In this article I would like to share some of the things I learnt while riding the route, but first some stats:<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As with every kind of long distance touring route there are many ways to approach it. The beauty of a route like this is that you can design your ride according to what you are comfortable with or how you want to challenge yourself. A fit rider would thoroughly enjoy this route over 7 days or a more relaxed approach of 10 days would give you the best chance at soaking up everything there is to soak up on the route.<\/p>\n The 7 day option still gives you some nice time to relax in the afternoons but also challenges you in a special way. It also means you won\u2019t be away from work \/ home too long. Below is a detailed plan for tackling the route in 7 days.<\/p>\n Distance<\/strong>: 78km The first day is a proper wake up call, there are some tough climbs and loose gravel to contend with. It\u2019s almost like a slap on the chin to say, \u201cHey, this isn\u2019t going to be a walk in the park.\u201d It\u2019s good though, it keeps you honest and prepares you what is to come.<\/p>\n Food stops along the way are pretty limited. The only one is the Diepwalle Forest Station at the 43km mark and it is limited to tuck shop type snacks. It\u2019s cash only so make sure to have some available. A coke and packet of Salt & Vinegar chips has saved me many a time at this exact spot. Diepwalle Forest is by far my absolute favourite part of the entire route, riding through the thick indegenous forests, picturing the elephants that used to roam freely and secretly hoping to spot a rare one, is pure bliss. It\u2019s almost a pity you get through it on Day 1 but there is still plenty to look forward to.<\/p>\n Once you reach the forest station it isn\u2019t all downhill to Knysna, Kom se Pad has some proper climbs but once you hit Simola you can start to smell the sea air and the first Brewery of the route, Mitchells Brewery.<\/p>\n Knysna has some amazing attractions and plenty of accommodation which makes it a great overnight stop.<\/p>\n Knysna Attractions:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Distance:<\/strong> 80km The absolute highlight of day 2 is without a doubt the infamous Seven Passes Road. The road was built in the late 1800 by Thomas Bain with the goal of linking the small town of Knysna with the port in Mossel Bay. Unfortunately most of the road has been tarred now but there are still 3 of the 7 passes (Phantom Pass, Homtini Pass, and Karatara Pass) that are gravel. The passes in themselves are nothing too crazy but string all 7 together and you have yourself an incredible day of climbing ahead. For me, Karatara is my favourite, I can\u2019t say why to be fair, it just has a special feeling for me. Maybe because I know it\u2019s the last gravel pass of the Seven Passes so I savour it more?<\/p>\n Food stops are plentiful in the form of padstals and small rural supermarkets, there is even a Spaza Shop around the 40k mark where a Black Label goes down pretty well.<\/p>\n Garden Route Trail Park is also on route around the 30km mark for any emergency repairs that you might need, or at the very least a good excuse to pull over and have a breather before tackling Karatara Pass. If you have done the Knysna MTB race you will know, if it rains the forest roads turn into an absolute mud fest. The hose pipe has saved my drive train from certain death before.<\/p>\n Rolling into George always brings a sigh of relief, and for such a small town it has some great offerings. Especially the second Brewery on route, the Robertson Brewing Company. A great supper spot (or lunch if you are a weapon) is the Rocco Mommas at the circle on the top of York Street. Bear in mind George doesn\u2019t have Uber so when deciding on your accommodation pick something close to the restaurants (unless you want to ride a bit more after your shower).<\/p>\n George Attractions:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Distance:<\/strong> 64km Apart from the Montagu Pass right out of the gates, Day 3 is fairly relaxed. A short day of 64km with pretty much all of the climbing coming in the first 20km. Once Montagu Pass is in the bag all that is left is some Karoo rollers. It is quite remarkable how suddenly the terrain changes once you summit the pass and drop down into the Klein Karoo.<\/p>\n It is quite special to ride through different biomes and see how the climate in the area affects the vegetation and wildlife, you really feel like you get to know this country so much better on a ride like this. When travelling by car we tend to fly through a place so quick we miss the little nuances that make it so unique, that is what I love about bicycle touring, it slows you down and immerses you in your surroundings<\/p>\n Day 3 also has probably the most \u201cmicro\u201d of the micro-breweries literally on the route you are riding, Thorny Creek Brewery. You will reach this little Oasis around 43km, just don\u2019t leave George too early (like I did) as it will be closed when you get there. 