Cape Town danger areas

[jeanke6]

25 minutes ago, DuncanCT said:

@jeanke6 how many km's are you comfortable to ride in one session? If you make it up to the Tafelberg Road you can get to Newlands Forrest and Potentially Tokai but that is some propper distance.

On Monday I have time all day some happy to do a ride of +100k. I’m used to do marathon stage races and training for a long distance off road duathlon so what you are proposing sounds like something I am aiming for. Any gpx routes to find or will it just be a matter of following the most ridden tracks on strava?

[jeanke6]

33 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

ROAD -

Maybe out past Seapoint towards Houtbay ?  Maybe even Chapmanspeak (wind permitting) ?

 

What are your distances you want to, or can ride ?

 

About 100km if you go out to Houtbay, Chapmanspeak, then at Noordhoek turn towards Simonstown and follow the road around to Mistycliffs and then back.

 

 

MTB -

I recently road a section of Silvermine, my first time there.  NICE !!  BUT ... due to the heavy winter we had the roads and trails have taken a beating and there are some severe erosion, often shortly after blind turns.  Be ready to stop, or bail out, at any time !!

 

Locals such as @Zebra can give you a lot more info of routes on that side of Cape Town.

The road loop you suggest sounds very nice and according to strava heatmaps also a popular one. Hence also safe I hope?

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, jeanke6 said:

The road loop you suggest sounds very nice and according to strava heatmaps also a popular one. Hence also safe I hope?

 

I recently did this solo.

 

Just Chapmanspeak that can be scary if the wind is strong.

 

You will see other cyclists out on this route 👍

[Zebra]

…the route ChrisF proposes, given your fitness, is an excellent- and safe route, with just ONE place to be cautious of….….when riding through Scarborough, then Misty Cliffs, DO NOT turn right at a 4-way stop, to go past OCEAN VIEW, rather go THROUGH the 4-way stop, and over a climb, then down into KOMMETJIE; just a LITTLE FURTHER, but way safer…

Edited November 24, 2023 by Zebra
Spelling

[Chingy182]

13 hours ago, jeanke6 said:

On Monday I have time all day some happy to do a ride of +100k. I’m used to do marathon stage races and training for a long distance off road duathlon so what you are proposing sounds like something I am aiming for. Any gpx routes to find or will it just be a matter of following the most ridden tracks on strava?

Welcome to SA.

I live in Tokai and the trails here are really nice - you may find a few sections after recent heavy rains where you may have to carry your bike for a short distance to clear rockslides, etc.

I can just start by mentioning that all trails and routes are mostly safe over weekends with influx of walkers, cyclists, etc. You are more likely to run into trouble 10h00 on a Tuesday morning when the mountains are quiet.

From the Waterfront you can do 2 routes to Tokai area.
1 - You can ride along the road that runs all along the beach through Camps Bay to Hout Bay. 
From there you can get into Constantia side via Constantia Neck, where you can access local Green belts and make your way to Tokai trails.  Riding in Tokai you can go up to the Tokai Mast (+-800m elevation from the gate), ride into Silvermine and do a loop around there, you can go down what is called the Donkey Trail back into Tokai and ride all the fun trails back down to the gate. 

Tokai is not very well sign posted if you are new to the area, but people are very friendly and always willing to give you advice and directions on which routes to take to the most fun parts of the trails.

2 - You can cycle from the Waterfront to Table Mountain and cycle to the Kings Blockhouse.
You will find many cyclists on this route most late afternoons and plenty on weekends.
You can go back down the mountain into Newlands Forrest where you can cycle through the trails over Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which ends/starts at Constantia Neck.
Same as above, you can access local greenbelts, etc. from here to Tokai trails.

Both of these routes will give you 100km easy with something like 2000m elevation. Possibly a lot more if you decide to go to the top of Tokai Mast.

Finally, I would stay off the cycle path that runs from the city to Milnerton/Blouberg beach.
However, from these areas you would also be very close to the Tygerberg Trail Network.
 

[mikkelz]

New season, same ****.

https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/490099/dangerous-avoid-signal-hill-and-lions-head-for-now-says-hiking-expert

 

"Recently, three mountain rescuers were mugged after finishing a rescue on Lion's Head, marking the latest in a spate of muggings in the Table Mountain National Park."

 

"On Friday, British ultramarathon star Tom Evans was attacked at knife point while on a training run at the end of Table Mountain road.

He has since announced he is pulling out of next weekend's RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town."

[mikkelz]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzyfmCZtm_v/?igshid=NmJiYWZiY2E0Mg==

Sad. 😔

[nonky]

3 hours ago, mikkelz said:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzyfmCZtm_v/?igshid=NmJiYWZiY2E0Mg==

Sad. 😔

It gets much worse:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12765069/British-elite-runner-Tom-Evans-mugged-knifepoint-wedding-ring-watch-iPhone-trains-South-Africa-race.html

https://news.sky.com/story/elite-british-runner-forced-to-pull-out-of-race-after-being-mugged-at-knifepoint-in-south-africa-13011212

https://runningmagazine.ca/trail-running/western-states-100-champ-attacked-and-mugged-in-cape-town/

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a45889819/tom-evans-mugged/

[Fisan]

3 hours ago, mikkelz said:

New season, same ****.

Unfortunately it's not the same ****. This **** is the worst we've ever had. 

Three seperate muggings on LH/signal hill in the past 12 hours alone.

[dexterdent]

It boggles the mind that this is even possible in a City that wants to remain a tourism hotspot - it's not THAT big an area, and there are not THAT many muggers. Maybe we should get that angry guy from the other thread to come sort it out for us?

[Mtree]

Park Rangers and SAPS have had a big presence there recently, or so I have been told...

[Johan A Marais]

22 minutes ago, dexterdent said:

It boggles the mind that this is even possible in a City that wants to remain a tourism hotspot - it's not THAT big an area, and there are not THAT many muggers. Maybe we should get that angry guy from the other thread to come sort it out for us?

Yip, and he can use the R400 Fox shock as a weapon, and we can all meet afterwards at Cycling Friends to have coffee with ND... 🤐

[wolver]

44 minutes ago, Mtree said:

Park Rangers and SAPS have had a big presence there recently, or so I have been told...

Don't expect much from Rangers who are on a wage of R208 a day...

[Mtree]

1 hour ago, wolver said:

Don't expect much from Rangers who are on a wage of R208 a day...

They do enough to ensure bones are broken, enough said. 

That said, R208 a day is a measly amount of money. No wonder they are always a bit grumpy. 

[DJR]

57 minutes ago, Mtree said:

They do enough to ensure bones are broken, enough said. 

That said, R208 a day is a measly amount of money. No wonder they are always a bit grumpy. 

ENTRY fee for Cape Point is now THREE HUNDRED AND SOMETING RAND per day for an adult..........methinks I will demand my own personal ranger in future!

Edited November 24, 2023 by DJR

[splat]

On 11/24/2023 at 10:12 AM, nonky said:

It gets much worse:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12765069/British-elite-runner-Tom-Evans-mugged-knifepoint-wedding-ring-watch-iPhone-trains-South-Africa-race.html

https://news.sky.com/story/elite-british-runner-forced-to-pull-out-of-race-after-being-mugged-at-knifepoint-in-south-africa-13011212

https://runningmagazine.ca/trail-running/western-states-100-champ-attacked-and-mugged-in-cape-town/

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a45889819/tom-evans-mugged/

That wasn't the end of it.
3 runners (and even a marshal apparently) were mugged during the event itself

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/three-ultra-trail-runners-mugged-during-100-mile-race-in-cape-town-20231125