Past Wellwood Farm
There are 3 ways out of Nieu Bethesda, but only 2 interest us: Begin at Bethesda Road station, 29 km E of Wilgenbosch hill, near the N9; or proceed to the T-junction at the S end of town and then left over the new bridge and via De Toren, Aasvoelkrans, Rubidge Kloof and past Wellwood farm.
This one starts off easier but in the end, ours will be the shorter. Turn right onto the N9, pass the road left to Hofmeyer and after several hundred metres, then turn left after another 2.5 km onto a gravel road and into the Sundays River Valley. After about 1.5 km the road meets the railway, and another 3 km it begins to run parallel to the river, on your left. The ride down alongside the river is verdant and exciting, for about 13 km downhill.
Where you ride through a large private game reserve you will pass an old farmhouse which is where Voortrekker leader and hero of Blood River, Andries Pretorius was born. At Elandskloof there is a junction going right to follow the railway, but we kept right. It might be possible to follow the road left at Elandskloof for about 19 km, then when the road veers N back towards Nieu Bethesda follow the old railway to Graaff-Reinet, we just don't know but it looks worth a shot.
The next 17 km the road climbs steadily up - starting at 1160 m - through “high country”, first passing through a steep and rocky gorge with evocative rock formations all aloe fringed, then finding its way into a montane valley with fields and pasturage.
Top of Erasmuskloof
The farm Poplar Grove, perched halfway up towards the edge of the escarpment is the only one around that seems like it might be still occupied but we had no time to stop so cannot report one way or another. Higher up, nearing the escarpment edge, Welgemoed looked like it was once the grandest Victorian-style spread in the district - alas now boarded up and deserted.
A high is reached at 1620 m, after which follows the mother of all descents, as you pass through a nek in the Nadousberg. The first 3.5 km is the super steep and windy part. Then it flattens out a bit for a few km and a road comes in from the left. That's at the top of Erasmuskloof when the road descends once again with purpose and the riding is once again exhilarating in a more controlled way.
But it's a 22.5 km run, so you might find your arms get pumped to the max and your brakes start smoking' as you descend onto the Plains of Camdeboo. Where it flattens out and proceeds straight for about 5 km to the N9 you are in fact riding through a section of the Camdeboo National Park. Cross the railway line (unless you have followed it all the way from Elandskloof), and then turn left onto the N9. Directly ahead of you will be the Van Ryneveld Pass dam, where you turn left and ride the shoulder the final 3 km to the centre of town.
Distance: From Nieu Bethesda to Graaff-Reinet 108 km Grade: Long distance, riding enjoyable but in parts hard and sustainedBy David Bristow