Silverbrook Farm / Ribbock Valley Lodge MTB Trail (Closest City/Town: Bedford)

Eastern Cape - Amatola

Silverbrook Farm

CLOSEST TOWN > Bedford

TRAIL DESTINATION > Silverbrook Farm

DISTANCE > 28.6km

GRADING > Difficult

OVERVIEW

Go dirt track jamming on a network of singletracks, jeep tracks and farm roads, running the gamut of big time drop-offs, g-force downhills and erosion ruts.

On your bike

Start off Silverbrook and turn left onto the Bedford/Tarkastad gravel road. After 3.4 km head right through a gate signposted "Buffelskloof" and climb along a rugged farm road towards Bloemhof Farm. at 12.9 km, turn right at the Buffelskloof sign, passing through four gates and onto a steep acacia ridge.

Look out for a jeep track to your right after 17 km and bang along this faint track atop a grassy plateau for 2 km before dropping down onto the opposite side of the spur. Huck the helter-skelter, dual-track along the edge of the escarpment while enjoying incredible views across the Baviaans River valley.

The next couple of kilometers will see you drop a good 300 m along an eroded rock and gravel switchback, liberally sprinkled with acacia thorns. Once you hit the valley, blast along a speedy road with great corrugation jumps until you join the |Bedford road again near Silverbrook Farm.

Off the bike

The mountains and valleys of the Baviaans River Conservancy teem with game, so watch out for kudu, blue wildebeest, baboon, mountain reedbuck and the elusive lynx. Pack binoculars if you're a bird-watcher, head off on any number of brilliant day hikes or go skinny-dipping in a farm dam. In addition, a variety of historical Anglo-Boer War memorial sites dot the region.

CONTACT:

Route information: Rinaldo and Magriet Marais
Address: Silverbrook Farm, PO Box 85, Bedford 5780

Telephone: 046 685 0712
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website : www.ribbokvalley.co.za

GPS: 32°27’28.6”S 26°02’55.3”E

Weather:

Clear 8 ^oC
Humidity: 81%
Wind: NE at 8 mph

Fri	9 ⇒ 17 ^oC	» Rain «
Sat	8 ⇒ 18 ^oC	» Chance of Rain «
Sun	7 ⇒ 16 ^oC	» Cloudy «

FAST FACTS

GRADING:

Difficult

DURATION:

Around 2.5 hours

CONFIGURATION :

28.6km circular

START POINT:

Start at Silverbrook Farm (046) 685 0712

TERRAIN:

Dirt roads, erosion ruts and rocks

MAP: Not required

CELL RECEPTION: None

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

Free for farm guests

FACILITIES:

Self catering accommodation, contact Magriet or Rinaldo Marais (046) 685 0712

BEWARE OF:

Snakes, bad-ass acacia thorns

silwerfontein-map

HOW TO GET THERE

Travelling east, 10km before reaching Bedford on the R63, turn left at a sign to ‘Tarkastad via the Baviaans River’.
Silverbrook is 30km further along this road.

BEST TIME OF YEAR

Autumn and spring sound about right.