Rides Around George and Knysna on Gravel Bike

[Kevin Simon]

Good day everyone,

Hope you are all well and getting pumped for those holiday rides.

I am going away to Ballots Bay (by George) and Noetzie (by Knysna) this December (2021), and I have planned a few possible routes to do on my gravel bike, but in terms of safety, I’m not sure about any of them. I will be cycling alone, unless anyone wants to meet up and join me (send me a DM and we can see if we can arrange something).

Could anyone tell me what routes listed below are best, and if there are any other routes I could maybe look into.

Route: From Ballots Bay to Wilderness: https://www.strava.com/routes/2881620904960023052
 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 1: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886926504172100228

 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 2: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886949716579436164

 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 3: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886975249377243920

 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 4: https://www.strava.com/routes/2894679346089661106

Route: Ballots Bay to Harold’s Bay: https://www.strava.com/routes/2887331328237224382

 

Route: Riding around Noetzie Tree Plantations: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886634106250838660

 

Route: Noetzie to Plett: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886978934725230212

Thanks,

Kevin

[NotShatterProof]

I don't own a gravel bike (only MTB) but I would say the routes are OK. From a safety perspective you should be fine except for the small section where you turn left and head to the mall on the highway (from a traffic perspective) from other perspectives see below.

Some specific comments:

1. Route to Wilderness. When you get off the Saasveld road you can stay on Whites road, I think it will be more enjoyable that way on a gravel bike, and a bit longer and a gentler descent.

2. Knysna 1. Looks fine, Comment above applies. Be warned though, the section around Rondevlei is always extremely corrugated (people in cars and trucks have no mercy)

3. Knysna 2. Looks fine but be careful at the turn-off from the 7-passes toward Hoekville, there is a big township there and I have had some threatening behaviour there in the past. However, nowadays I get there really early and then the trouble causers seem to be asleep mostly

4. Knysna 3. Looks fine see comments above. Be aware however, in the summer sections of that route around the Ruigtevlei forestry station can get very sandy and will require a fair bit of skill or a lot ot trudging in very hot conditions.

5. Knysna 4. Legendary route, will be great on a gravel bike I think. The Homtini pass is almost always rutted so resist the temptation to go fall blast on the downhill. As you get up to Rheenendal there is a township where I have had some heckling in the past but in general (i.e. almost always) it is fine.

If I get some more time I will check out the other routes. Depending on your taste for adventure there is plenty more stuff you can do. Top of my head for a gravel bike: ride to Bergplaas, ride to the top of the Montagu (exercise caution at the quarry though).

[jcza]

57 minutes ago, Kevin Simon said:

Good day everyone,

Hope you are all well and getting pumped for those holiday rides.

I am going away to Ballots Bay (by George) and Noetzie (by Knysna) this December (2021), and I have planned a few possible routes to do on my gravel bike, but in terms of safety, I’m not sure about any of them. I will be cycling alone, unless anyone wants to meet up and join me (send me a DM and we can see if we can arrange something).

Could anyone tell me what routes listed below are best, and if there are any other routes I could maybe look into.

Route: From Ballots Bay to Wilderness: https://www.strava.com/routes/2881620904960023052
 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 1: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886926504172100228

 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 2: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886949716579436164

 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 3: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886975249377243920

 

Route: Ballots Bay to Knysna Heads Route 4: https://www.strava.com/routes/2894679346089661106

Route: Ballots Bay to Harold’s Bay: https://www.strava.com/routes/2887331328237224382

 

Route: Riding around Noetzie Tree Plantations: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886634106250838660

 

Route: Noetzie to Plett: https://www.strava.com/routes/2886978934725230212

Thanks,

Kevin

Route 4 is the best route - 7 passes. There is also a couple of loops around Sedgefield and Wilderness perfect for gravel bike. You can ride on the N2 but 7 passes is so much better. 

[Kevin Simon]

Thanks for the response guys. 
 

43 minutes ago, NotShatterProof said:

1. Route to Wilderness. When you get off the Saasveld road you can stay on Whites road, I think it will be more enjoyable that way on a gravel bike, and a bit longer and a gentler descent.

I see what you mean, looks like a better way to go.

45 minutes ago, NotShatterProof said:

2. Knysna 1. Looks fine, Comment above applies. Be warned though, the section around Rondevlei is always extremely corrugated (people in cars and trucks have no mercy)

I looked at google street view and I see what you mean about the extreme corrugation. 
 

