Lion Hill (Magaliesburg west) route route a muddy mess at present

[Chris NewbyFraser]

This route is a no-go for mud haters at the moment. This weekend I rode the R763west gravel road route out of Magaliesburg (North West) which is a regular training route for mtb riders who are looking for long gravel miles, not the big climb of Breedts. The area has seen good rains in the past month and the recently scraped road is soft and boggy with a multiple sloppy mud baths. nevertheless, it was nice not to have the corrugations and to ride through the luxuriantly green bushveld. The 6.6km climb up LionHill (past the controversial Jabula Big Cat "sanctuary" is alternatively smooth or stony, with the last(and steepest) kilometre being very loose(see picture). With a 32/32 gravel bike gear my fossilized legs struggled a bit (lot) here. The view across the valley to Breedtsnek and Aasvoelkranswas consoling.

 

For those who don't know the area, there are various distances than can be ridden (55, 84 and 105 are my standard routes - easy to follow), most of it on gravel roads and all of it including rolling hills. These are not very easy rides. Safe parking at the Wimpy in the town provides a good place to refuel after the ride while the adjoining 3* hotel welcomes riders to their beer garden. The Magalies Steam Train stops here once a month and provides an interesting spectacle when this huge lump of hissing metal gets turned around on the train turntable(just a little out of town).

[EmptyB]

This route is a no-go for mud haters at the moment. This weekend I rode the R763west gravel road route out of Magaliesburg (North West) which is a regular training route for mtb riders who are looking for long gravel miles, not the big climb of Breedts. The area has seen good rains in the past month and the recently scraped road is soft and boggy with a multiple sloppy mud baths. nevertheless, it was nice not to have the corrugations and to ride through the luxuriantly green bushveld. The 6.6km climb up LionHill (past the controversial Jabula Big Cat "sanctuary" is alternatively smooth or stony, with the last(and steepest) kilometre being very loose(see picture). With a 32/32 gravel bike gear my fossilized legs struggled a bit (lot) here. The view across the valley to Breedtsnek and Aasvoelkranswas consoling.

 

For those who don't know the area, there are various distances than can be ridden (55, 84 and 105 are my standard routes - easy to follow), most of it on gravel roads and all of it including rolling hills. These are not very easy rides. Safe parking at the Wimpy in the town provides a good place to refuel after the ride while the adjoining 3* hotel welcomes riders to their beer garden. The Magalies Steam Train stops here once a month and provides an interesting spectacle when this huge lump of hissing metal gets turned around on the train turntable(just a little out of town).

Can you post Strava links of the routes please?

[Chris NewbyFraser]

Strava! Me?? Sorry boet. I am BC - don't even own a proper bike GPS, just a little Magellan.

What I can do is get the intersections points references off Google maps and you can set up a ride for yourself. I'll do that later - time for a fat Sunday roast right now!

[Chris NewbyFraser]

These are the Google coordinates for each waypoint long these routes.

GPS coordinates of the Lion Hill routes.

84km route

Start and finish at the Wimpy, Magaliesburg.

Ø  Exit Wimpy, turn left on R24.

Ø  25.998410 / 27.544024 – keep right. As you exit town, follow in direction of Rustenburg.

Ø  25.948668  / 27.515416 – Turn left off R24 onto R763 (gravel road)

o    Confirm route by passing Eastco caravan park on right after approx. 1000m.

Ø  25.955614 / 27.399030 – T-junction turn right.

o    Travel about 500metres

Ø  25.952990 / 27.399030 – turn left

o    After 800m pass cattle feedlot on right

Ø  25.908270 / 27. 314572 – T-junction. Turn left to Boons. Start of Lion Hill.

Ø  25.931224 / 27.266679 – End of Lion Hill shortly after this point. Carry on and ignore road to right.

Ø  25.945581 / 27.256894 – Turn left down small road.

o    Follow obvious road for next section – ignore side roads which lead into farms

Ø  25.967471 / 27.292969 – keep right around ‘big trees’ bend.

Ø  26.006228 / 27.321095 – cross railway line and turn left toward grain silos. (or go straight on to find local store at crossing with main road).

Ø  26.006691 / 27.326932 – after passing silo’s, cross over R509 tar road.

o    Enter gravel road with some traffic from local settlement. Follow for 1000m.

Ø  26.012399 / 27.326073 – turn left and pass settlement for next 600m.

Ø   26.042170 / 27.353711 – Turn left.

o    This road can be rough at times with some long’ish’ drags.

