Northern Suburbs Gravel Routes Sanity-check

[MongooseMan]

I realise there are a few similar (older) threads on this topic, but thought it might be useful to post some actual routes, in the hope of getting some local feedback (and hopefully serve as a useful resource for routes for others with similar questions).

Doing some training for Around the Pot, and need a few Saturday rides that'll give me time in the saddle as well as a decent amount of gravel (without spending a weekend in the Overberg/Ceres). The thinking is to drive to Durbanville, park there, ride (hopefully about 80-90km, as much gravel as possible).

With that said, how do these 2 routes stack up in terms of:

• Access (I don't have any MTB permits, are any of the roads off limits?)
• Gravel quality (I have a gravel bike, so no mountain biking hopefully)
• Safety (I'll likely not do these solo, but any particular dodgy areas on route?)

 

I tried to piece together as many nice looking gravel sections as I could find using a combination of Strava heatmap, Google earth, and streetview, and this is what I came up with:

1. https://www.strava.com/routes/2964141783499639926
2. https://www.strava.com/routes/2966731124999153446

 

Thoughts? Any better suggestions? 

Edited June 1, 2022 by MongooseMan

[RossTopher]

those hit all the roads i know and regularly ride on my own.

one option on the 2nd route is to take Malanshoogte from Addeley. you get a stretch of dirt before a smooth tar climb over to Visserhoek and then over back to durbanville. adds a good couple hills that the other roads lack.

if you're able to stretch it to Wellington/Hermon, there is the Porseleinberg road. just dont try access it from Voorpaardeberg, that leads to private land. 

[MongooseMan]

19 minutes ago, RossTopher said:

those hit all the roads i know and regularly ride on my own.

one option on the 2nd route is to take Malanshoogte from Addeley. you get a stretch of dirt before a smooth tar climb over to Visserhoek and then over back to durbanville. adds a good couple hills that the other roads lack.

if you're able to stretch it to Wellington/Hermon, there is the Porseleinberg road. just dont try access it from Voorpaardeberg, that leads to private land. 

Thanks!
I just realised I left out the most important question:
Where's a good place to park/get a cup of coffee afterwards?

[RossTopher]

the popular spots are the Checkers and Village centre with Vida and Bootlegger.

Personally, i prefer Barra (on Gladstone) or Virginia (on Chenoweth). a little quieter, and great if you also have franchise "allergies" 

both have lots of parking space and bike racks, make a good coffee, and are less crowded on a Sat morning.

[MORNE]

I'd still be super vigilant over malans to vissershok, especially at wierd hours when it's quiet.  That whole area Is not 100% safe anymore due to du'noon, especially on your own - even though it is frequented by many cyclists. There have been incidents on Adderley, malans, the crossing at contermans kloof...not to mention contermans road itself is a hotspot due to easy access to du'noon at the quarries with the old ghosted posmansdam rd . And then vissershoh road up the hill is so trashed they even canceled that part for the 99'er. Road looks terrible but also...there is not a shoulder on the way up it and not alot of space either. People swerving for potholes etc might be a bit nervy. Plenty of trucks on that road too due to construction in Clara Anna Fonfontein estate there.  I also rode a lot of these routes on my own/in the dark/ twice a weekend for years. Also depending on the time of day...you have to be carful going past fisantekraal township on lichtenburg rd. incidents reported there too.

im not saying avoid. just saying be careful and alert. 

[Kameel]

I would say try to get in contact with either the DVCC or CMC clubs. They recently started their Around the Pot training and are doing group gravel rides on Saturday mornings in the area. This is the best way to play it safe and also not worry too much about route planning or trying to search for those 'hidden' gravel roads. Both usually start from Durbanville. Routes vary each weekend - can be anything between 60km and 120km, depending on the route.

PM me if you need contact details.

[Newbie321]

7 hours ago, MORNE said:

There have been incidents on Adderley

Any details on this? Adderley is fairly far from dunoon, been riding there for a year and haven't heard about any incidents.

[milky4130]

7 minutes ago, Newbie321 said:

Any details on this? Adderley is fairly far from dunoon, been riding there for a year and haven't heard about any incidents.

I just did the entire Adderley road solo this morning. I've never heard of an incident there either.

[milky4130]

10 hours ago, MongooseMan said:

I realise there are a few similar (older) threads on this topic, but thought it might be useful to post some actual routes, in the hope of getting some local feedback (and hopefully serve as a useful resource for routes for others with similar questions).

Doing some training for Around the Pot, and need a few Saturday rides that'll give me time in the saddle as well as a decent amount of gravel (without spending a weekend in the Overberg/Ceres). The thinking is to drive to Durbanville, park there, ride (hopefully about 80-90km, as much gravel as possible).