48 minutes ago, NotShatterProof said:

3. Knysna 2. Looks fine but be careful at the turn-off from the 7-passes toward Hoekville, there is a big township there and I have had some threatening behaviour there in the past. However, nowadays I get there really early and then the trouble causers seem to be asleep mostly

Thanks for warning. I will be leaving early on all my rides, around 5am, so traffic shouldn’t be too bad, and I don’t see it being a huge issue, though I will pick up the pace a bit when I go past there.

51 minutes ago, NotShatterProof said:

5. Knysna 4. Legendary route, will be great on a gravel bike I think. The Homtini pass is almost always rutted so resist the temptation to go fall blast on the downhill. As you get up to Rheenendal there is a township where I have had some heckling in the past but in general (i.e. almost always) it is fine.

It’s starting to look like this route is the best, so I think I’ll do this one. Thanks for the heads up, another spot where I’ll pick up the pace.

 

14 minutes ago, jcza said:

Route 4 is the best route - 7 passes. There is also a couple of loops around Sedgefield and Wilderness perfect for gravel bike. You can ride on the N2 but 7 passes is so much better. 

I think that’s the one I’ll do. 
What are some of the routes I could do? I have never cycled around any of these areas as I have only been cycling for 6 weeks, and never cycled around there when I was small, so don’t know these areas very well at all.

 

With all my cycles I will be starting at around 5am, I like to get some distance before it starts to get hot and the traffic picks up, plus I’m there with family, so most of my rides I have tried to make it that it ends somewhere where I can meet them for breakfast, and then go home with them and be able to have a full day to go to the beach, sight see, and do all the holiday stuff.

[jcza]

Check the map and you will see there are a number of roads from N2 up to 7 passes from Wilderness all the way to Knysna. All climbing up to 7 passes but great fun coming down. Some tar and some dirt. I find it preferable to climb on dirt and descend on tar. For added fun find T-Shirt hill. Use route plannner on Strava. 

[Bos]

Knysna:

I didnt look at your routes, nut a couple of quick pointers from me. I grew up there and go back about twive a year and over Xmass. 

"Kom se pad" is a great route, a little rough at times, but its proper, depending on which way you do it. Big climbs, indigenous forest etc.  

There is a township at the Noetzie turnoff (off the N2) so be careful. Remember, people get bored over holliday times..

From Personal experience, there are so many riding groups leaving from the Shell garage on Laguna Drive( where the Oyster festival rides finish) That I would be hard pressed to do to many long solo rides, when you could have guided rides through the best routes with great company, daily! Its mostly MTB, However, Im sure there will be a GG group this year too. Otherwise. Just take the MTB

[Kevin Simon]

1 hour ago, jcza said:

Check the map and you will see there are a number of roads from N2 up to 7 passes from Wilderness all the way to Knysna. All climbing up to 7 passes but great fun coming down. Some tar and some dirt. I find it preferable to climb on dirt and descend on tar. For added fun find T-Shirt hill. Use route plannner on Strava. 

Been looking through and seeing what roads are popular, though since I don’t know the area, it’s a bit difficult to know what I’m plotting and what’s safe and what not. I cannot find a ‘T-Shirt Hill’, where exactly is this?

 

1 hour ago, Bos said:

"Kom se pad" is a great route, a little rough at times, but its proper, depending on which way you do it. Big climbs, indigenous forest etc.  

Looks like a great route! Is it in a nature reserve? It looks like I would have to drive there, as I don’t see anyway to get there from Noetzie without going through the settlement. I don’t want to go near these large settlements alone as it just seems very risky to me. If I were in a large group I would be okay with it.

1 hour ago, Bos said:

From Personal experience, there are so many riding groups leaving from the Shell garage on Laguna Drive( where the Oyster festival rides finish) That I would be hard pressed to do to many long solo rides, when you could have guided rides through the best routes with great company, daily! Its mostly MTB, However, Im sure there will be a GG group this year too. Otherwise. Just take the MTB

Could I just show up or do I need to join any of these groups? I have never ridden in a group before, so not sure how they work. I tried to find Laguna Drive, but can’t see to find it on maps. Well I only have the choice of taking either my gravel bike, or my gravel bike, though I could take my gravel bike as well…I only have the 1 bike, but I have done some mountain biking on it with my friend, I just don’t go as fast as no suspension, so it can be quite brutal at times. 
 

Im not sure about Knysna or George, but here in Joburg, where I ride, I seem to do more off-roading than the people who own mountain bikes. I always see these groups of mountain bikers everywhere, but they always cycling on the road when there are some lovely little tracks next to the road to cycle on…don’t get it.

