Oct 26
Blaauwater to Blaauwater
A demanding loop visits Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Compassberg and Nieu-Bethesda, with varied gravel, sharp climbs and loose descents.
1,154m
111km
1,45Om+
1,45Om-
western-cape
Avontuur sits in the Tsitsikamma foothills and was once the inland terminus of a forest railway that hauled timber to Knysna. Later, it became the end point of the Avontuur Railway, built to connect Langkloof orchards with the port at Port Elizabeth. In the 1960s, it turned into a tourist draw known as the Apple Express. Today, it’s still farming country — fruit, lucerne, sheep — and home to the Zondagh family, 10th-generation apple farmers and your hosts at the first Burn Camp.
Willowmore, Western Cape
A peaceful, wind-swept resting place that dates back to the 1800s. Riders pass close to its stoic headstones before entering the long road east.
Uniondale is a Western Cape town steeped in history and legend. Set along Route 62 and framed by mountains, it offers scenic cycling through the Little Karoo. Known for its Anglo-Boer War past and well-preserved buildings, it’s also infamous for a ghostly hitchhiker said to vanish mid-ride—leaving behind only a chill and an open car door. Today, Uniondale draws travellers with its mix of heritage, mystery, and off-the-beaten-track adventure.
Uniondale, Western Cape
A rugged, winding gorge slicing through the mountains near Avontuur. A gravel classic, with crisp air, flowing turns, and echoes of ghost stories.
eastern-cape
Willowmore was founded in 1874 as a trading post on the farm The Willows. Its name may come from landowner William Joseph Moore or a romantic tale combining a wife’s maiden name with a willow tree. Farming has long sustained the area, with mohair taking centre stage since the late 1900s. Angora goats graze the plains, their silky fibres destined for high-end fashion. The town’s charm is echoed in its finish line: the Royal Hotel, over a century old and rich with stories.
On your left as you head through Uniondale, the remote, weathered and wild offshoots of the Outeniquas offer views for days and an early taste of the vast Karoo.
Like what you see? Join us for Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026.
