Trails: One of the most popular trails parks in Gauteng is Hennops Trails, a relatively young venue that quickly gained affection due to its flowing, fun singletrack and great scenery. Hennops is a bit of a drive from both Joburg and Pretoria, but worth the 30 minutes or so travel. Fitter riders ride to Hennops for a loop before riding back home for a good endurance training ride.

The trails aren’t long in distance but are almost entirely singletrack and highly engaging. Best suited to Intermediate and Experienced riders, the Hennops Trails start and finish at the main farmstead and include riverside trail, steady ascending trail, fast descending trail and a good blend of each for those doing the full 38km.

There are seven sections of named trail:

Safari – 6km with 100m ascent

Sani – 6.4km with 138m ascent

Dragon – 4.5km with 80m ascent

Snake – 4km with 54m ascent

Kyalami – 3.7km with 28m ascent

Skeleton – 8km with 170m ascent

Home Run – 3km

Local tip: If you want to add some distance, do the Dragon Loop twice or three times. It’s a 4.5km loop in the middle of the ride that drops down into a scenic valley and delivers some exciting singletrack descending and steady climbing back up.

Safety: Hennops Trails is located within a fenced property and is considered quite safe. It’s still a good idea to ride with others in case though.

Operating hours: Open seven days a week from 07h00-13h00 and from 06h00-13h00 from October to March.

Directions: