Tarkastad and surrounds

[Sepia]

Hi All

By any chance does anybody have any gravel road routes out of Tarka in a SW direction?

Would appreciate any help and suggestions in this regard.

Google Maps does not seem to be too informative.

Thanks

[capediver]

Head south out on the R344 towards Mary and Martha (two buttes in the distance) until you get to the control boom, turn right and onto the gravel past Blanco guest farm......follow the gravel road through the gap in the mountains and just pedal, at T-junction, go left....right will take you to Newstead farm, left will take you back onto the R344, left again past Knowsley Farm then left again and back to the boom .......no GPS unfortunately but a glance at Google Earth will show you some great loops in the area.

Some glimpses of the area here...

 

and here

 

Edited February 4, 2018 by capediver

[Tim Brink]

There are some loops/segments on Strava, do a segment search in the area. Dads and moms escaping the sprigs from Blanco, mostly.

[Tim Brink]

https://www.strava.com/activities/463346558#11142477881

 

A loop from Blanco. Quite fun. Gravel-bike heaven, with some gnarly washboard stuff coming back in.

[deanbean]

Where do you want to go from Tarka

[capediver]

https://www.strava.com/activities/463346558#11142477881

 

A loop from Blanco. Quite fun. Gravel-bike heaven, with some gnarly washboard stuff coming back in.

That's exactly the route I had in mind....big country out there!

[captain morgan]

You have a few options , depending how far and where you heading in the winterberg.

Katberg, Adelaide/Bedford or Baviaans. Beautiful area ... we did trip Middleburg, Cradock, Blaco to Hogsback via Katberg ...epic

[Sepia]

Thanks guys

@ Tim - Thanks for the info.  Unfortunately I have no idea how to work Strava.  I will see if I can get somebody with patience to help me out.  Agree, big country out there and I need to have a looksee.

@Captain - More or less the area I would like to ride. Thanks

@Dean - Thought of leaving my vehicle at Tarka and then riding SW for a bit,  Not too fussed as to where, what or how.  Would like to go to Tafelberg, Tsolwana, Martha and Mary, just take it as it comes.  5 - 10 days at my disposal but definitely NOT racing.

@Diver - will look that place up and if in the right direction,......who knows.

[Kranswurm]

I can honestly say I have never been there in my life

I need another road trip

[Sepia]

You have a few options , depending how far and where you heading in the winterberg.

Katberg, Adelaide/Bedford or Baviaans. Beautiful area ... we did trip Middleburg, Cradock, Blaco to Hogsback via Katberg ...epic

Captain, this sounds like the plan excluding Baviaans.  Did that on a seperate mission.  It is worth a trip on its own.  Down to Katberg.  Sounds like fun. Excellent choice.

 

Krans, as Tim said, Big Country out there.  It needs a trip,

Edited February 5, 2018 by Sepia

[Slowbee]

 

 

not to many roads to do loops

 

 

 

 

[Slowbee]

 

could not find any info on the lodge and there was no one around when we went in to ask.

 

 

the toads around Tsolwana. You should find out if you can stay with them. The accomodation is right at the gate and is top notch! As I am sure you are aware, it is used for hunting on the one side. But there is great accomodation at the gate with access to long roads. If you care to explore, there were many many tracks around the reserve that were not on tracks for africa, nor on google earth.

 

 

 

one of the two sisters. These could be easily reached from tarkastad.

[Slowbee]

 

this is a traffic jam in tarkastad. It has two tar roads

 

Interesting little farming town - but not without the usual problems of education and unemployment.

 

 

The road to commando drift nature reserve. A bit bumpy in places, but otherwise a great road (some big hills though). More an out and back kinda road.

 

(PS loved how to road surface changed all the time as an indication of the geology).

[Slowbee]

This is a link to tracks for africa online version. You can get most of the detail - but it does not let you zoom in to see the "smaller" tracks.

 

But a great tool for planning and such like. and it does most of africa

 

https://tracks4africa.co.za/listings/item/w152750/tarkastad/

[Shebeen]

my parents took me to Blanco twice, in the 80's.

 

from what I can remember

*activities = golf/bowls/squash

*riding = horses

*parents activity - kids get looked after and they hit the bar.

 

 

if this is still the case, then i need to look taking my kids there!

[Sepia]

This is a link to tracks for africa online version. You can get most of the detail - but it does not let you zoom in to see the "smaller" tracks.

 

But a great tool for planning and such like. and it does most of africa

 

https://tracks4africa.co.za/listings/item/w152750/tarkastad/

Thanks for this Slowbee.  I am an appie at this computer thing.

 

Our old family farm incorporated Tafelberg - Thibet Park (Tsolwana) and my old next door neighbors son runs the reserve.  Small world.

He has told me he would arrange it that I ride the reserve. 

Have no plans really just an old nostalgic trip back in time and seeing the things I last saw as a small child.

 

I know the Queenstown area very well indeed but this are is all newish to me and all the names have changed.