons. Then a right turn meanders you along the highlands again with the escarpment on your left and and then you turn right up the same monster climb as the above routes and finish the same.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972814057

(Here is the link for the alternative route avoiding the 6km on the Lydenburg road which as I said, feels like it might use some private land, so be warned - http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972820423)

 

You can also sort of combine the above routes for a bit more distance:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972827251

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972826846 (this one uses that section that feels like it could be private land)

 

This 72km route in my opinion is the best one to do if you are up for a challenge. It takes you out on the railway road and turns into and through Verloren Valei Nature reserve (gravel road) and peaks at about 2300m above sea level, before dropping you down a tar road pass (with a nice wide shoulder) and then turns off on more gravel to Tonteldoos and heads back to Dullstroom. Its a tough 72km.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1972823372

 

There are more options of other routes but these should keep you busy for now. Any of these routes could also otherwise be done in reverse. You should be able to export any of these routes from Mapmyride to GPX or you can download the mapmyride app and then I think you can follow them on your phone.

This is great!!! Thanks for this, is going to be very helpful this weekend! Almost on my way for a well deserved breakaway weekend in Dullstroom.

[bobby]

Going there Easter Weekend, will also try some of those trails.
Thank you Pall

[Pall Catt]

Lekker. Enjoy it and give some feedback on here for future hubbers making the trip.

[Pall Catt]

Going there Easter Weekend, will also try some of those trails.

Thank you Pall

 

Cool, if you or any of your party are also runners, check out this event happening in Tonteldoos on Easter weekend:

 

https://www.entryninja.com/events/event/27781-tonteldoos-cosmos-crusade

 

It starts and finishes at the venue where the Cullinan2Tonteldoos Ultra ends, on that same day.

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

any recommendation on affordable accommodation for a family of four? i don't mind self catering

Edited March 16, 2018 by Kleinfontein

[Warthog]

any recommendation on affordable accommodation for a family of four? i don't mind self catering

PM sent.

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

PM sent.

got it, thank you

[Cabous9]

So last weekend was a nice cold and wettish weekend in Dullstroom. I did the first route as per Paul Catt's post earlier in this forum and went up to Riverman Cabin. On the way back I missed the O'Grady's loop exit. I entered the loop where his entered back onto the main road and just did an in and out down to O'Grady's.

 

This route is proper training (for me that is) and should definitely not be attempted if you're unfit. The last 13km is all climbing and had me swearing and crying and praying, but hey, no pain no gain they said!!!

 

That first 15km or so has quite a lot of corrugation, but still very passable. The rain of the previous night made it just that little more fun with a couple of mud pools on the route. There wasn't a lot of traffic and I felt completely save all the way out and back (done it solo).

 

I stopped at Riverman Cabin for a coffee and on the way back stopped at High Side Tavern in Tonteldoos for ONE beer and Baked Beans on toast.

 

I'm already planning my next trip to Dullstroom, want to do some of the other routes as well. It is truly a great area for mountainbiking!!! Thanks Paul for your route suggestions, maybe if you could add a difficulty grade to each, will help future riders to choose the routes for their fitness level/abilities.