Porcupine Hills Route
This is a stunning little getaway secreted within the undulating landscape between Botrivier and Villiersdorp. An endless network of rural back roads linked to the adjoining farms, offers hours of fun in the saddle. From the office, continue past the restaurant towards the River Chalets (2 km), keeping left on a dirt track.
A few hundred metres further, a steep 4x4 track to a viewpoint signals a steep 1.2 km climb. Grunt up and back down, sticking to the jeep-track, right through the stream bed (4.2 km) and up a winding ascent along the opposite ridge. Groan and bear it to the border fence (6.1 km). At the bottom, there is an option to continue over a style onto the next-door farm as well.
If you don’t have permission to continue, bang back down to the River Chalets and hang left to pass below the dam (7.6 km). Continue along the track to an old rusted gate where you can again access the neighbouring property at 9.3 km. At the aforementioned dam, keep left through a gate onto a gruelling and very loose climb into the rocky ridges.
Negotiate around 3-4 km of rattle and roll, making your way in a clockwise direction back to the dam (14.9 km). At the Reception Office (16.7 km), continue onto the public gravel road, either left or right, to add another 30 km-plus to your ride.
Porcupine Hills Fast Facts
Grading: Intermediate
Duration: About 2 hrs
Configuration: Return/Circular combo
Start Point: Farm Office
Co-ordinates: S34°06’50.0” / E19°14’18.0”
Terrain: Gravel roads, jeep-tracks
Cell Reception: Good
Beware Of: Gravel washouts
How to Get There: Take the Botriver turn-off from the N2 and go through the tiny town. Immediately over the railroad tracks, take the Villiersdorp via Van Der Stel Pass turn-off to your right. Follow the Van Der Stel Pass for 16km to the farm entrance on your right.
Best Time of Year: Year round cranking.
By Jacques Marais
Villiersdorp is a small town situated in the Overberg region of the Western Cape. Surrounded by wine farms, it is a 90 minute drive from Cap...