Mountain Biking around Uniondale

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About Mountain Biking around Uniondale

Mountain Biking around Uniondale

There are so many good dirt roads around Uniondale, which create wonderful opportunities for mountain and offroad biking. Bring your own mountain bike - or ask the hosts at your guesthouse whether you can use theirs!

With more than 300km of dirt roads and trails in the area, stunning mountains, scenery and wide open spaces– you are spoiled for choice for mountain and offroad biking;

For those who want to have a quick spin around the town in Uniondale, our pdf maps out a route or two for you to explore and enjoy. Bring your own bike - or ask the hosts at your guesthouse whether you can use theirs. Most guest houses will pack you a lunch for day trips.

Haarlem is also a lovely town to cycle, and Afsaal Guest House offers drop-offs to some of the higher points if you are only feeling half-energetic.

The area is a favourite training ground for local and international professional cyclists, so for the fitter – and very fit – it’s paradise.

2001 Masters MTB World Champion Geoff Vorpagel lives in the area, and has shared with us his insight on a few of the routes he likes to ride.

Wagon Trail from Uniondale to Avontuur

“The Road Less Travelled”/Hoekplaas Road to the Outshoorn Road

70km out and back with 13km of tar at the beginning and end - beautiful route – low skill high fitness. Beware the summer months…do not attempt without a 3 bottle rig

Warmbad/Barandas Ride

75km circular route from Uniondale.

Along the R339, turn right at the R341 at turn left into Toorwaterpoort road. Follow the circular road and back onto the R341, or ride until you meet the N9. The dirt section goes through 3 distinct biomes. There are 3 river crossings which will be either dry or impassable (LOL) some places look like the surface of Venus with weird trees seen nowhere else.

The actual hot springs are worth a stop and look. The water is loaded with Iron and at a constant 40 degrees.

De Hoop Road

From Uniondale, through the Poort to the top of the climb and then left onto the dirt road clearly signposted “De Hoop”, with a Mountain Pastures sign. If you follow it to the top of the descent (you will not be confused when you see it…it goes DOWN) then turn back, it’s a 40 km out and back. Low fitness, low skill. But pretty.

If you go down the hill and continue another 20kms until the road ends at a farm gate, it requires much higher fitness and you better be able to manage intermediate level obstacles.

Of course if you go through the farm you hit the R62, but maybe you need backup support if you go all the way.

Uniondale to De Vlugt

Via Wagon trail – 80km (one way) – high fitness high skill. This is the beginning part of the annual Karoo to Coast MTB challenge

Through the Poort, via Avontuur. Part way is on tar –which needs high fitness, low skill

Uniondale to Knysna – either over the Wagon Trail, or via Avontuur

The Kammannassie Road

High fitness medium skill required – a very pleasant route; go as far as you like and turn around. Do not underestimate this road however far you go. Take a lot of water in summer and leave early in the morning.

Uniondale to de Rust along the Kammanassie Road – 96km one way. High fitness, medium skill. .

Uniondale to Buffelsdrift and back along the Kammannassie Road – 100km high fitness medium skill….assuming you don’t go all the way to the King of the Mountain finish at the game fence. If you take on that climb you better bring your best legs and the return downhill will probably cook your pads and rotors. DO NOT ATTEMPT WITHOUT HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKING IN PERFECT REPAIR.

One of Geoff’s favourite rides is the 12km climb to the King of the Mountain, an average gradient of 17% loose traction. This add on is for experts only.

There are also cycle tracks on guest farms, and don’t forget Katot Meyer’s de Vlugt Burchells Wagon Route

 

Read more about the cycling routes in Uniondale Town here.

 


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