Ø  26.036772 / 27.384610 – ignore road to left (this goes back to the R509)

Ø  26.058055 / 27,443833 – Intersection with R500 tar road. Turn left.

o    Cross over river before turn

Ø  26.021655 / 27.442288 – turn right onto gravel road R100.

Ø  26.010618 / 27.493825 – ignore road to right.

Ø  26.002063 / 27.503400 – Railway line. Turn right and follow service tracks next to line into Magaliesburg town. THIS IS NOT SUITABLE FOR GRAVEL BIKES.

Ø  Gravel bikes follow tar road alongside rail line into town.

105km extention

At the start of Lion Hill:

Ø  25.908270 / 27.314572 – turn right, away from Lion Hill.

Ø  25.860652 / 27.305646 – T-junction with R24 (Rustenburg – Magaliesburg road). Turn left.

o    For next 6km busy tar road. Pass café and then a biltong shop on right side of road.

Ø  25.841187 / 27. 270798 – turn left onto gravel road to Boons. This is a gentle 13km climb which ends at top of Lion Hill..

Ø  25.931224 / 27.270798 – T-junction with Lion Hill road. Turn right to follow rest of route as per 84km ride.

[Mojoman]

These are the Google coordinates for each waypoint long these routes.

GPS coordinates of the Lion Hill routes.

84km route

Start and finish at the Wimpy, Magaliesburg.

Ø  Exit Wimpy, turn left on R24.

Ø  25.998410 / 27.544024 – keep right. As you exit town, follow in direction of Rustenburg.

Ø  25.948668  / 27.515416 – Turn left off R24 onto R763 (gravel road)

o    Confirm route by passing Eastco caravan park on right after approx. 1000m.

Ø  25.955614 / 27.399030 – T-junction turn right.

o    Travel about 500metres

Ø  25.952990 / 27.399030 – turn left

o    After 800m pass cattle feedlot on right

Ø  25.908270 / 27. 314572 – T-junction. Turn left to Boons. Start of Lion Hill.

Ø  25.931224 / 27.266679 – End of Lion Hill shortly after this point. Carry on and ignore road to right.

Ø  25.945581 / 27.256894 – Turn left down small road.

o    Follow obvious road for next section – ignore side roads which lead into farms

Ø  25.967471 / 27.292969 – keep right around ‘big trees’ bend.

Ø  26.006228 / 27.321095 – cross railway line and turn left toward grain silos. (or go straight on to find local store at crossing with main road).

Ø  26.006691 / 27.326932 – after passing silo’s, cross over R509 tar road.

o    Enter gravel road with some traffic from local settlement. Follow for 1000m.

Ø  26.012399 / 27.326073 – turn left and pass settlement for next 600m.

Ø   26.042170 / 27.353711 – Turn left.

o    This road can be rough at times with some long’ish’ drags.

Ø  26.036772 / 27.384610 – ignore road to left (this goes back to the R509)

Ø  26.058055 / 27,443833 – Intersection with R500 tar road. Turn left.

o    Cross over river before turn

Ø  26.021655 / 27.442288 – turn right onto gravel road R100.

Ø  26.010618 / 27.493825 – ignore road to right.

Ø  26.002063 / 27.503400 – Railway line. Turn right and follow service tracks next to line into Magaliesburg town. THIS IS NOT SUITABLE FOR GRAVEL BIKES.

Ø  Gravel bikes follow tar road alongside rail line into town.

105km extention

At the start of Lion Hill:

Ø  25.908270 / 27.314572 – turn right, away from Lion Hill.

Ø  25.860652 / 27.305646 – T-junction with R24 (Rustenburg – Magaliesburg road). Turn left.

o    For next 6km busy tar road. Pass café and then a biltong shop on right side of road.

Ø  25.841187 / 27. 270798 – turn left onto gravel road to Boons. This is a gentle 13km climb which ends at top of Lion Hill..

Ø  25.931224 / 27.270798 – T-junction with Lion Hill road. Turn right to follow rest of route as per 84km ride.

Did you cycle through those bends by Mount Grace/Lovers Rock?! Braver person than me!

 

I would rather take the railway line out of town, towards Vlakdrift, past the garage and then look for the dirt road on the right that takes you into Naauwpoort. You can then pick back up on the dirt road that has these co-ords: 25.955614 / 27.399030 – T-junction turn right.

o    Travel about 500metres

 

Do be aware as well that for the next month or so there will be roadworks in the village. Repairs are finally being made to the railway line section near the Wimpy and down the road to the R509 turn off. Projected time frame is a month but who can say for certain....traffic through the village will be one lane only with 24h stop/go/..