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ADDO MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS
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ADDO MOUNTAIN BIKING
Just a short 45mn drive form PE, on the R335 is the small town of Addo. Although known for its world famous Elephants it is still largely unexplored as a mountain biking paradise. The area offers rides from the easy and flat to the extreme distance and mountain riding routes.
1) Easy and flat.
No matter where you a staying in the Sundays River Valley you will find a road to ride on. In and around the citrus farms and orchards of the area you could clock up from 10 to 50km on a good easy ride. These areas are perfect for a family outing. The road surfaces are good most of the time and no technical skills are needed. Unless you call climbing over a gate or two technical! This is known in some cases to be a relief on sore bums and legs. The best time for riding in the Valley is winter as the average temp is around 22 degrees and it is citrus season. Summer temps can get up to 42 to 47 degrees. Spend a bit of time in the evening talking to you host about the area and if you want to ride through a farm or three ask them to phone up the owners and arrange it. Bring the kids and have a great time in the clean outdoor air. During the week you will be able to watch how the fruit is picked and where it goes to from here.
2) Mountain passes
For the fitter and more adventurous there are the Zuurberg Mountains. The R335 use to be the old coach route from PE to Jo’burg. This ride starts on the floor of the Sundays River Valley at about 55m ASL and goes up the Zuurberg mountains to the Zuurberg Mountain Inn, around 800m ASL, or beyond, depending how you are feeling. There are 2 sections of the ride that are killers. The first is around 4km before you get to the pass itself. The other is just after the pass and about 5 km from the hotel. These are long straight climbs that never seem to end. Once you get to the hotel a coke never tasted so good. If you want to carry on passed you get Woodyfields Pass and then Boontjies River pass. Here you turn at the crossroads and come back. The descents can be a bit hairy so please make sure your brakes are working. Also remember that this is a public road and folk don’t always expect Mad Mountain Bikers on the road. Some nutcase has been known to go down the pass at around 52km/h. Slagboom is also a great ride with lots of hills and descents. The road is not to long but at the end there is a great camping area next to a good bass dam.
3) Ride from PE to Addo. Short route. (+- 55km)
If you want to ride to Addo on your bike there is a way. Get someone to drop you off at the Barclay Bridge turn off just outside the town of Coega and meet you in the Town of Addo. The way to get there is to follow the dirt road all the way to the top of Grass Ridge. Here you will find the farm belonging to the Erasmus Family. NMMU had there Game Ranch faculty here. Just after the farm there is a fork in the road. Take the left hand fork and that will lead you to Barclay Bridge. This is a single lane bridge that crosses the Sundays River. At the crossroads you turn left and follow the road until you get to Addo. Remember this is the short but NOT flat route. The road surface from Coega to Barclay Bridge is not good and has quite a lot of loose rock on it.
Long route. (+- 80km)
At the fork just after the Erasmus Family farm you take the right hand fork. Be prepared for loose stones and potholes in the road. On this route be prepared to spend sometime in the saddle! Kudu, Bushbuck and other small antelope have been seen on this road as it is quite remote. Follow this road all the way to the train line. There are about 3 or 4 gates that you have to go through. Please remember the farmers rule. If you open a gate close it behind you. If it is open, leave it open. Please remember that although this is a public road, it does go through a private farm. The farm belongs to the Lake family and they have been there longer than anybody can remember farming dairy and beef cattle. About 4km from the train line you will come to the sheds and homesteads on the farm. Stop and say hello to Peter, Gordon or Chris and assure them all the gates are as you found them. They love to talk so maybe this would be a good rest area. When you leave the farm turn right onto the old Grahamstown Road. You will have to cross the old Mackay Bridge across the Sundays River. Get onto the Addo - Colchester Road and turn left. Now you only have about 30km to go.
Things to remember.
Mountain Biking is about getting out there and leaving only your tracks behind.
Water and energy drinks have to be carried as there are no shops along the way. The water around here is not good for drinking.
There is cell phone reception on most of the routes, most of the time.
The roads are normally very dusty and dry so plenty of chain lube. I use the dry lube like Squirt or White Lightning.
