Exploring the Klein Karoo 5-7 Sep

[letsgofishing]

My wife went to a family wedding in 'Maritzburg this past weekend, so I had the ideal opportunity to plan a 3 day trip away. This would be my first solo trip, so I decided not to stray too far from home. Out with the maps to find some interesting looking roads which I found to the north of Barrydale that I had never ridden before, as well as the area north of Calitzdorp.  didn't feel like doing the whole camping bit, so my next challenge was to find some afforadable accomodation in Barrydale for the first night and Calitzdorp for the second.For Barrydale, it had to be the biker's cottage behind the Country Pumpkin - R150 including an amazing breakfast (more about this later). For Calitzdorp, I decided on the old Queens Hotel - R150, breakfast extra.

Cleaned and went over the bike on Thirsday evening and got the packing done. A little voice said to pack the 5l Addis fuel tank, even though there were enough petrol stops along the way. Friday morning arrived after a largely sleepless night - am I the only one who sleeps badly before setting out on a trip? Anyway, filled the bike and spare tank in Sedgefield and set out on my adventure! Be warned, this report has LOTS of pics!

5k's outside Sedge, I turned right on the dirt road that leads to Rondevlei and then on toWilderness. It was a bit cloudy with a strong wind that had come up about 5 in the morning - not the greatest riding and photo conditions, but OK. This is the road past Rondevlei and a little cottage along the way.

Then it was over the Duiwe River and onto to Wilderness.

From there, I took the tar road up to Wilderness Heights to join up with the old George-Knysna (7 passes) road. Even though I have travelled this road countless times, it is still one of my favourites. I passed over the  the Touw River and made my way into George. Then thru' town, past Fancourt and right onto the dirt that leads towards Great Brak river. My plan was to take the road over the Moordkuil River and come out at Botlierskop - the "extreme" adventure that TrailRider and I had done previously. Below are some pics of the scenery along the way.

Bridge over the Touw River

The bridge that was washed away in the previous floods has now been repaired (sort of)

Some dramatic clouds and sunlight along the way

Heading towards Great Brak

All of a sudden I come to an intersection I don't remeber at all! I didn't want to go to Mosselbay, so I turned right. Riding along and come to a fork in the road - I think I need to go right, but I don't recognise the road and there's a sign saying road closed.

Also, I cannot find this road on the map! Decision time - do I take the road closed only to find much later that is really is closed, or do I try and find another way? Do I feel like pushing a loaded bike through a river? - not really. OK, so it's left then to find another route. About 15 mins later, I come to a T-junction - hang on - I think this could be the same road I was on just now!

Somewhere!

Oh doos - so I turn right and head for Mossel Bay - except that the road actually comes out at the back of Great Brak river! 2 hours after leaving home, I'm in Great Brak, which is actually about an hour away! I take the coast tar road to Klein Brak and Botlierskop ( where I planned to come out in the first place!). Great, now I know where I am. Take a dirt road to the left and I'm on track again. All of a sudden, I pop out at Brandwag - Ag doos, not again!. This is the road that becomes the Robinson Pass, where I wanted to go, but I've come out to low down. WTF's going on? I don't know - maybe a "senior" moment! OK, on the tar to Diesel & Dust where I'll stop for fuel before heading for Attakwaskloof. Pull up at D&D open the tank - "sorry meneer, no more pertrol, only diesel." OK, so it is called Diesel & Dust but this is ridiculous! Thank you to that little voice that said: "Take the extra fuel tank Mike!" Otherwise it would have been about a 120km detour to Mossel Bay! Chuck in the extra gas and turn off to Attakwas.

On the road to Attakwaskloof

Heather on the sides of the road

Right, NOW I DO KNOW WHERE I'M GOING! My mind starts wondering how far it is to Barrydale - will I have enough gas? Reckon I'll stop at the Bonnievale Adventure Farm and ask. The owner's wife reckons it's about 120km - looking at the map, I'm guessing it's more like 190km since I topped up the tank. Oh stuff it, I'm sure I'll be fine! Attakwas was stunning, the weather had cleared - although there was still a bit of wind, the flowers were blooming and mountains were looking beautiful! THIS IS WHAT I'M HERE FOR! A short while after leaving the farm, I see a track heading up the mountain to Goliath's Berg. Time to explore - the track went on and on and got progressively worse. Having no idea of how far the track went on for, I decided to stop and have a break for lunch - after which I discovered that turning a bike round on a steep, rocky track is not that easy - I NEARLY dropped it, but thank goodness the DRZ is light! Went back down again and continued through the kloof, where I eventually came to the junction with the road that leads to Van Wyksdorp and Barrydale.

