‘The Mountain’ is known as an adventure-tourism destination with its abundance of hiking trails, mountain biking tracks, and exciting events that attract outdoor enthusiasts from near and far. Whether you are a seriously competitive adventurist, or just like to spend quality time in nature, there is no shortage of thrilling adventures to be had in Magoebaskloof.
Experiencing the various Mountain Bike trails is one of the most exhilarating things to do in Magoebaskloof for offroad gurus. The varying levels of difficulty and distances as well as route descriptions, maps and other important information about permits, rules and indemnity forms are available on the Magoebaskloof Tourism Association website, www.magoebasklooftourism.co.za.
Mountain biking is a popular pastime in the area with a number of hosted events. Serious mountain bikers can participate in the annual Magoeba Trek Mountain Bike Stage Race. This is a 3-day event in August where cyclists choose from two distances - approximately 70 or 40 kilometers of trail each day. Other events on the local calendar are the Miami Magoebaskloof, the Mooketsi and the Munnik Meerkat MTB Challenges.
Magoebaskloof Mountain Biking Trails
There are currently two routes marked/ signposted - the Yellow (25 km, 529m ascent) and Blue (10km, 216m ascent). These 2 routes can be linked at Stanford Lake College (bridge under R71) for a longer ride.
BLUE ROUTE: Stanford Lake/ Blueberry Heights / Ebenezer Dam
This marked 10km circular route is suitable for most riders. It follows the edge of Stanford Lake and Ebenezer Dam on fairly flat, well-used roads with a few sections of single track.
The Blue Route is best accessed from Blueberry Farm Café.
YELLOW ROUTE: Haenertsburg/ Ebenezer Dam / Broederstroom River
This marked 25 km route is suitable for experienced riders and weekend warriors who want to test their strength and stamina. It follows roads through plantations, gardens and pasture land, passes secluded dams and babbling streams. It includes a few sections of single track to get the adrenaline pumping. The climbs are steep (529m ascent) and long but the views from the top towards the Wolkberg make it all worthwhile. The valley has abundant bird life and the constant babble of the river is energising.
The Yellow Route is best accessed from Zwakala Brewery or Cheerio Café at Cheerio Gardens where E-bikes are available for hire.
The Ebenezer Dam Circuit and Dap Naude Dam Circuit are available on the website, but the routes are not marked so riders would need to download the routes and follow on their GPS.
Around Ebenezer Dam from Haenertsburg
This is a lovely route for visitors to explore Haenertsburg surroundings and enjoy stunning views of Ebenezer Dam. The Route is about 32km long with an elevation gain of about 460m. It is a comfortable 2hr ride, suitable for casual bikers, but a great ride for anyone. The Route is not signposted but starts at the Haenertsburg Village Hall where there is ample parking to leave your vehicle. The route is a mixture of a bit of the main Georges Valley Road then along the bailiff’s jeep track to the Power Boat Club past the Yacht Club, over the Ebenezer Dam Wall, along the ‘G’ road, turning off just before the R71 and on to Blueberry Heights farm, joining the bailiff’s track again and remaining on a jeep track until you are about 1.5 km from Haenertsburg where you have to travel on the R71 for this short distance back to the Village Hall.
For more information, take a look on the Magoebaskloof Tourism Association website, www.magoebasklooftourism.co.za.
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