cycling africa

Swartberg

After Oudtshoorn I took a detour via De Rust and Prince Albert to Calitzdorp before getting back on the R62. That took me over the Meiringspoort- and Swartberg-Passes and through some spectacular landscape. Thank you Jake for suggesting that route, it was amazing.


Road to Klaarstroom 1 On the first day there’s quite a bit of ascent but it’s not very steep and on a good, wide tarmac road so it’s quite easy cycling.


Road to Klaarstroom 2


Road to Klaarstroom 3 You go through narrow gorges and bizarre rock formations. Often it looks like you are riding onto a rock wall and can hardly see where the road will continue until you get there.


Rock on the road to Klaarstroom The rock consists of many warped layers.


Klaarstroom The gorge ends at the village of Klaarstroom.


Long, straight road after Klaarstroom Followed by a long part of straight road to stretch your legs after the climb…


Valley before Prince Albert Before you ride down again into the valley that eventually leads to Prince Albert. There’s mostly olive farms and quite a few wineries down there.


Bikes I think I’ll keep my own bike, thank you…


Bike and turtle Met that guy walking along the road.


Turtle It was huge, way bigger than the turtles I saw before on this trip. I’d estimate 60 cm from nose to tail.


Baboon Apart from turtles there’s the occasional group of Baboons. But they are quite small and shy here.


Looking towards Swartberg Pass The next morning on the beginning on the road towards the Swartberg Pass. I have to get all the way up there…


Swartberg road start No more tarmac road but it’s still fine to cycle with a touring bike. Just a little dusty when cars pass.


Rocks 1


Rocks 2 There’s those layered rocks again.


Eerste Water Passing the “Eerste Water” river.


Klippschliefer There’s quite a few Klippschliefers here.



It might be hard to see on the small picture but the road is winding up all the way that left mountain in numerous hairpin turns.


Winding Road 1 Looking down after riding up the first few turns. During the first 2 or 3 I was wondering whether this was a good Idea going that route with a heavily loaded touring bike, it feels like something you would rather do with a mountain bike. But going slow and resisting the urge to get off the bike and push did the trick.



Winding Road 2 A few turns further up.


After about 2/3 of the ascent the hairpin turns get less and the road is not as steep any more. Still, quite a bit of climbing remaining here.


Bike on cliff 1


Bike on cliff 2 You better not go to far on the left, even with oncoming traffic. But I have to say all drivers I met on this narrow road were quite considerate, some even cheering to encourage me when they saw me fighting my way up.


Part 2 And finally the last part after reaching the first, lower summit. The road is that narrow bright line in the middle of the picture from left to right.


Top Made it to the top!


down the other side of the mountain Looking down the other side of the mountain. The landscape looks quite different there.


riding down Of course riding down from 1500 to 600 meters of altitude in one go is big fun and a great reward for riding up there. You better have good breaks though, you don’t want to get too fast and off those roads.


looking back The next day back on the Route 62. Looking back to the mountains I crossed the day before.


Barrydale Arriving in Barrydale this afternoon.