Gravel grind routes in and around Cape Town

[Mamil]

I turn 50 this year. Which means I must be grown up.

 

So in a splurge of childlike self indulgence and with the arbitrary assignation of this milestone as justification, the bicycle stork is delivering a new baby to make mine a one rider and three bike family. Protein bars in lieu of cigars all round.

 

I'm taking out a notice in the local rag -

 

To Mamil, a new baby, checkpoint.

 

Ahead lies the Amarider 100 miler and the Swartberg Granfondo and Around the Pot a little later on.

 

So - what nice gravel grinding routes in and around Cape Town do the more seasoned GGs ride? Share a Strava link?

[Shebeen]

following!

 

I'm guessing north from durbanville area to philadelphia and surrounds. basically between N7 and R27 there's some options.

[Mamil]

Nothing? Bumping this.

[Jewbacca]

Hey Mamil

 

Are you in Cape Town?

 

I do some full peninsula rides taking in the greenbelts, the kirstenbosch trail, the gravel roads from rhodes mem to tafelberg road, then some tar through camps bay, smitswinkel. From there you can head back over the Nek via some fun gravel through orange kloof or head over chappies and up Ou Wa pad. Do the Silvermine loop, hit the mast etc.... 

 

A lot of it is pretty rough but quite doable on the Gravel bike.

 

I would guess most geniune 'gravel' routes would be outside Cape Town towards the more rural side of life. 

[Mamil]

Thanks Jewbacca - sounds great - do you have a strava link to such a ride?

 

Hey Mamil

 

Are you in Cape Town?

 

I do some full peninsula rides taking in the greenbelts, the kirstenbosch trail, the gravel roads from rhodes mem to tafelberg road, then some tar through camps bay, smitswinkel. From there you can head back over the Nek via some fun gravel through orange kloof or head over chappies and up Ou Wa pad. Do the Silvermine loop, hit the mast etc.... 

 

A lot of it is pretty rough but quite doable on the Gravel bike.

 

I would guess most geniune 'gravel' routes would be outside Cape Town towards the more rural side of life. 

[Jewbacca]

Thanks Jewbacca - sounds great - do you have a strava link to such a ride?

I'm not much of a Strava guy... I tend to just ride until I start running out of time or feeling weary. 

 

I know where the road 'outs' are and where the gravel bits link up pretty well from years of exploring the peninsula so never really plan much.

 

If you know where certain things start and end you can easily throw a few loops together

[Mamil]

Cool - where are the entrances to ou wa pad?  And Orange Kloof?

 

 

Hey Mamil

 

Are you in Cape Town?

 

I do some full peninsula rides taking in the greenbelts, the kirstenbosch trail, the gravel roads from rhodes mem to tafelberg road, then some tar through camps bay, smitswinkel. From there you can head back over the Nek via some fun gravel through orange kloof or head over chappies and up Ou Wa pad. Do the Silvermine loop, hit the mast etc.... 

 

A lot of it is pretty rough but quite doable on the Gravel bike.

 

I would guess most geniune 'gravel' routes would be outside Cape Town towards the more rural side of life. 

[Mamil]

Google is my friend but Orange kloof?

[sluiper]

Had to go back a bit in Strava to find this. For some reason only got part of the ride but should give you an idea of where to go if you want to do Orange Kloof. This was in 2014 but from what I remember this route is definitely gravel friendly.

 

I'm also pretty sure you could do the Constantia Nek to Newlands forest track on a gravel bike. Very few technical/rocky sections.

[NC_lurker]

Gotta admit I thought access to the Orange Kloof ring road/path was restricted & especially not open for cycling.

[Jewbacca]

Gotta admit I thought access to the Orange Kloof ring road/path was restricted & especially not open for cycling.

If you go in through the gates at Suikerbossie, turn right it follows a paved/gravel road to a gate. Call the number on the gate for the code.

 

Follow the road down and it drops you out near Disa road? (i think). Cross the Nek road, turn right and left and head up into the housing estate. Steep climb up to first left where you join the gravel road which takes you up to the circle at Constantia Nek 

[NC_lurker]

Aah, ok you're taking about that section through the housing estate. Got it.

 

Sluiper's image however shows accessing Orange Kloof reserve..

[sluiper]

Aah, ok you're taking about that section through the housing estate. Got it.

 

Sluiper's image however shows accessing Orange Kloof reserve..

 

I don't remember it being restricted but this was almost 5 years ago so things might have changed. Also possible that I just found an open gate while exploring the area.

[Jewbacca]

Aah, ok you're taking about that section through the housing estate. Got it.

 

Sluiper's image however shows accessing Orange Kloof reserve..

As far as I know, the actual higher part of Orange kloof is restricted by SanParks for hikers, never mind bikes!

 

There are some amazing gravel roads up the just below the dams but one needs a permit from 'Parks and they issue very few.

[NC_lurker]

As far as I know, the actual higher part of Orange kloof is restricted by SanParks for hikers, never mind bikes!

 

There are some amazing gravel roads up the just below the dams but one needs a permit from 'Parks and they issue very few.

Yup, that was my understanding, it's always been restricted access.

 

I've only ever run through there during the Crazy Store challenge & once as part of a group that organised a permit somehow.

 

Would be amazing if the MTB trails were granted access to expand the "round the mountain" route but I can't ever see that happening.

[sluiper]

Yup, that was my understanding, it's always been restricted access.

 

I've only ever run through there during the Crazy Store challenge & once as part of a group that organised a permit somehow.

 

Would be amazing if the MTB trails were granted access to expand the "round the mountain" route but I can't ever see that happening.

 

OK, my bad, no idea how I got there then.