Beautiful colours

The track to Goliath'sberg wgere I stopped for lunch

Looking down to the "main" road

Riding along the foothills of the Langeberge was stunning! I'm more of a "forest man", but the Klein Karoo was beautiful - the openess, the quiet, the solitude - good stuff for the soul! From the turnoff to Attakwaskloof to hitting the tar 20k's outside Barrydale, I encountered 2 cars and 1 tractor!

The pics below were all taken in the kloof.

Crossing the Gouritz river

On the way to Barrydale

I came across this wine farm where these beautiful stones ahve been used as "fence posts".

Turn-off to the Gysmanshoek pass - I've ridden this before, but it's better ridden from the other side.

Fruit trees in blossom

These roads join up again about 10k's before the tar outside Barrydale - I took the left-hand one.

To be continued...

 

[Eisbein]

Nice!

Can't wait for the rest.

 

[growweblaar]

Nice pics there, LGF!

:happy1:

 

[Trailrider]

Nice report so far. I can't help but smile reading this. I know those roads you got lost on like the back of my hand ;D Sorry I couldn't join you.

 

[letsgofishing]

I eventually arrived at the Country Pumpkin at about 4, where I immediatley downed a cold one with the owner and biking nut, Derek. I was then shown the bikers accomodation - man, what a great place for a small group to stay over at! I was the only one there, so I took the queensize bed with the en-suite bathroom, unpacked, had a shower and went for a walk around Barrydale.

Home for the night

Safe parking for the bike!

View from the bikers lodge

I really like the feel of the place - the peolple are friendly, there's a relaxed vibe, peolple living there are from all over SA and the rest of the world and it's got that small town hospitality which is so welcoming. I then went back to the Country Pumpkin for a futher cold one and to ask where I could eat dinner. Only 2 restaurants were open (this on a Friday night) - I chose Bistro Blues. Walked into the pub where a number of locals were gathered. Ordered a bottle of Route 62's finest red and watched life unfolding in this lovely little town. By the end of the evening, I had spoken to an Afrikaner, 2 brits, a Scotsman and a Cape Tonian! I had one of the BEST rump steaks I have ever eaten (for R69) and a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Some interesting architecture/decor

The next morning, I got up around 7:30 (too much red wine) and went down to the CP for their justly-famous "big breakfast". Man, you've got to have one of these if you're ever passing through! Before leaving, Derek brought out his custom Harley Night Rod - he was going to do some banking in Swellendam. Now, I'm not a big fan of Messrs. Harley & Davidson's products, but this bike DEFINITLEY has attitude! He offered me a ride on it, but I had no intention of dropping over R180k's worth of Milwaukee's finest iron while trying to do a u-turn in the main street - so I politely declined his offer! He has a stable of bikes, including other HD's, has a KLR - (he sold his 1200GS) - which he thoroughly enjoys!!!

The famous breakfast!

The evil twin!

Just to the west of Barrydale, there's a turn off onto dirt that leads towards the Anysberg Nature Reserve and then heads east along the Klein Swartberg mountains before heading south through Seweweeks Poort to Amalienstein and the R62 - this was the route I had planned to take, but on speaking to Derek, the owner of a wildlife reserve had put a gate across the road and there was no way through. However, if I took the R62 east and turned off at Warmwaterberg, I could hook up with the road again. So I hit the 30 odd k's to WWB  and turned left onto the dirt. For this section of the trip, I used the map published by Jabedi Mapping which is available at the Country Pumpkin. It's a great map - clear to read and shows the diastances between junctions/towns. After 27 k's there's a junction that heads roughly east/west - Derek said that if I headed west, I could join up with the road I originally planned to take. Before I even get to the junction, there's a new gate across the road! Why the hell don't land owners put a sign at the BEGINNING of the road saying that there's no way through! So I double back again and take the eastern fork  - it couldn't be that bad, it lead to Hondewater!

