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Here are some sneaky routes that combine the best single track from Strawberry Hill Farm with sections of the Conservancy trails. Our owner and manager, Aileen, is an experienced mountain biker and a lover of single track so she knows the best loops from Strawberry Hill Farm. She frequently rides the trails and these trails combine the best loops to give the best single track combinations. We are sharing her best routes which are ideal if you want a tough ride made up of single track. They are also perfect for keen trail runners. These routes may be short but they are not easy! Take note of the climbing. They should only be attempted if you are fit and comfortable on technical trails. We recommend at least 2 hours to complete each of them. To follow these routes, you will need to download the track on to your computer or navigation device and follow them very carefully or you will get lost as the trails on the ground will not be marked in the direction that you will be travelling.  Single track in indigenous forest on Strawberry Hill Farm Best of Strawberry Hill Single (11km 550m) This route is entirely on Strawberry Hill and is Aileen’s (and her dogs) favourite route. Her staffies, Eva and Rosco know all the short cuts and will be ready to guide you around (if you can catch them). It is only open for people staying overnight on the farm but does not require any additional permits from the Conservancy because it stays entirely on Strawberry Hill Farm property. With permission from Aileen, it is also possible to enjoy this as a night ride which is not possible on the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy trails. If you are here for a weekend, this is a perfect night ride to loosen up the legs on a Friday night.  Aileen and her hounds love this route The route starts at the gate of the office and follows the black mountain bike route, crossing over at Honeywood Farm gate and on to the blue mountain bike return track. Sweeping single track through pines, eventually drops down into "Chameleon Cascade" on a technical switchback descent into the indigenous forest. After a brief rest in the forest, you return up on the infamous tight single-track ascents that are (with practice and skill) all rideable. Once at the office, you drop down onto the cross-country track and enjoy some fast berms before the real challenges of the cross-country track. The track has a lot of steep climbing so get ready for the burn! Watch out for some tricky rock gardens and bridges that require you to keep focus and use that dropper! The trails include “Luke's Legacy”, “Ash’s Avenue” and “Darren’s Drop,” before heading home on the much deserved “Eva’s Escape.” 
Best Red route singles (10.5km 522m)This route combines some great single track on the Conservancy red route, ridden in a reverse direction. You will be crossing on to the Conservancy trails so a conservancy mountain bike permit is required (R60 per person per day) which is available at the conservancy office. The route descends on the green "Chameleon Cascade" route but then crosses over to Honeywood Farm on a reverse loop of the red. After crossing by the dam, a steep challenging climb takes you up to Gooseberry Hill with special views of the Langeberg Mountains and Grootvadersbosch Forest. From there, you eventually drop down on single track to "Ghost Frog Corner" to join a roller coaster loop along the edge of the forest which will take you to a link with the black trail and “A Clear View” of the Grootvadersbosch River. The trail loops around the edge of the river until a wet feet crossing is required to get back towards the indigenous forest. The single-track switchbacks are tackled up to the office. Before heading home, enjoy a short section of the cross-country track on a fun descent of “Toby’s Flight” which is normally ridden up but is way more fun as a descent. You will come home on the much deserved “AImost Ails” time.
 Fun features on the cross country track at Strawberry Hill Farm Green Route short (12km with 500m) For this route, you will be crossing on to the Conservancy trails so a conservancy mountain bike permit is required (R60 per person per day) which is available at the conservancy office. The route starts on the steep single track of the red single track before joining the green on a fast descent on "MC's Downhill". The route loops across to the GoedeHoop valley before a long gravel climb home. Just before the end of the climb, the route exits onto a single track that takes you back around to Strawberry Hill Farm. This is a great ride to enjoy if you fancy training on long, gravel trails but also includes a fair amount of fun single track. If you are feeling like a real challenge then you can combine this route on to either of the proceeding routes for a challenging 20km of riding with 1000m of ascent!
 Lots of single track around Strawberry Hill Farm
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AuthorLife in a forest in the mountains Archives
December 2024
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