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

Looking for the GPX files for these two days? Drop us a message on bicycling@qbf-agency.co.za and we will happily send them on.

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