If you’re a sucker for hard climbs, stupendous views and some beautiful gravel in between, put the Galgeberg loop on your list. 

Galgeberg is in the Riviersonderend Mountains between Greyton and McGregor. Galg in Afrikaans means ‘gallows’: a structure built for hanging criminals. The origin of the name has been lost to history, but on the brutal final ascent to the radio mast – all on tar, with the gradient seldom (if ever) dropping below 8% – it’s easy to entertain dark thoughts as you grind your way up ramp after ramp after ramp. 

So, yes, Galgeberg is a massive challenge; but luckily there’s plenty of glorious gravel around the mountain to get you warmed up. 

We decided to attempt the climb in celebration of a good friend’s 50th birthday, and booked accommodation at Drecaso Guest Farm, near Bonnievale. The farm has four separate self-catering cottages, each of which sleeps four, as well as a central braai area overlooking the pool. We were a group of 16, so we had the whole place to ourselves. 

With the braai and the sunset both ablaze, it was all very festive, and we enjoyed ourselves a little too much on the Friday night. Needless to say there were a few sore heads when we set off the next morning.

The first part of the route is along tar, which does give you a chance to get the legs warmed up and the blood flowing. From there we turned onto gently undulating gravel roads through the magnificent landscapes as you approach McGregor from the south-west. We had a back-up vehicle with Cokes and sandwiches, but if you don’t have that option you’ll be able to fuel up in McGregor, if your pockets are empty – there are coffee shops aplenty in the village. 

From McGregor it’s a slow drag up to Lords Winery (named after the famous English cricket ground), which is where the real ‘fun’ begins.

The gravel road from Lords switchbacks up to the start of Galgeberg proper, where our backup vehicle had to stop and wait, thanks to the chain across the road. (No more emergency Cokes on the climb…)

Our group splintered almost immediately, as each of us laboured to the top at our own pace.

At the summit there were bodies everywhere; but we managed to resurrect the dead and near-dead for the all-important group selfie, before the white-knuckle descent back to Lords for beers and burgers. 

Getting back onto the bike after lunch was a challenge perhaps even harder than climbing Galgeberg. But we did it, and rolled down to McGregor – then north, out of town and back to our accommodation at Drecaso. 

After more than six hours on the bike and a mammoth climb, the swimming pool was the only place to be.

THE DETAILS

START/FINISH Drecaso guest farm, near Bonnievale

DISTANCE 103km

ALTITUDE GAIN 1 965m

GALGEBERG KOM (Lords Winery to the summit: 11km, 959m elevation gain, avg 8.7% gradient) 48:00 – Tom Briggs (13.8km/h)

 

RACE IT!

The Gallows is one of South Africa’s best (though most deceptively difficult) gravel races. It starts at Lords Winery, and loops out along smooth gravel and less-than-smooth singletrack for 100km, before returning to Lords for the summit finish up Galgeberg. 

This year, the event took place on 18 May. Keep an eye on the website for next year’s date and entry details. thegallowsrace.co.za

Download the GPX file below

 

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