Onrus loop

[sucramuk]

Evening all.

 

Away at Onrus this weekend, LSD as per coaches plan so trying to plan rides around Onrus.

As we all know time is sometimes not on our side to complete the ride times so I find I have to go out early to get the time in. So would leave for this route around 6am.

Anything I should be aware of with this route regarding safety?

[droo]

I did the Hemel-en-Aarde - Karwyderskraal portion a few weeks ago, nothing to report. Can't comment on the return leg though.

[Andro]

24 minutes ago, sucramuk said:

Evening all.

 

Away at Onrus this weekend, LSD as per coaches plan so trying to plan rides around Onrus.

As we all know time is sometimes not on our side to complete the ride times so I find I have to go out early to get the time in. So would leave for this route around 6am.

Anything I should be aware of with this route regarding safety?

Google Hermanus bikeshops. Quite a few, Hermanus cycles and village cycles. Lots of cycling happing there. They will be able to help you.

 

Enjoy!!

[ChrisF]

That last bit through Hawston .... uhmmm ...

 

Road or MTB ?

 

The first section can be done via Hemel and Aarde MTB trails.

 

Maybe the locals can comment on the state of the roadworks along that first section.

 

 

Karwyderskraal, gravel section, can be rutted after the rains .... again, maybe the locals can advise on the current condition

[Ruben101]

55 minutes ago, sucramuk said:

Evening all.

 

Away at Onrus this weekend, LSD as per coaches plan so trying to plan rides around Onrus.

As we all know time is sometimes not on our side to complete the ride times so I find I have to go out early to get the time in. So would leave for this route around 6am.

Anything I should be aware of with this route regarding safety?

Do NOT ride through the Suburb Hawston , stay on the highway. You can turn at fisherhaven and do a small loop there. Fisherhaven is just above hawston on the map.

 

I would reccomend that you follow the red line I drew on the map. I am not familiar with that section at the top, rather just stay on the gravel road. 

 

You can also do the loop clockwise or anti clockwise. There is still roadworks on the Hemel en Aarde Road, some sections are quite narrow, so I would just stop and wait for the direction to change and follow the traffic.

 

 

 

 

[JayLow]

In addition to getting LBS' pov, Strava heatmaps also give a directionally useful answer:
White lines mean many people ride there, blue lines mean not many people ride there.

[sucramuk]

Guys, thankyou, will amend ride based on the comments

One other thing, need to do another long ride on Sunday too, same area, thinking of heading towards Stanford way that time, again OK to take the main road into Hermanus, there is a location on the right if my memory serves me correct

[Anthem24]

I lived in Onrus until 5 years ago. There were spates of attacks on cyclists even on the 'highway' going past Hawston, and also on the Karwyderskraal Rd a couple of times at least.

At 6 am it will be pitch dark when you pass Hawston so there may not be too many people about, but they'll be able to see you coming a mile off if you have a light. It's risky riding past there alone.

Rather phone one of the local cycling shops and check the lay of the land. There was, and probably still is, a regular ride from the Engen garage on weekends. I'd recommend you contact them 

https://www.cyclehermanus.co.za/weekend-ride-notice/#more-89

https://bicyclecouriers.co.za/these-are-the-5-bicycle-shops-in-hermanus/

[Anthem24]

This is an old post but it seems Jacqui (number at the end) is still active and can advise:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064840025071/search/?q=cycling

[MongooseMan]

8 hours ago, sucramuk said:

Guys, thankyou, will amend ride based on the comments

One other thing, need to do another long ride on Sunday too, same area, thinking of heading towards Stanford way that time, again OK to take the main road into Hermanus, there is a location on the right if my memory serves me correct

You’re on a gravel or mtb, right?

[sucramuk]

Yes on the gravel bike

[Kylie]

The main road through Hermanus to Stanford should be safe and they've redone the road so there is a nice big shoulder. Then if you need more mileage take the gravel road past Beloftebos. 

[ChrisF]

32 minutes ago, Kylie said:

The main road through Hermanus to Stanford should be safe and they've redone the road so there is a nice big shoulder. Then if you need more mileage take the gravel road past Beloftebos. 

 

wild thought ....

 

Hermanus - Stanford, then left and long way round back to Caledon - back via Hemel and Aarde.  

 

 

What type of distance would this be ?  Cant recall which off these roads have shoulders.

 

Might be some interesting gravel bike options along that general route ...

[Anthem24]

Ok, so I did not see the arrows on your route and presumed you were going clockwise, as I think most people do for a warm up before hitting the Karwyderskraal climb. Going past (not through) Hawston on the highway coming back should be ok on a Saturday morning -- there will be lots of traffic.

Cycling from Onrus into town and on to Stanford should also be fine. There are plenty of gravel roads from there -- you could go through Stanford and along the dirt road on the other side of the lagoon for an out-and-back.

Another nice gravel ride is the left turn on the bend before you cross the bridge just before Stanford and either come back the same way when you reach the end near the cheese factory, or continue on Akkedisberg Pass and take the Oudekraal Rd for some rolling hills to get back to the Hemel en Aarde Road, but that would be a long day out. 

[etienne_jordaan]

Hi

With regards to your initial route. Ruben’s recommendations are spot on. Stay on the R43, do not go into Hawston. We’ve had incidents in the past on the R43, at the 2 traffic lights, but the last couple of months no issues. On the Karwyderskraal gravel section Ruben also changed a little loop you had. Please don’t go onto private property. Stay on gravel roads or the marked trails of Hermanus Trail network. Still extensive roadworks and flood damage from last year in the first 7-8km going up the valley, but you will be fine on a mtb or gravel bike. Ride on the side closed for vehicles.

Stanford road is fine and safe, broad shoulder. From Stanford there is various gravel options.

A nice 100km loop of mixed surfaces is to go up the H & A valley, turn right before Shaws pass towards Tesselaarsdal and onto the Raka/Stanford tar road, which has a decent/broad gravel shoulder, onto Stanford and back to Hermanus.

[Anthem24]

I had just done a rough trace of the 100 km loop Etienne mentions but in the opposite direction and adding some gravel instead of just the tar (Raka to Stanford is the Akkedisberg Pass).

Here is the .kmz to open in Google Earth.

Onrus-Stanford-H&A-loop.kmz