MTB hermanus

[Irons]

Got a strava file or kmz please!

 

Sent you a PM with the file.

[kader01]

Sorry for the hijack.

Is hemel en aarde trail Safe To ride alone on weekends? Is there a good time of year to ride it (more populated)?

[SwissVan]

Yes

 

White stone cycles (BMT) - Paul

Hermanus Cycles (??) - Leon

Eoudia

Thank you, will check them out

BMT.... what’s that?

[ChrisF]

Sorry for the hijack.

Is hemel en aarde trail Safe To ride alone on weekends? Is there a good time of year to ride it (more populated)?

 

I have done it a couple of times - either alone, or with our 7 year old.

 

Weekday mornings, weekends early morning and midday rides.  Always felt safe.

[ChrisF]

Thank you, will check them out

BMT.... what’s that?

Eoudia is extra handy in that the Hermanus trails START from their shop.  You buy the trail permit there.

[Goosebay]

For those holidaying in the Hermanus Stanford Gansbaai (Overstrand area) just a heads up of what is available:

 

In Hermanus you have the urban trail and Hemel and Aarde trails - highly recommended and well known.  Signage good

 

Wildekrans near Botriver

 

Stanford has some trails as well as Beloftebos nearby

 

Gansbaai has some trails that start from the Lomond Wine Estate tasting rooms (open everyday )

 

If you want to suffer do the full Klipspringer, but the fun trails are the red at Lomond and the blues on Boesmans - if you link the 2 you can have up to 25km of fun track.

 

Boesmans is having an opening day :http://www.bikehub.co.za/events/event/3390-boesmansrivier-open-dayfun-ride/

 

If you want to look at some basic maps of the trails near Gansbaai go here: http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/jcl/rides%20to%20do.html

 

 

 

What the trails are looking like now - pincushions in their prime and loads of colour - with the concomitant birds

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by Goosebay

[Meezo]

thanks Goosebay, might be in hermanus sometime over christmas will check it out

[Fat Boab]

For those holidaying in the Hermanus Stanford Gansbaai (Overstrand area) just a heads up of what is available:

 

In Hermanus you have the urban trail and Hemel and Aarde trails - highly recommended and well known.  Signage good

 

 

 

Would you have some info, or a link, for the urban trail? I'm in Hermanus over the xmas season 'armed' with a  gravel bike and may be keen....but I'm a roadie who doesn't mountain bike, but something non-technical, did I mention I'm a roadie  , might be nice to try?

[Goosebay]

thanks Goosebay, might be in hermanus sometime over christmas will check it out

I think you will enjoy it!

 

What can you expect from the trails:

 

Full Klipspringer - 32km and much harder than what you would expect

 

Lomond 12km  - Fun single track climb with some switchbacks, look out for the bench at the top and have a rest while you enjoy the view.  The down is as fast and techy as you want it to be.  You can go around most the jumps and drops.  The full downhill has some tech, jumps and little drops and fun fast flow, two little climbs just to get some height to extend the fun.

 

Boesmans is a work in progress.  The short routes at the moment has a climb that has two options.  And then 4 downs.  1 - a forest tunnel that flows into the open; 2 - a forest tunnel that flows into a rock garden which has one tricky section; 3 - a very fast open section that has 3 jumps, the first and last can catch you, the first because you might not clear the gap, the last because you could go much further than you thought, both can be skipped though; 4 - a bit of flow before a rock garden with two little drops and then a fun forest section. 

 

The longer route has a tough climb but a longish very fast downhill that is normally only used once a year on the funky.  Watch your speed here.

 

Enough variations to keep you having fun!

[ldk]

I am aware of the gravel road between Stanford and Die Plaat. Is there a track that links Stanford and Hermanus along the R43? 

[Goosebay]

Would you have some info, or a link, for the urban trail? I'm in Hermanus over the xmas season 'armed' with a  gravel bike and may be keen....but I'm a roadie who doesn't mountain bike, but something non-technical, did I mention I'm a roadie  , might be nice to try?

The urban track includes sand and rocky single track.  All the bike shops will have info (Eoudia, White Stone Cycles, Hermanus Cycles and Precision)

 

A gravel bike ride might be better to go via Hemel and Aarde along the R320 and turn right onto the oudekraal rd past Tesselaarsdal to Raka.  Get picked up there or back to Hermanus via Stanford.  That road unfortunately has no shoulder.  There used to be 2 commuters that kept a little path going, but the one now lives near Onrus and the other is on a motorbike

[Goosebay]

I am aware of the gravel road between Stanford and Die Plaat. Is there a track that links Stanford and Hermanus along the R43? 

No, the commuters no longer commute as far as I am aware.  That road is going to be worked on for the next 3 years as well, so not sure what will happen in the future.

 

Die plaat is rideable at spring low.  Can actually be a very nice ride to Gansbaai, or the other way round if the SE blows.  If the Klein river mouth opens that will not be possible for a while either.

 

The Stanford crowd leave from the Caltex Garage on Sundays at 7 and normally do a 40km or so gravel loop.  Get John Finch's details from Stanford Info

 

The Haarkapper could also be an interesting ride - pm Headshot

[Chingy182]

 

 

The Haarkapper could also be an interesting ride - pm Headshot

I was about to comment on this thread about Tesselaarsdal trail which I thought was absolutely stunning.

 

I am very keen to do the Haarkapper this year. Not sure if it's advised to do this solo?

Been reading up on it and says it gets quite hairy 

[babse]

thanks Goosebay, might be in hermanus sometime over christmas will check it out

same, lets hookup for a ride or 3.

[BenReaper]

same, lets hookup for a ride or 3.

Going to be in Gansbaai for a few days between Christmas and new year's aswell, if you plan on doing the Klipspringer trails round that time I'd like to tag along.

[varkie2]

curious to do the klipspringer full? Is the singletrack nice? Im in hermanus for 2 weeks and might drive out there.