20km with a couple Ales in you isn\u2019t so bad.<\/p>\n If coffee and pastries is your jam (excuse the pun) then Beans About Coffee on High Street is by far my favourite.<\/p>\n Oudsthoorn Atttractions:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Distance:<\/strong> 124km We start to get to the business end of the route now, not quite the Queen Stage but pretty close. The first three days have been easing you into it and now the goal is to finish strong. The 70km gravel section from Oudsthoorn to Calitzdorp is probably some of the best gravel you can ride in SA. With the Swartberg mountain range to your right the whole time (bringing relief knowing you don\u2019t have to go over Swartberg Pass) and views for days, it truly is a special part of the route. It is pretty remote so you will need to carry enough supplies to get you to Calitzdorp (if you don\u2019t have a support vehicle). Make sure to relax the pace when you are passing Swartberg Game Reserve, if you are lucky you will be able to see some giraffes from the road.<\/p>\n Calitzdorp is a small but very quaint town with plenty of great lunch options to fuel the last 50km of the day. De Krans Wines is pretty exceptional, the food and wine tasting might turn your trip into an 8 tour with a sleep over in Calitzdorp and a short 50km to Rooiberg Lodge the next day.<\/p>\n If you stick to the 7 day plan though the final 50km of day 4 is challenging, doable but challenging. Rooiberg Pass is probably one of the more demanding passes of the entire route, it is pretty gradual though with some steep parts so pace yourself well and you should get over the pass with little issues. Apart from switchbacks early on it also isn\u2019t the most \u201cpicturesque\u201d of passes, the photo ops are definitely lower down on the pass and then again just before Rooiberg Lodge at the bottom of the other side.<\/p>\n Rooiberg Lodge is pretty exceptional, I had originally planned to blow straight past it but it\u2019s reputation got the better of my curiosity so I made the climb off route to check it out and I don\u2019t regret it. The Manor House rooms are very comfortable and the views out over the Game Reserve are great. Food is pretty exceptional as well.<\/p>\n Day 4 Attractions:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Distance<\/strong>: 129km Leaving Rooiberg Lodge the road is nice and rolling giving you some good time to warm up. About 7km down the road you will head through Van Wyksdorp, it is a tiny little town with one or two restaurants and even a \u201cmall\u201d which is worth checking out. This is pretty much the last feed stop before Riversdale at the 70km mark. The section from Van wyksdorp to the R323 is pretty remote, there is not much but a few farms and game reserves. Once you hit the tar road (R323) you immediately start climbing Garcia\u2019s Pass which isn\u2019t very steep from the Ladismith side. Climbing it from the other direction is a very different story. This makes for an incredible descent down into Riversdale, the views are amazing from the pass. There were times that I felt like I might just be in Scotland instead of the Western Cape.<\/p>\n Be sure to stop and check out the old Toll House at the top of the pass.<\/p>\n With 2300m of climbing Day 5 is definitely the toughest day. The climbs out of Riversdale are very steep and rocky, thankfully though they aren\u2019t too long but they will test you. I was amazed at how the terrain changed again after dropping down the pass, it was almost otherworldly with steep slopes covered in tall green trees.<\/p>\n A great sleepover spot is Grootvadersbosch Farm Accommodation, a comfortable B&B style guesthouse with a fully equipped kitchen to prepare your supper. The last spot to get stuff for supper is in Riversdale so just plan your day accordingly. The owners of the farm might also be able to prepare a supper for you if you can\u2019t carry extra gear, just chat with them ahead of time.<\/p>\n Day 5 Attractions:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Distance<\/strong>: 148km For me, day 6 is by far the Queen Stage, it also happens to be the longest. The climbing is not too brutal, when compared to what you would have ridden already. If you have ridden the Double Century you will recognise some of the roads coming into Swellendam, I\u2019ll admit I was slightly tempted to head up Tradouw Pass and add a quick DC onto the route. Legs said no though\u2026<\/p>\n Swellendam is 37km in and Tredici is a great breakfast spot with decent enough coffee and great pastries. The gravel roads heading out of Swellendam were nothing short of amazing, it had me wondering why there isn\u2019t an off-road DC because the roads are almost better than the tar route.