[jcza]

TShirt Climb | Strava Ride Segment in South Cape DC, South Africa, WC, South Africa

[Kevin Simon]

16 minutes ago, jcza said:

TShirt Climb | Strava Ride Segment in South Cape DC, South Africa, WC, South Africa

Thanks, made a route with this segment in it, should be a fun ride: https://www.strava.com/routes/2895279734110455062

[Wayne pudding Mol]

I ride the 7 passes a lot - the gravel is incredibly smooth at the moment - for safety drive to the brenton on sea turn off and start from phantom pass

anyone who has had issues with the 2 townships on the 7 passes must be incredibly unlucky - I ride through the Hoekwil  one everytime I ride my bike and often return through it too - my daughter has playdates there 

There are endless options and loops off the 7 passes and hoogekraal climb is a must 

you’d be hard pressed to find safer and nicer gravel riding that Knysna George 

avoid the N2 and avoid the township near the Noetzie turnoff 

have fun 

[Kevin Simon]

1 hour ago, Wayne pudding Mol said:

for safety drive to the brenton on sea turn off and start from phantom pass

Seems like it’s a bit off the way. For the 7 pass I will be starting on the George side, once in Noetzie, I would like to stick to that area and possibly cycle to Plett, though not sure on the safety on that one yet as from what I can see, it looks like I’ll have to hop onto the N2 for a little bit of the way.

[buckstopper]

Going down t shirt hill is quite bone crunching on a gravel bike. Try going up it rather????. I did it both ways in Sept. Enjoyed the ascent more. Was a bit tough on my 34/34 I must say. I was told the name of the hill is from "if you can run all the way to the top,  you get a t-shirt". White Road out of Wilderness also a properly steep climb, although the tar makes it more doable,  but up to 20% in places. Also maybe worth making contact with Eugene at Cycleworx Sedgefield. He leads 6am rides from his shop off the n2. Riding on the gravel along the vleis lovely early morning. And flat!

[Stavros94]

I live up here and only ride alone … my meditation! So far touch wood no issues.
 

Seven passes from phantom pass is epic and safe watch out on the reenendal road till you take the gravel turn off cars drive quite fast and there is no shoulder. 
 

the passes are all perfectly safe but always apply slight caution ⚠️  (I think us as South Africans do this automatically) 
 

a cool ride is from knysna to Union dale and back (or just a portion of the way and back if you are not keen for 100km plus round trip) you can park at the top of simola take the gouna turn off and go from there ! Safe and stunning. 

I’ll unfortunately be in CPT when you are up here otherwise wouldhave loved to link up for some rides. 
 

my routes are mostly. Gouna road/ kom se pad (i just take it from the simola side so I avoid any townships )

seven passes

and then just some rides on the tar defos ride to brenton on sea epic climb my local as I live this side. 

 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

7 hours ago, buckstopper said:

Going down t shirt hill is quite bone crunching on a gravel bike. Try going up it rather????. I did it both ways in Sept. Enjoyed the ascent more. Was a bit tough on my 34/34 I must say. I was told the name of the hill is from "if you can run all the way to the top,  you get a t-shirt". White Road out of Wilderness also a properly steep climb, although the tar makes it more doable,  but up to 20% in places. Also maybe worth making contact with Eugene at Cycleworx Sedgefield. He leads 6am rides from his shop off the n2. Riding on the gravel along the vleis lovely early morning. And flat!

Sounds like you rode up the tar version of whites - that’s world tour level steep - there is a much longer but beautiful and more gradual smooth gravel version for next time  

[eala]

20 hours ago, jcza said:

Check the map and you will see there are a number of roads from N2 up to 7 passes from Wilderness all the way to Knysna. All climbing up to 7 passes but great fun coming down. Some tar and some dirt. I find it preferable to climb on dirt and descend on tar. For added fun find T-Shirt hill. Use route plannner on Strava. 

I rode T-shirt hill at 12 am on a very hot day in December .My bad ,did not know the area and just set off .Noticed something is up when the cars coming down encouraged me to stay on the bike and ride it .I turned left to Hoekwil back to wilderness .Great ride 

[eala]

Worthwhile visiting also for some incredible gravel roads are the ones inland from Hartenbos ,Klein and Grootbrak ,Ruitersbos,Bonnydale,Geelbeksvlei,Donalshoogte.Miles of super quite perfect gravel roads