The entrance to the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve along the Warmwaterberg road - there is a cattle grid you can ride over however.

The Klein Swartberg mountains.

Saw this chap really close to the road - pleased there was a fence!
I don't know if this is a white lion or if he's just faded from being in the sun too long!

Deserted house along the way before I had to turn back

Back to where I had come from!

The way to Dog's water!

 

[letsgofishing]

Derek warned me about a gate I would come to  - it was electrified! Not just the game fencing, but the gate as well. In the past, people have quite literally got a nasty shock trying to open it. He said I would be fine if I kept my gloves on! I had taken thick winter gloves with as well and donned these before opening the gate! I didn't stop to take a pic, but Hondewater has a couple of houses and a small school and appeared totally deserted. There is some stunning scenery along this road and I was really enjoying myself. I then came to another t-junction and turned left, then anotherT and turned right before hitting the road that goes north to Laingsburg and east to Ladismith. I headed north, riding through the little Volstruisnek pass - more stunning scenery to be enjoyed! After 25k's, I turned right towards Vleiland, but after 10k's, there's a turn off to Rouxpos - if you ever do this route take it - don't go straight - riding along at the foot of the Klein Swartberge was awesome!

On the way to Hondewater

The gate that bites!

Some interesting rock formations

Never knew there was a central karoo - just a groot and klein!

The top of the Volstruisnek pass

On the way to the Rouxpos turnoff

Beautifull wild flowers along some section of the road

The Klein Swartberg mountains

Fight for life - a tree growing on a vertical rockface

Along the Rouxpos road - can you see the gorilla?

 

[Big E]

Blerrie nice, ek wil ook so 'n trip doen.

 

[letsgofishing]

I forgot to add this little bit of background about Barrydale - I copied it from the info booklet in the bikers lodge:

The town of Barrydale was established in 1882 on the farm Tradouws Hoek by Joseph Barry, the 19th century tycoon whose commercial empire was based in Swellendam.
One has to negotiate the Wildehondskloof (Wild dog ravine) before entering the village which is situated on the Tradouw river.

I can't find this on any map - does anyone know anything about it?

 

[bobnob]

stunning stuff  :thumleft:

 

[Operator]

Nice LGF  :thumleft:

I like the scenery..............another one on my list of places to visit.

 

[Malibu]

Your pics are stunning....

Wish that area was closer to me...  :ricky:

 

[letsgofishing]

After I rejoined the road at Vleiland I headed east towards the junction that goes south through Seweweekspoort or east via Bosluiskloof to the Gamkaspoort dam. Riding through Seweweekspoort is always a joy and all to soon I rode past Amalienstein and teed into the R62. For the entire trip, from the Warmwaterberg turnoff to Amalienstein, I encountered 2 cars, 1 guy on a mountainbike (this was about halfway through the trip - I have no idea where he was headed) and 1 donkey cart. This was on a Saturday - I was overjoyed to encounter so little traffic on these wonderful roads! What stunned me was that so far, I had not seen one bike - weird!

I turned right on the R62 for 9 k's and then right again to enter the Hoekoe valley - what a great little backroad. It heads through small farming communities along it's length and it's claim to fame is that this is where the great writer CJ Langenhoven was born. The gate to the house was closed and I couldn't see anyone around, so I moved on.

This little road come out in Ladismith, where I filled up and headed south west again to the turnoff to Van Wyksdorp. The road is pretty straight and in pretty good nick, so I had the chance to open up the DRZ a bit - it was mid-afternoon and the cooling effect of the wind was welcome. After Van Wyksdorp the road gets more interesting as you start winding you way towards the Rooiberg pass. Along this section of the road, you are riding through a nature reserve, so there's always the chance of spotting some game - I saw some Sprinbok and a small group of giraffe which were roaming free. I know they're not dangerous, but for me it's a reallly nice to be riding in nature with animals occupying the same space as you. The Rooiberg pass is stunning and the views are awesome! (man, I'm tired of using those 2 words - someone's got to come up with some new ones)! The road surface is quite rocky and in areas there are those "wonderful" little red marbles that, if riding too fast, will definitley cause you to see your butt without the use of a mirror. But if you ride at a sensible speed, any bike is capable of doing this pass. Then it was downhill towards Calitzdorp, turning left at the junction to the hot springs - where I thought of staying over - soaking in that relaxing hot water after a long day in the saddle, but didn't fancy the 50k round trip to Calitzdorp for dinner and back.

