Nevermind the Cape Epic. These Porterville MTB routes deliver grit, glory and goosebumps.
If you think Porterville is all wheat fields and weekend quiet, clip in and think again. The #Wines2Wilderness Route may still be a “mountain biking dream in progress”, but that’s part of its charm. It’s raw, rugged and gloriously untamed.
As Jacques Marais puts it, this is riding that “forces you to slow down, look up, and earn every view.” He’s not wrong.
Where it all begins
Right where Paleisheuwel Road collides with the N7, an unassuming access point drops you onto the old Piekenierskloof Pass. From here, it’s simple: follow the curves and let gravity do some of the talking.
You’ll need decent navigation skills through the patchwork of farm roads at the foot of the Winterhoek Mountains. When in doubt, the R365 will shepherd you back towards Porterville with around 70 km of honest saddle time. (Behind the scenes, local MTB die-hards are negotiating with farmers to stitch these roads into a formal recreational route.)
A hidden showstopper
Your first trail node at 22 Watervalle Campsite (5 km outside town) seems like a best-kept secret, but it’s an essential overnight stop if you want to tick off their 15-km MTB loop. The latter is rough, loose and unapologetically technical. Expect sharp corners, rocky lines and the occasional bike-on-shoulder moment. Push through and you’re rewarded with a sublime upper section: flowing berms through indigenous forest, ending at a beautiful cascade that erases all suffering.
Dust, descent & deep wilderness
From 22 Watervalle, roll 4 km back to the R365, turn right, then right again after 2 km toward Dasklip Pass. The tar begins 16 km later … and so does the work.
Dasklip climbs hard and proud, steep in places, with views spilling west across the Sandveld. After a solid 7-km ascent, a left turn signals Beaverlac—and then comes the payoff: a fast, steep 4-km drop into camp. Tent up, shoes off. (Advance booking required!)
From the camp, two main routes beckon. Cross the concrete causeway over the Ratel River and bear left toward the Yellowfish/Flatrock/Africa Cottage option. The landscape quickly turns dramatic.
Confident riders can test themselves on the technical Flatrock Trail. Others should head towards the upper Olifants River via a sandy 2-km drag. Africa Cottage appears 7 km in, but there’s a locked gate 1.5 km later. Ignore it and you’re R500 poorer—so don’t.
The alternative? Turn right after the causeway onto the Extension Road. It’s steeper, rougher and biblical in scale.
Into the wild
Still have legs? The Groot Winterhoek Reserve lies 12 km beyond the Beaverlac turn-off, making for a brutal and beautiful 32-km return ride into one of the Western Cape’s most pristine wilderness areas.
These routes don’t need trophies or timelines. You’ll ride for stories to tell.
Reference & photos: Jacques Marais (jacquesmarais.co.za) for Bergrivier Tourism
