Because it’s a fairly short drive to Van Gaalen from both Pretoria and Johannesburg, many mistake this for a Gauteng mountain bike trails park, but it’s just across the provincial border in the North West Province. It’s probably the most established mountain bike trails park in the North West Province and is a firm favourite with mountain bikers for a number of reasons, including the scenic beauty, the bamboo tunnels, the riverside singletrack and the cheese farm.

Trails: Established more than a decade ago initially as horse-riding routes for his daughter by Eric Schipper who owns Van Gaalen Cheese Farm, Van Gaalen Mountain Bike Trails have become somewhat legendary. The network has become quite expansive and crosses the land of more than 30 landowners in the Skeerport Valley.

There are various segments of trails that you can do individually or tack together to form a longer ride. You can ride up to 80km if you have the fitness, strength and skill. Experienced mountain bikers will testify to the challenging nature of Van Gaalen, which is due to a combination of the steep gradients and the rough terrain. But there are shorter, tamer routes for newcomer and intermediate level riders.

Most spend around 2-3 hours on the trails which include a large volume of singletrack, some jeep track and some gravel roads. Stronger riders usually head further out and do a fair amount of climbing to incorporate some of the more natural terrain, while the riverside trail is rather special with some great flow. The riverside trail is usually tackled at the end of most rides and offers a stimulating way to finish off the ride.

The bamboo growth is dense along parts of the river basin and tunnels have been cut through it which is offers quite a different experience.

The signage has improved in recent months but it’s important to be very aware of which route you intend to take before your ride  as there is a chance a sign might be missing or bumped over. There are maps on the Van Gaalen website which is linked further down or if you use a mapping-enabled GPS device, you can request the GPX files of popular routes to upload.

Local tip: Go early. In the spring and summer it can get hot and dry in this area. In the winter, just dry. It’s best to start your ride early in the morning to ensure you beat the heat. Also, take more to drink than you expect. These are essentially wilderness trails with no obvious water refill points, although you could ask a private land owner if you’re desperate.

Safety: Despite the fact that the trails aren’t on one fenced piece of land, there have been no recent incidents reported, so it’s fairly safe. But it’s still South Africa, so use your common sense and preferably don’t ride alone.

Operating hours: Wednesday to Friday 08h00-17h00. Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays – summer 06h00-12h00, winter 07h00-12h00

Directions:

MULTIPARK PARKS