With that said, how do these 2 routes stack up in terms of:

• Access (I don't have any MTB permits, are any of the roads off limits?)
• Gravel quality (I have a gravel bike, so no mountain biking hopefully)
• Safety (I'll likely not do these solo, but any particular dodgy areas on route?)

 

I tried to piece together as many nice looking gravel sections as I could find using a combination of Strava heatmap, Google earth, and streetview, and this is what I came up with:

1. https://www.strava.com/routes/2964141783499639926
2. https://www.strava.com/routes/2966731124999153446

 

Thoughts? Any better suggestions? 

This route is perfect, I'll even steal it or do it with you as I'm in the same boat prepping for ATP & other Gravel events later in the year. No issues here with access permits or private roads, gravel bike should be fine, a few ruts here and there but you'll find it at ATP too so might as well get use to it, only one spot of safety concern, the area I've highlighted is at the Silos, just after Occultdal Gravel & Before the Slent Tar Road. That is a squatter camp there that just sprung up over night, only heard of one incident, but seriously that is not going to stop me from taking that road. I would amend this slightly and park at Hoogekraal, we take the Malanshoogte Gravel Road then onto Adderley & Occutdal.

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by milky4130

[milky4130]

This route seems pretty similar where you do Spes Bona twice & Occultdal, I'm just not familiar with this stretch, it could be that you picked it up on the Heatmap because we've possibly used it in an open for event day only or can you pick up a segment, what is it called or from an individual that rode it recently?

Never mind I see a few people I follow on Strava rode it last year, none this year though.

https://www.strava.com/segments/28728442

Edited June 1, 2022 by milky4130
Found the Answer

[milky4130]

There is this option as well, parked at Spice Route in Paarl

https://www.strava.com/activities/3882217627

[MongooseMan]

8 hours ago, milky4130 said:

This route is perfect, I'll even steal it or do it with you as I'm in the same boat prepping for ATP & other Gravel events later in the year. No issues here with access permits or private roads, gravel bike should be fine, a few ruts here and there but you'll find it at ATP too so might as well get use to it, only one spot of safety concern, the area I've highlighted is at the Silos, just after Occultdal Gravel & Before the Slent Tar Road. That is a squatter camp there that just sprung up over night, only heard of one incident, but seriously that is not going to stop me from taking that road. I would amend this slightly and park at Hoogekraal, we take the Malanshoogte Gravel Road then onto Adderley & Occutdal.

 

I'll pop you a message when I'm planning on doing a ride. 

Which ATP are you doing? 

[realjhk]

I've got a whole bunch of routes that start at Spice Route. PM me your email address and I'll gladly forward the GPX files.

[MongooseMan]

So thanks to some great suggestions from @realjhk and @milky4130 I've put together a collection of routes, which will hopefully be useful to people with similar questions:
https://ridewithgps.com/collections/48725?privacy_code=oYJanzrK2rfGhxCz

 

There are a nice range of distances, from 40k to 210k, so something for everyone.

[MORNE]

16 hours ago, Newbie321 said:

Any details on this? Adderley is fairly far from dunoon, been riding there for a year and haven't heard about any incidents.

 

16 hours ago, milky4130 said:

I just did the entire Adderley road solo this morning. I've never heard of an incident there either.

back when the "white bantam" parked next to the road looking like it was changing a tire/asking for assistance - usually 3 men.  The same as the Philadelphia road jackings. Not frequent (as oposed to contermans rd) but they do/have occured. The only thing you have to realise on those roads is that if you ride alone you are very exposed to opportunists. alot of those places are pretty succluded and not alot of traffic, so the same resons that make them safe from a traffic perspective....make them unsafe from others.  Also, like i said - im not saying avoid...just sniff some salt for those spidey senses. 

Edited June 2, 2022 by MORNE

[MORNE]

16 hours ago, milky4130 said:

This route is perfect, I'll even steal it or do it with you as I'm in the same boat prepping for ATP & other Gravel events later in the year. No issues here with access permits or private roads, gravel bike should be fine, a few ruts here and there but you'll find it at ATP too so might as well get use to it, only one spot of safety concern, the area I've highlighted is at the Silos, just after Occultdal Gravel & Before the Slent Tar Road. That is a squatter camp there that just sprung up over night, only heard of one incident, but seriously that is not going to stop me from taking that road. I would amend this slightly and park at Hoogekraal, we take the Malanshoogte Gravel Road then onto Adderley & Occutdal.

 

that Township is not so much an issue as passing Fisantekraal at the wrong time, since this specific one is quite a bit lower than the road so good visibility, also a reasonable distance from it...and behind the Silo's. There is PLENTY of traffic in and out there...also on the way and back from malmusbury. Fisantekraal has all those Bluegums lining the road past it...so visibility not great. Let me put it this way...with the PPA sportives and 99'er when you go past there...they have a decent amount of coppers visible. 

Edited June 2, 2022 by MORNE