The Old Postal Route and Bonnet Pass
If you've never ridden this route, it is well worth the effort, although it's a long drive to undertake in a single day. A better plan is to camp at Mertenshof in the Biedouw Valley (or rent a chalet) or at Die Mond (off the R355) if you intend riding it in the opposite direction. The route takes about 3 hours to complete if you push it and 6 hours if you stop a lot (in a 4x4 - bikes will do it much quicker). Highlights of the route are the two big gravel passes of Kraaiberg and Karretjies and the crossing of the Doring River can become hairy when the water levels are high. It's also easy to get lost on this route, so it's essential to have a GPS with T4A which shows the whole route. The video set for this route will be produced in the near future.
Our featured pass is the historical Bonnet Pass in Mpumalanga, where we take a trip down memory lane to the early gold rush days of the mid 1800's. The link below will take you to the relevant pages which are all open to BMW Club members till Sunday. Enjoy the cyber drive and absorbing the rich South African tapestry of historical events.
https://bit.ly/2sqzJ24
A good place to stay over is also Tankwa Tented Camp. Starting the pass from that direction may be a better idea, because if the Doring River crossing is impossible, there's very little back-tracking.
A good place to stay over is also Tankwa Tented Camp. Starting the pass from that direction may be a better idea, because if the Doring River crossing is impossible, there's very little back-tracking.
Yes, that is sound advice, but navigating those first 3 kms can be difficult as there are lots of tracks criss-crossing that valley. As long as your nav is spot on, that's a good plan.
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