Take a spare tube, chain and patch ect with you.
Plenty of water and on the longer rides something to eat. No Fast Food places along the way until you get to the Orange Elephant Pub.
1) Easy and flat.
No matter where you a staying in the Sundays River Valley you will find a road to ride on. In and around the citrus farms and orchards of the area you could clock up from 10 to 50km on a good easy ride. These areas are perfect for a family outing. The road surfaces are good most of the time and no technical skills are needed. Unless you call climbing over a gate or two technical! This is known in some cases to be a relief on sore bums and legs. The best time for riding in the Valley is winter as the average temp is around 22 degrees and it is citrus season. Summer temps can get up to 42 to 47 degrees. Spend a bit of time in the evening talking to you host about the area and if you want to ride through a farm or three ask them to phone up the owners and arrange it. Bring the kids and have a great time in the clean outdoor air. During the week you will be able to watch how the fruit is picked and where it goes to from here.
2) Mountain passes
For the fitter and more adventurous there are the Zuurberg Mountains. The R335 use to be the old coach route from PE to Jo’burg. This ride starts on the floor of the Sundays River Valley at about 55m ASL and goes up the Zuurberg mountains to the Zuurberg Mountain Inn, around 800m ASL, or beyond, depending how you are feeling. There are 2 sections of the ride that are killers. The first is around 4km before you get to the pass itself. The other is just after the pass and about 5 km from the hotel. These are long straight climbs that never seem to end. Once you get to the hotel a coke never tasted so good. If you want to carry on passed you get Woodyfields Pass and then Boontjies River pass. Here you turn at the crossroads and come back. The descents can be a bit hairy so please make sure your brakes are working. Also remember that this is a public road and folk don’t always expect Mad Mountain Bikers on the road. Some nutcase has been known to go down the pass at around 52km/h. Slagboom is also a great ride with lots of hills and descents. The road is not to long but at the end there is a great camping area next to a good bass dam.
3) Ride from PE to Addo. Short route. (+- 55km)
If you want to ride to Addo on your bike there is a way. Get someone to drop you off at the Barclay Bridge turn off just outside the town of Coega and meet you in the Town of Addo. The way to get there is to follow the dirt road all the way to the top of Grass Ridge. Here you will find the farm belonging to the Erasmus Family. NMMU had there Game Ranch faculty here. Just after the farm there is a fork in the road. Take the left hand fork and that will lead you to Barclay Bridge. This is a single lane bridge that crosses the Sundays River. At the crossroads you turn left and follow the road until you get to Addo. Remember this is the short but NOT flat route. The road surface from Coega to Barclay Bridge is not good and has quite a lot of loose rock on it.
Long route. (+- 80km)
At the fork just after the Erasmus Family farm you take the right hand fork. Be prepared for loose stones and potholes in the road. On this route be prepared to spend sometime in the saddle! Kudu, Bushbuck and other small antelope have been seen on this road as it is quite remote. Follow this road all the way to the train line. There are about 3 or 4 gates that you have to go through. Please remember the farmers rule. If you open a gate close it behind you. If it is open, leave it open. Please remember that although this is a public road, it does go through a private farm. The farm belongs to the Lake family and they have been there longer than anybody can remember farming dairy and beef cattle. About 4km from the train line you will come to the sheds and homesteads on the farm. Stop and say hello to Peter, Gordon or Chris and assure them all the gates are as you found them. They love to talk so maybe this would be a good rest area. When you leave the farm turn right onto the old Grahamstown Road. You will have to cross the old Mackay Bridge across the Sundays River. Get onto the Addo - Colchester Road and turn left. Now you only have about 30km to go.
Things to remember.
Mountain Biking is about getting out there and leaving only your tracks behind.
Water and energy drinks have to be carried as there are no shops along the way. The water around here is not good for drinking.
There is cell phone reception on most of the routes, most of the time.
The roads are normally very dusty and dry so plenty of chain lube. I use the dry lube like Squirt or White Lightning.
Take a spare tube, chain and patch ect with you.
Plenty of water and on the longer rides something to eat. No Fast Food places along the way until you get to the Orange Elephant Pub.
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