On your bike

If you’re up for a challenging ride, the Grootvadersbosch MTB trail traverses a rollicking route through conservancy farmland and the adjacent nature re­serve. Vegetation consists of a mix of dense montane forest, mountain fynbos and lowland renosterveld, all surrounded by rural farmland unfolding along the Langeberg range. Note that group sizes are limited to 12 riders, with a maximum of 24 bikes on the trail at any one time. The 58km route is marketed as a two-day trail with possible stopovers at establishments within the conservancy.

We opted to go high, cranking onto the looming Langeberg slopes from the camp site, then grinding up a steep forestry road on the opposite side of the valley. Keep right at the next three forks (2km), then carve down a fynbos track to as­cend once more to a jarring plateau ride for 3km. (Although the route is marked, some of the wooden route markers are low to the ground and difficult to spot among the thick underbrush).
Turn right at 5.5km, contouring west along the foothills by way of a fairly challenging section of jeep track consisting mainly of coarse sandstone stretches, bush-cutter trail and patches of sand. At the 8km mark, road quality deteriorates even further as the track bears south and you negotiate a series of deeply dippy drops into a rocky mountain stream.

If you find this testing, wait till you hit the rocky downhill to Grootvadersbosch farm. At 11km, cross through a gate and into the eroded gravel coils sideswiping into the valley below. Take extreme care along this section, as the lack of traction will test your skills. Another gate leads to the river via irrigation fields surround­ing the old homestead (13km), with various options from here; either turn left before the homestead and follow the trail back into the forest via Snelsetter or Honeywood Guest Cottages, or turn left at 13.8km onto the main access road to Grootvadersbosch. (To do the full 58km, cross here and crank south along the Farmland Trail.)

The shorter, off-road route follows old jeep- and singletrack sections and makes for more interesting riding than the 10km section we slogged into. Follow the signs to Grootvadersbosch, keeping left at forks in the road at 17km, 19km and 20km before passing Honeywood Guest Farm. A nasty little climb delivers a last sting in the tail before you wheel into the camp site for a well-deserved break.