Sneeuberg Trail

SNEEUBERG TRAIL

Day 1: Arrive at Mt Melsetter in Middelburg EC district in time for dinner.

Day 2: This is your warm-up cycling day of about 35km on the newly-graded farm roads of Melsetter and neighbouring farms, including lunch on Hillston farm with Silwood-trained Adrienne Southey.

Day 3: Cyclists, with bikes and luggage, are transported to Middelburg for the start of the Sneeuberg trail.

• Take the road to Richmond, running due west out of Middelburg. After approx. 3kms the tar ends and the road becomes dirt.
• You travel for about 15km along the dirt until you come to a turn-off to the left (the Grootvlei turn – may also be marked Nieu Bethesda). The bus will drop off cyclists at this point and you will offload bikes from the trailer and commence cycling along this road.
• You cycle for 21.4km along this road, mainly flat but with one or two engaging uphills, passing a number of well-known farms in the district. At the 21.4km mark there is a road off to the left (east) marked Sneeuberg. Take this road left. Had you not turned left and continued straight on you would come to The Poplars a couple of kms on.
• From the point at which you turned left on the Sneeuberg route, you cycle 8.9km to the Gordonville House on the left. To the right is the famed shearing shed which has been turned into an indoor entertainment hall with a big swimming pool.  
• Cycle on another 4.7km, mainly uphill, until you come to the Bergplaas turn-off on your left. From this turn-off to the Bergplaas Guesthouse is 4.3km, all downhill! Enjoy your lunch.

Day 4: Cycling out of Bergplaas the next morning, you will have the same 4.3km climb up to the T-junction before turning left on your way to Nieu Bethesda. The uphill climb is less onerous than it looks because you climb it in a series of “steps” over dwarswalle.  

• From Bergplaas Guesthouse to the T-junction at the bottom of the pass is 8.9km. This is a spectacular cycle down the pass, so enjoy every minute of freewheeling!  
• At the T-junction turn right towards Nieu Bethesda. The T-junction at the bottom of the Pass to the Electric Gate and T-junction on the main dirt road to Nieu Bethesda is 17.7km.
• If you were to turn left at the T-junction you would come to Ganora Guest Farm about 2km down the road. However, cyclists turn right towards Nieu Bethesda which lies some 5km down the pass.
• Cycle into Nieu Bethesda and ask for directions to The Lamb Chop restaurant, which is situated diagonally opposite to the Owl House. After a leisurely lunch, will have a chance to explore the Owl House along with art galleries in town.
• You will be directed on the route out of town to your overnight stop, Weltevreden Guest Lodge, which lies 12km to the south west. Be prepared for a stiffish climb, initially, out of NB!

Day 5: Cyclists will be directed from Weltevreden onto the dirt road to Graaff-Reinet, turning left on the Murraysburg-Graaff-Reinet road for the final leg of the trail. The total distance between Weltevreden and G-R is 60km, but it is an easy downhill road with the last 10km on tar.

• Guests either stay at De Kothuize guest lodges in Graaff-Reinet, dining at the well-known Coldstream restaurant on the final evening of the trail, or at the up-market and recently-refurbished 5-star Drostdy Boutique Hotel (add an extra R500/head to the total cost of the trail).

Day 6: Guests are collected from their guesthouse/hotel early on the final morning by Karoo Connections’ Quantum bus and transported back with luggage and bikes to Middelburg in order to re-connect with vehicles for homeward journey.      

Day 1: Arrive at Mt Melsetter in Middelburg EC district in time for dinner.

Day 2: This is your warm-up cycling day of about 35km on the newly-graded farm roads of Melsetter and neighbouring farms, including lunch on Hillston farm with Silwood-trained Adrienne Southey.

Day 3: Cyclists, with bikes and luggage, are transported to Middelburg for the start of the Sneeuberg trail.

• Take the road to Richmond, running due west out of Middelburg. After approx. 3kms the tar ends and the road becomes dirt.
• You travel for about 15km along the dirt until you come to a turn-off to the left (the Grootvlei turn – may also be marked Nieu Bethesda). The bus will drop off cyclists at this point and you will offload bikes from the trailer and commence cycling along this road.
• You cycle for 21.4km along this road, mainly flat but with one or two engaging uphills, passing a number of well-known farms in the district. At the 21.4km mark there is a road off to the left (east) marked Sneeuberg. Take this road left. Had you not turned left and continued straight on you would come to The Poplars a couple of kms on.
• From the point at which you turned left on the Sneeuberg route, you cycle 8.9km to the Gordonville House on the left. To the right is the famed shearing shed which has been turned into an indoor entertainment hall with a big swimming pool.  
• Cycle on another 4.7km, mainly uphill, until you come to the Bergplaas turn-off on your left. From this turn-off to the Bergplaas Guesthouse is 4.3km, all downhill! Enjoy your lunch.

Day 4: Cycling out of Bergplaas the next morning, you will have the same 4.3km climb up to the T-junction before turning left on your way to Nieu Bethesda. The uphill climb is less onerous than it looks because you climb it in a series of “steps” over dwarswalle.  

• From Bergplaas Guesthouse to the T-junction at the bottom of the pass is 8.9km. This is a spectacular cycle down the pass, so enjoy every minute of freewheeling!  
• At the T-junction turn right towards Nieu Bethesda. The T-junction at the bottom of the Pass to the Electric Gate and T-junction on the main dirt road to Nieu Bethesda is 17.7km.
• If you were to turn left at the T-junction you would come to Ganora Guest Farm about 2km down the road. However, cyclists turn right towards Nieu Bethesda which lies some 5km down the pass.
• Cycle into Nieu Bethesda and ask for directions to The Lamb Chop restaurant, which is situated diagonally opposite to the Owl House. After a leisurely lunch, will have a chance to explore the Owl House along with art galleries in town.
• You will be directed on the route out of town to your overnight stop, Weltevreden Guest Lodge, which lies 12km to the south west. Be prepared for a stiffish climb, initially, out of NB!

Day 5: Cyclists will be directed from Weltevreden onto the dirt road to Graaff-Reinet, turning left on the Murraysburg-Graaff-Reinet road for the final leg of the trail. The total distance between Weltevreden and G-R is 60km, but it is an easy downhill road with the last 10km on tar.

• Guests either stay at De Kothuize guest lodges in Graaff-Reinet, dining at the well-known Coldstream restaurant on the final evening of the trail, or at the up-market and recently-refurbished 5-star Drostdy Boutique Hotel (add an extra R500/head to the total cost of the trail).

Day 6: Guests are collected from their guesthouse/hotel early on the final morning by Karoo Connections’ Quantum bus and transported back with luggage and bikes to Middelburg in order to re-connect with vehicles for homeward journey.