Any MTB'ers in the Gansbaai/Hermanus area?

[440MTB]

Hi there guys and gals,

All the best for 2023!

Any MTB riders out in the Gansbaai/Franskraal (maybe even Hermanus) area?

We're heading to Franskraal to visit family the weekend of the 27th, and I was thinking of maybe taking my MTB along to go see if there are some nice trails/routes to ride. I see on trail forks there are some trails, and was wondering if there are any locals on here who want to take me along on a ride one or two mornings while we're that side to show me around.

Drop me a PM then we can get in touch.

Cheers and best regards!

Edited January 9, 2023 by MandM

[Pieter-za]

Maybe contact Gansbaai Mountain Bike Rides & Routes?

[PhilipV]

1 hour ago, MandM said:

Hi there guys and gals,

All the best for 2023!

Any MTB riders out in the Gansbaai/Franskraal (maybe even Hermanus) area?

We're heading to Franskraal to visit family the weekend of the 27th, and I was thinking of maybe taking my MTB along to go see if there are some nice trails/routes to ride. I see on trail forks there are some trails, and was wondering if there are any locals on here who want to take me along on a ride one or two mornings while we're that side to show me around.

Drop me a PM then we can get in touch.

Cheers and best regards!

The trails at Lomond on the other side of the mountain is worth a ride. There is a R50 honesty box, and they were well marked a year ago when I rode it. 

[PdeB]

There is a nice route that runs pretty much all along the shoreline from Franskraal to Danger Point. Not much in the way of technical mountain biking, apart from the odd sand dune, but it's quite scenic.

You follow the tarred road from Franskraal Beach to Kleinbaai harbour, where the off road section of the ride starts.  It's mostly jeep track, but there are some sections where I would not take any old Jeep. the last stretch to Danger Point is on tarred road again. If you're lucky the light house will be open and you can go inside for a scenic view of the bay. You can do this ride solo if you like.

Lomond is nice to ride, but some parts of the trail is quite remote. Take someone with if you can.

Enjoy!

Edited January 9, 2023 by PdeB
Spelling

[PhilipV]

1 minute ago, PdeB said:

There is a nice route that runs pretty much all along the shoreline from Franskraal to Danger Point. Not much in the way of technical mountain biking, apart from the odd sand dune, but it's quite scenic.

You follow the tarred road from Franskraal Beach to Kleinbaai harbour, where the off road section of the ride starts.  Is mostly jeep track, but there are some sections where I would not take any old Jeep. the last stretch to Danger Point is on tarred road again. If you're lucky the light house will be open and you can go inside for a scenic view of the bay. you can do this ride solo if you like.

Lomond is nice to ride, but some parts of the trail is quite remote. Take someone with if you can.

Enjoy!

Have you taken the fisherman's trail from Rooikransies to Kleinbaai yet?

[PdeB]

1 minute ago, PhilipV said:

Have you taken the fisherman's trail from Rooikransies to Kleinbaai yet?

I think I've been on parts of it. After Kleinbaai, on your way back towards Franskraal, there is a dirt road that looks like it's going to run along the shoreline, but eventually turns into trails which appear to be aimed at hikers and not bikers. I had to hike my bike out of there and ended up in someone's backyard in Klipfonteyn.

[PhilipV]

45 minutes ago, PdeB said:

I think I've been on parts of it. After Kleinbaai, on your way back towards Franskraal, there is a dirt road that looks like it's going to run along the shoreline, but eventually turns into trails which appear to be aimed at hikers and not bikers. I had to hike my bike out of there and ended up in someone's backyard in Klipfonteyn.

Yes it's that one. You need to be lekker where it forks, one of the lines is rideable if you are comfortable over rocks. If you are coming from Franskraal use the second Rooikransies entrance.

[Gooi mielies]

Take your bike, you won't regret it. Some of the rides I did last week, take the dirt road past Lomond, then you turn right at Papiesvlei back to Bbos (Baardskeerdersbos) and from bbos to Pearly beach back to Franskraal, very nice climbs, and nice dirt roads, this specific route is more than 1000m of climbing. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Gooi mielies
Spelling

[PdeB]

18 hours ago, PhilipV said:

Yes it's that one. You need to be lekker where it forks, one of the lines is rideable if you are comfortable over rocks. If you are coming from Franskraal use the second Rooikransies entrance.

