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Country Trail
https://www.northernfarm.org.za/
https://www.trailforks.com/region/northern-farm-diepsloot-nature-reserve/
4/5
Northern Farm Mountain Bike Trails, located in Diepsloot Nature Reserve, Gauteng, is one of the best mountain bike trails to experience in SA.
Beginner, Intermediate and Experienced riders.
Everyone that rides a mountain bike at Northern Farm can have a stimulating experience. It’s probably the best trail park in Gauteng for beginners. That is to say; it’s not lacking in courses that challenge intermediate and experienced riders. The Jukskei River flows along its western boundary. As a result, it is highly photogenic and a haven for various birds, boasting more than 270 species. There are a few dams on the reserve.
The generally gentle gradient makes it very manageable for even the most nervous newcomers. The large car park, friendly restaurant, and bike wash staff make everything seem uncomplicated.
Over 120km of marked and maintained mountain bike trail makes up the Northern Farm mountain bike trails on the 25000ha piece of land, just a 20 minute-drive from Fourways in the north of Johannesburg. There’s a blend of gravel roads, jeep track and singletrack, which deliver a significant variety of riding experiences. The high volume of singletrack has been well thought out and takes riders on long segments of twisting journeys through a range of gradients and terrain, which are equal part challenge and reward.
Have you experienced Northern Farm?Please tell us what you think by leaving a review of your ride.
The signage is generally good and well-placed colour arrows are used to denote trail name (colour) and direction.
As with many South African trails parks, the trails aren’t graded according to IMBA’s skill level grading system. Northern Farm is listed on Trailforks though, where it’s trails are all either marked Green or Blue.
There are a total of five trails as follows:
Pink Route: 8km
Green Route:12km
Blue Route: 22km
Red Route: 34km
Black Route: 68km
There’s a small kitchen that makes great breakfast/brunch snacks, coffee and sells other cooldrinks – always welcome after a long ride there. The bike wash is excellent and costs R30. Northern Farm as a whole is well managed to cater for the hiking, trail running, birding, equestrian and moto-x communities, none of which seem to encroach on each other.
Northern Farm is a breath of fresh air, offering a vast trail network for all levels of mountain biker less than half an hour from the city hustle of Johannesburg. There are very few trails parks that can genuinely claim to offer great riding for all levels of mountain biker, but Northern Farm is one of them. It’s just a pity it’s only open on weekends and public holidays.
R60 per adult; R500 for a 10-entry card and R700 for a 20-entry card.
Trail Ratings
There is more than 120km of marked and maintained mountain bike trail on the 2500ha piece of land, which is just a 20 minute-drive from Fourways in the north of Johannesburg. There’s a blend of gravel roads, jeep track and singletrack, which deliver significant variety of riding experiences. The high volume of singletrack has been well thought out and takes riders on long segments of twisting journeys through a range of gradients and terrain, which are equal part challenge and reward.
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