<\/p>\n The push from Swellendam to Riviersonderend is quite a biggie, around 75km, with very little feed spots. The roads are a mix of tar and gravel so it is fast rolling at least, the views are truly spectacular so for me the 75km flew by. Arriving at Ou Muel in Riversonderend for a pie and a coke was quite a surreal feeling. I had been there plenty by car en route between Cape Town and the Eastern Cape, but I had never ridden there by bicycle. I think it only set in then just exactly what I was up to.<\/p>\n From Riviersonderend it\u2019s about a 40km final stretch to Greyton, you ride pretty much 100% through farms and private roads which have a few gates to open and close as you go through. I rode it in some light drizzle and it was so special sharing those views with some of the wildlife and cows on the farms. There is one particular farm house that has 2 friendly dogs who joined me for about 5km, they were happy to just jog behind me, stopping each time I stopped. It was nice to have some company after being solo on the bike for 6 days.<\/p>\n Greyton is a fantastic place to stay over, the little town is so rich in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere. There are a few world class restaurants around and the Old Potter’s Inn brewery has an exceptional Amber Ale which can quickly make the last day a lot longer than it needs to be. Totally worth it though!<\/p>\n I stayed at The Post House hotel which has very large and comfortable rooms with coffee and pastries for breakfast.<\/p>\n All in all it was a pretty exceptional day. It\u2019s a very close match up between day 5 and day 6 for the \u201cQueen Stage\u201d badge, some might prefer day 5 but finishing in Greyton for me felt like a first finish line before the proper finish line in Stellenbosch. If you don\u2019t ride the Cross Cape, a weekend in Greyton is a very strong substitute.<\/p>\n Greyton Attractions<\/strong><\/p>\n Distance<\/strong>: 108km![\"ccs-2-0-34466500-1616757379.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-34466500-1616757379.jpeg\")
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7 Day Ride Plan:<\/h2>\n
Day 1: Plettenberg Bay to Knysna<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain<\/strong>: 1361m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n![\"ccs-144148-0-84323200-1616753852.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-84323200-1616753852.png\")
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Day 2: Knysna to George<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain:<\/strong> 1704m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n![\"ccs-144148-0-68736600-1616753860.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-68736600-1616753860.png\")
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![\"ccs-2-0-51396900-1616757764.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-51396900-1616757764.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nDay 3: George to Oudsthoorn<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain:<\/strong> 868m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n![\"ccs-144148-0-85917400-1616753866.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-85917400-1616753866.png\")
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Day 4: Oudsthoorn to Rooiberg Lodge<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain:<\/strong> 2113m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n![\"ccs-144148-0-48944000-1616753873.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-48944000-1616753873.png\")
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Day 5: Rooiberg Lodge to Grootvadersbosch Farm<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain<\/strong>: 2333m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n![\"ccs-144148-0-23166500-1616753880.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-23166500-1616753880.png\")
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Day 6: Grootvadersbosch Farm to Greyton<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain<\/strong>: 1560m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n![\"ccs-144148-0-02712500-1616753887.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-02712500-1616753887.png\")
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![\"ccs-2-0-65309300-1616757822.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-65309300-1616757822.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nDay 7: Greyton to Stellenbosch<\/h2>\n
Elevation Gain:<\/strong> 1417m
Route<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"ccs-144148-0-19300100-1616753894.png\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-144148-0-19300100-1616753894.png\")
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