Looking at Google, there appears to be a road linking Kabeljou Street (close to Danger Point), with Romansbaai. The road appears to be called Lord Roberts Street, but it's a little confusing as further down Kabeljou Street, there is another (larger) Lord Roberts Street. I've been on the larger Lord Roberts Street, but I've only ever cycled past the one closest to Danger Point. My question: Can you or anyone else confirm whether one can take this road to Romansbaai and then onwards to Gansbaai Harbour? I'm all for exploring, but I prefer not to turn around or be shot at...

[PhilipV]

3 hours ago, PdeB said:

Looking at Google, there appears to be a road linking Kabeljou Street (close to Danger Point), with Romansbaai. The road appears to be called Lord Roberts Street, but it's a little confusing as further down Kabeljou Street, there is another (larger) Lord Roberts Street. I've been on the larger Lord Roberts Street, but I've only ever cycled past the one closest to Danger Point. My question: Can you or anyone else confirm whether one can take this road to Romansbaai and then onwards to Gansbaai Harbour? I'm all for exploring, but I prefer not to turn around or be shot at...

I have seen that road, but don't know about riding it. Roman's Baai and the Abalone farms are fenced off , so you'll probably follow that road to Afrikanos and then have to take the tar road around to Blompark/Gansbaai anyway.

[Vega]

4 hours ago, PdeB said:

Looking at Google, there appears to be a road linking Kabeljou Street (close to Danger Point), with Romansbaai. The road appears to be called Lord Roberts Street, but it's a little confusing as further down Kabeljou Street, there is another (larger) Lord Roberts Street. I've been on the larger Lord Roberts Street, but I've only ever cycled past the one closest to Danger Point. My question: Can you or anyone else confirm whether one can take this road to Romansbaai and then onwards to Gansbaai Harbour? I'm all for exploring, but I prefer not to turn around or be shot at...

I suspect Google got that wrong. The small Lord Roberts is on private land. The real Lord Roberts passes between Romansbaai and the golf course.

[PdeB]

1 minute ago, Vega said:

I suspect Google got that wrong. The small Lord Roberts is on private land. The real Lord Roberts passes between Romansbaai and the golf course.

I thought so. Thanks for confirming.

 

28 minutes ago, PhilipV said:

I have seen that road, but don't know about riding it. Roman's Baai and the Abalone farms are fenced off , so you'll probably follow that road to Afrikanos and then have to take the tar road around to Blompark/Gansbaai anyway.

Thanks man. I would rather steer clear.

[michaelbiker]

We’re riding in Hermanus / Hemel-en-aarde this weekend and you’re welcome to join us if you want to come through this side. We leave from the Hemel-en-aarde village centre. 

[Goosebay]

@MandM

Depending on what you want to do and what you ride there are a number of options.

1 gravel road and tar - contact https://www.facebook.com/people/Gansbaai-Mountain-Bike-Rides-Routes/100051289525331/

2. local rides you can go into romansbaai on the way to the lighthouse.  see google map.  Klipfontein sandy at the moment but still fun

3. For mountain rides go to lomond or ride there via sopies road. I have added a map to show the different routes you can do - all a bit longer than what you think unless you are very fit.  Take enough water on a hot day.  If you ride from Franskraal just doing the red will be a decent ride.  If you drive to Lomond and ride from there then the black, alt 1 or 2 and then the red is a great ride that includes decent tech bits.

4. If you really like challenging stuff then do the red twice - first time to see what's there, second time to have fun. 

Permits payable at Lomond R50 day, R400 year

 

Cheers - have a great ride and give some feedback, will be appreciated

[440MTB]

Many thanks for all the replies! Will definitely check what I can do, we're heading to Franskraal next Friday so hopefully I can work in a ride or two during our visit.

[Goosebay]

We have updated the Trailforks site - will be busy for the next while correcting some of the errors (mostly names)

https://www.trailforks.com/region/klipspringer-mtb-in-the-walker-bay-fynbos-conservancy/

The little QR code on the signs take you to trails forks

There are 5 routes featured: https://www.trailforks.com/region/klipspringer-mtb-in-the-walker-bay-fynbos-conservancy/routes/

My favourite is the Leopard (marked red on the route markers)  fun techy climb and even more fun on the down (rocky berms and jumps to start with to faster flowing sections lower down.  12km and should take you 1hr.  

Second favourite is the AM - but the avoid the ruts is now badly eroded - can still ride it but be careful towards the ends as the ruts become dongas - deeper and more dangerous at speed. Longer ride with more climbs but includes ALL the fun bits and best views.

Cleaning currently happening and some of the features have been improved (esp the switchbacks down and up to the little river as well as the style on River View - a shared section of the Klipspringer and Fish Eagle routes.

Well worth the visit!  There are some pics on the trailforks page