On my next trip, I'm going to start a collection of pics with interesting place names..
By the way, further along the "main" road there's another sign pointing to the same destination....could be worthwhile exploring.

The road after the Van Wyksdorp turnoff

Ascending the Rooiberg pass - looking towards the Langeberge

Descending the pass with Calitzdorp in the background


to be continued...

 

[tok-tokkie]

Nice report.  Nice trip you did.

I did not get local advice in Barrydale & tried to go along the big red road on my map - the one you were warned was closed.  Wasted a lot of time on that excursion (I first tried the smaller road before the big red one).  I like riding in the open Karoo.

 

[growweblaar]

Awesome(!).

We are so privileged to have such beautiful and unpopulated spaces to ride in. Not everyone has it.

This could be a banner pic for South African DS riding :

 

[Mars]

Going to the Gamkapoort dam is also a nice route with great views along the way especially on the Bosluiskloof pass. Lots of Koedoe & other buck to be seen en route in the river beds. One can overnight at the dam as well. Stay in the old construction houses with beautiful views over the dam. No electricity. Need your own bedding & food. Nothing available there. Guy that runs the place is Fox Leaderman - character. It really is worth an overnight stay. Stars at night are like nowhere else in the world.

 

[Maya_The_Bee]

great report, nice ride  :thumleft: like ure bike, good looker !

 

[letsgofishing]

Yip, I have done that ride and stayed over at the dam and as you say, Fox is a real character with stories aplenty. The last time we were there, we had a 4wd for the wives and all the gear. Fred even brought along a tiny rubber duck with an electric motor which Fox allowed us to use on the dam. It was stunning!

 

[letsgofishing]

I had originally planned to stay at the Queens Hotel, but when I arrived there it seemed deserted. Walked around a bit but no-one came to see what some noisy biker wanted. I had also made enquiries at the Rose of the Karoo, but they were asking R250 for the night incl. breakfast. Not really fancying the look of the Queens anyway, I rode to the Rose where they informed me they had thier "log cabin" available which was on the same premises as the restaurant (another great food destination!) - for R175 incl. breakfast.

Sold! The "cabin" was really great - heater, aircon, tea, coffee, rusks etc and even off road parking for the bike. Sat at the little table outside enjoying a cold one and a smoke while contemplating tomorrows route. Dinner was great - decided on the bobotie which was served with 4 veg, accompanied by a great Die Krans shiraz\merlot blend - yum! During dinner started talking to a group of  4 aussies who were also staying over and wanted some advice on how/where to go on the way (by car) to Nature's Valley where they were staying the following night. I got out the maps and discussed the various alternatives over a snifter of Boplaas Pot Still Brandy - double yum! Had a fairly early night and rose on the Sunday morning to find a table in the restaurant already set for me - fresh orange juice, fruit, muesli, yoghurt, full hot breakfast if I wanted it, tea, toast! Another great value-for-money venue and great hospitality from Sandy the owner.

After breakfast, I packed the bike (including one of Sandy's excellent chicken pies) and took the first turning to the left on the Oudtshoorn side to Groenfontein. Another awesome discovery of a road! Farms, a river, a dam, quaint cottages, twisty road, game - it was great. At the Kruisrivier junction, I turned left and headed for Matjiesrivier and the junction on the R328 that leads to the Cango Caves

On the way to Groenfontein

The Calitzdorp dam

Anyone interested in buying a game farm?

A fishing resort on the dam

An woodcarver/furniture maker/photographer living at Kruisrivier - I wonder how many clients he gets?
Unfortunately he wasn't at home - I would have enjoyed chatting to him.

On the road to Matjiesrivier

Some game along the way...

Farmlands at Matjiesrivier

final instalment coming....

to be continued...

 

[mountainboy]

cool trip, cool bike, cool rider

yep, you a WD  :thumleft:

 

[Operator]