2-Day Riebeek Loop Roll, Swartland, Western Cape
Two days exploring the Swartland (and a hint of Winelands), with quiet back roads and delicious ‘recovery’ the order of the day.
The wheat fields of the Swartland offer the perfect backdrop for this two-day gravel adventure.
Starting at Val du Charron (call them first and arrange to leave your car is there), at the base of the newly-refurbished Bainskloof Pass, Day One is a country-roads extravaganza. First you criss-cross the many farms between Wellington and Malmesbury (with a few sneaky links), before climbing out of Malmesbury on the old Piketberg road. Then cross to the R311 for a tarred roll past Pulpit Vineyards and Riebeeck West, to a well-deserved halt in Riebeeck Kasteel.
Our pathfinding team lunched at the Royal Hotel – the oldest hotel in the Western Cape – before spending an afternoon chilling at Eden Studios, our accommodation for the evening. Dinner at Au Bouchon Rouge capped a sensory-overload Day One. But make your own choices; Riebeeck Kasteel is littered with accommodation, lunch and dinner options for all budgets. It’s the perfect stopover town.
Day Two starts with some gentle rollers out of town, heading north-east towards the fearsomely named Nuwekloof Pass between Gouda and Tulbagh. We opted for a scramble along the railway line, in keeping with the pioneer spirit of our adventure; but the tar road option is fast, with a broad shoulder, should you prefer to chance it with the heavy truck traffic. The GPX files downloadable from the QR code on this page are for the railway-line option.
You might need a coffee in Tulbagh (a slight detour) before heading in a more southerly direction towards Rawsonville, and ultimately, the highlight of any gravel tour: the tarred climb and descent of Bainskloof. What a joy, with its recent resurfacing. Swoop down off the Limietberg and back to Val du Charron to find your car, a pizza and a celebratory beer.
The Riebeeck Roll by the numbers
Day One
80.37km
1 146m ascent
26% tarred, the rest glorious dirt (no singletrack)
Day Two
83.1km
882m ascent (including Bainskloof)
36% tarred, the rest more glorious dirt (no singletrack)
What to pack
Over and above your usual day-ride stuff, some of this can be spread across a few riders (maybe not the underwear):
- Bike lube – the dust gets in everywhere
- Chainlinks
- Tubeless repair kit
- Small sealant bottle/sachet
- Energy bars – plan for one an hour
- Cash – there are a few tuckshop/spaza shops en route, cash only!
- Slipslops
- Jeans (it gets chilly in the evening)
- Underwear
- T-shirt
- Warm top
- Toothbrush (you never know)
- Body wash
- Sense of humour
DOWNLOAD THE GPX FILES BELOW
Day One
Day Two