The City of Roses
Bloemfontein - “Fountain of Flowers”, is known as the ‘City of Roses’, due to the abundance of rose bushes which flower all over this active city.
Hosting South Africa’s only annual Rose Festival, Bloemfontein is set within a region brimming with outdoor opportunity and sporting events, this provincial capital has a laid-back vibe and friendly people, who value old-fashioned hospitality and traditions. Gorgeous weather for most of the year encourages this outdoor lifestyle, with activities such as abseiling, cycling, mountain biking, quadding, hiking and 4x4 trailing high on the agenda.
Trail Running at Seven Dams Conservancy
Trail running in Bloemfontein? No ways, yup, it’s true, just to the north of ‘The City of Roses’ CBD you’ll find a protected area of 86 ha on the edge of the urban spread. The Seven Dams conservancy is great for trail running, mountain biking, walking the dog, or just chilling with the family on an afternoon picnic.
Seven Dams was originally a farm owned by an Australian, Tommy Griffiths, and his South African wife and was proclaimed a conservancy in 1997. Four distinctive habitats exist here, from woody shrubland, grassland, wetlands to the unique Bloemfontein Karroid shrubland.
The veldt, dams and kopjes are home to a variety of small mammals and 120 species of birds, as well as some interesting archaeological sites. The wetlands around the dams are the highlight of the area and easy to find in the lower lying areas of the conservancy.
The Terrain: A network of jeep-track, rocky single-track and forest paths traverse the varying vegetation biomes, ranging from flat gravel cruises to technical riding along testing and rugged terrain.
The Trail: Runners can take various options off the two main loops ranging in distances from 3 to 12 kms along the extensive network of routes crisscrossing the conservancy. Expect the terrain to be gently undulating as you wind your way through varying habitats on a shallow soil layer covering underlying dolerite sheets exposed in places. Overall, the route is rated easy, but this is obviously dependent upon the prevalent temperature and distance of your planned run.
Seven Dams MTB Trails
Getting to Seven Dams Conservancy
Gliding
The Destination: Bloemfontein is well known for its amazing cloud formations and dust devils, and it is, therefore, no wonder that conditions for gliding are excellent throughout the year. The Experience: The silence is amazing, and only topped by the view. Getting There: Bloemfontein Gliding Club, or BGC, is on the eastern side of the New Tempe Airfield in Bloem. GPS: South 29° 2' 20" / East: 26° 9' 30" East; Elevation: 1380 mRock Climbing
