Mountain bike trails in the Tokai Plantations Posted on 4 May 2012 You can ignore a trail because it’s popular for only so long, so let me fess up and admit the reason I haven’t yet featured Tokai Forest in my column so far is because too many riders hang out there on weekends. Rush hour is a high-speed charge of bikes, zigzagging the switchbacks and congestion in the rock gardens. Then recently I rode the trail again, early on a Sunday before the crush, and experienced Tokai as the mountain-biking heaven it is. About the Tokai Mountain Bike Trail The thing about the Tokai MTB Trail is that it’s a constantly changing, somewhat bitter, never sweet, son-of-a ride. It’s a working plantation, which means your favourite stretch of single-track may disappear when a section of trees is felled, or when erosion closes another route. It also means you’ll never be bored. So let’s start at the bottom and work our way up. Whichever way you look at it, you’re going to have a serious climb from Tokai Arboretum, but you can decide whether to do the scenic single-track route or blast your calves along the jeep-track. The former works well if you’re technically adept, as you ride along the gorgeous Fairy Garden and Mamba single-tracks all the way up to the higher-level contour roads. This may take a while and remember to keep a constant lookout for riders bombing down these routes. You can also go the whole hog by keeping left and continuing up to the Silvermine boom (if you stick to the right, you have a gritty climb towards Elephant Eye Mast). Instead of labouring to the top, take a right to Vlakkenberg, where the tar road starts, and head down the white-knuckle curves of the impossibly tight Bridle Path. From here, it’s easy to link up the downhill single-tracks for a non-stop ruckus of a ride back to the arboretum. Combine Mamba, Snake Eyes, Vasbyt, Your Roots and Fairy Garden, then collapse in a sweaty heap of happy endorphins once you bottom out in the car park. Getting to the Tokai Plantations From Cape Town CBD, follow the M3 towards Muizenberg. Turn left at the Tokai offramp to pass under the highway, then continue past a traffi c circle. After about a kilometre, turn left just before Tokai Manor to the arboretum. What you need to know about the Tokai Plantations Tokai is perfect to ride throughout the year. The forest protects you from the sun and the brunt of the summer southeaster. When winter kicks in, check if any trails have been closed to avoid erosion and surface damage. Gear for the Tokai mountain bike trails Your derailleur snaps as you’re about to set off from Tokai Arboretum … what do you do, except curse prolifically at the sky? A way more effective option is to shoot a couple of kilometres down the road to the new Trail and Tar shop in Tokai, where Grant Bender and the guys will fix it in no time. While you’re there, take advantage of the 30-minute Lube and Wash Mini Check-up (R150), and take on the trails with absolute peace of mind. Tel 021-712-1781, www.trailandtar.co.za. Tokai Plantation route facts Grading: Intermediate to difficult Duration: Two to three hours Configuration: Return and circular routes (about 25 kilometres) Start point: Tokai Arboretum Terrain: Gravel roads and single-track Entry requirements: A once-off MTO permit is available from Tokai Permit Office for R25 or you can load your Wild Card with an annual MTB permit. Cell reception: Good coverage for 95 per cent of route GPS co-ordinates: S34º 03’ 39”, E18º 24’ 58” Contact: Tel 021-701-8692 Enter the Mast Challenge Keen to prove your hero status to your Facebook fan club? One way to do this is to enter the annual Mast Challenge, a run-and-ride combo pitting you against gravity as you fi rst run, then ride up the gruelling climb to Elephant’s Eye Mast. www.mastchallenge.co.za More mountain biking trails in South Africa For detailed information on various mountain-biking trails across South Africa, go to www.mtbroutes.co.za. Related Posts The 5 best climbing spots in South Africa 10 April 2023 Mozambique – a coastal, self-drive holiday 23 October 2022 Catherine Hofmeyr shares what's new (and what's still hot) on a coastal self-drive holiday from... read more Get ready for high voltage action at Killarney’s Power Series 6 21 July 2022 As we accelerate into the second half of the season, Power Series racing presented by... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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