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Country Trail
https://paarladventuretrails.co.za/
https://www.trailforks.com/region/paarl-adventure-trails-spice-route/
4/5
Best suited for: Beginner, Intermediate and Experienced riders.
What we love about it: You’ll be surprised just what an established trails network awaits you as head out from the Paarl Adventure Trails from Spice Route. Spice Route is one of four main trailheads for the Paarl Adventure Trails network. If you’re super fit and strong, you could try and ride the whole network in two days, but it will likely take you longer. That’s why it’s been segmented around the Paarl Mountain so that you can sample a bit of each section in 2-4 hour chunks. Spice Route is a multi-use destination geared to offer a range of locally made food, drinks and delicacies. It’s classy and unmistakably South African – an easy place to visit and a hard place to leave!
The trails: The range of trails on the Spice Route section is impressive. There are six marked routes as follows:
Spice Route Yellow: 2.2km
Spice Route Green: 10km
Spice Route Red: 17km
Spice Route Blue: 21.5km
Spice Route Full: 49km
There’s a route for every level of mountain biker and you can obviously join routes together if you’re keen to rider longer. The trails stay mostly on the southern slopes of Paarl Mountain, but also use the land in the valley that leads into Franschhoek.
The singletrack has been well built so that you always feel a good level of control, even at speed. The climbing is generally done gradually with switchbacks that are thoughtfully designed, while the twisty, bermed descents are super fun and just reward.
The signage is good, but was due to be updated in January 2022 with new signage.
The trails aren’t specifically graded, but are predominantly blue and green trails according to Trailforks. We agree.
Spice Route is a venue with many distractions! So it’s best to park and start riding asap. Rather use your post-ride time to enjoy the distractions, which include top quality restaurants, Wilderer Distillery, De Villiers Chocolate tasting experience, Fairview Wine Estate and the home of Cape Brewing Company (CBC), a beer that’s now become our favourite since our visit there! Any calories burned on the ride are quickly replaced afterwards!
There’s a mountain bike trail for everyone at Paarl Adventure Trails – Spice Route. But besides the stimulating riding, which incorporates some of the best sections of the Paarl Adventure Trails network, the off-the-bike experience is hard to beat anywhere in the country.
Day Pass (Weekdays) Adults – R80.00 | Day Pass (Weekdays) Kids & Pensioners –
R50.00 | Day Pass (Weekends) Adults – R100.00 | Day Pass (Weekends) Kids & Pensioners – R80.00
Trail Ratings
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