Most mountain bikers know Karkloof for its well-designed, professionally managed trails network on Sappi-owned forestry land. And rightly so. But our recent stay at Rockwood Lodges revealed another side to the region, one that combines exceptional singletrack, a genuine wilderness experience and comfortable countryside accommodation. Here’s what you can expect from the Rockwood experience.
By Sean Badenhorst
It started with fellow mountain bikers, including our son, Cade, raving about a new trail in Karkloof called Rockwood Angel. Designed and built by Hylton Turvey, it’s a 9km-long descending singletrack that drops 900m. That got my attention.
Having ridden most of South Africa’s best mountain bike trails, I knew I had to add Rockwood Angel to my ridden list. There was just one catch: you can’t simply turn up and ride it. Access is restricted to guests of Rockwood Lodges, a collection of countryside cabins and homes on a property inside the Karkloof Nature Reserve. The owners occasionally make exceptions for major races and organised groups, which is how Cade had managed to ride it.
A little research revealed four accommodation options at Rockwood Lodges: Mountain Cabin, Forest Cabin, Farm House and Farm Cottage. After making contact with Sue, the manager, and Ann, who handles media enquiries, we arranged a TREAD Media Destination Review. Given our mountain biking priorities, Sue recommended Mountain Cabin or Forest Cabin because of their proximity to the trails. Mountain Cabin offers some cellphone reception, so that was our choice.
We arrived later than planned on an August Monday afternoon. One tip before you go: follow Google Maps rather than Waze, as we discovered the hard way. The drive from Johannesburg takes around five hours, mostly on national freeways and highways, with some decent gravel roads towards the end.
Rockwood is a working farm owned by Tom and Kerry Hancock, nestled at the base of an escarpment about 11km from Karkloof Country Club. The farm focuses on Nguni cattle, but its position against the escarpment also gives it plenty of gradient – a natural advantage when it comes to building mountain bike trails.
The property falls within the Karkloof Nature Reserve, a protected area dedicated to conserving indigenous wildlife, vegetation and birdlife. While much of the surrounding landscape is covered by commercial forestry plantations, the reserve’s rolling terrain is largely grassland or lush indigenous Eastern Mistbelt Forest. It’s a very different setting to the plantation riding for which Karkloof is best known.
THE ACCOMMODATION
Mountain Cabin is, unsurprisingly, perched on the high ground. It’s about a 4km drive from the main reception, with roughly 120m of climbing to an altitude of 1 500 metres – similar to Johannesburg. Getting there requires a 4×4 or an all-wheel-drive vehicle with good ground clearance. It’s remote, surrounded by indigenous forest and offers exactly what you’d expect from a wilderness escape.
The double-storey wooden cabin is solar-powered and spacious, with a fully equipped kitchen, a large living area and a downstairs bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. Upstairs are two more bedrooms and a shared shower and toilet. It’s comfortable, well laid out and has plenty of room for a family or a group of riding friends.
There’s no Wi-Fi, but we had a weak MTN cellphone signal. If you need to work remotely, the Farm House further down the road is the better option among the Rockwood accommodation choices.
Rockwood is self-catering, so you’ll need to plan and pack accordingly. We had a couple of daytime meals at Karkloof Country Club because we needed to be there for “meetings”. The club is about 15 minutes from Rockwood itself and around 35 minutes from Mountain Cabin.
There are several restaurants in the wider area, although not all are open for dinner. Howick is about a 25-minute drive from Rockwood Lodges and is the place to head if you need groceries, fuel or a restaurant meal.
THE RIDING
Rockwood Blue Route
We tackled the Rockwood Blue Route first. The Rockwood Lodges website lists it as a 40km ride with 900m of ascent, starting and finishing at reception. Our ride ended up at 45km with 1 170m of climbing, including a detour.
The first 25km are on gravel roads, initially through the Rockwood farm before joining the forestry roads. The route climbs to the top of Lebanon, a well-known local ascent of about 5km, before winding along forest roads towards an access gate into the Karkloof Nature Reserve.
There are no route markings up to this point, so knowing how to find the gate is important. We obtained a dropped pin from one of the Rockwood staff members before setting off but still missed a key turn, forcing a short detour. The Rockwood routes aren’t on Trailforks, something we’ve recommended the owners address to make navigation easier.
On the way to the gate, we spotted four Mountain Reedbuck moving at impressive speed. We couldn’t see what they were running from – or to – but they were highly motivated.
Once inside the reserve, the riding changes character. The trail rolls across the grassy escarpment on singletrack for 15-20 minutes before reaching the start of Rockwood Angel. There’s a shortcut that cuts out this loop, but we enjoyed the views and would recommend including it.
Rockwood Angel is essentially a continuous singletrack descent from the top to the bottom of the escarpment. It gets steep in places, but the quality of the design means there are no white-knuckle moments. Instead, it’s beautifully flowy, following the natural contours of the landscape. Much of the trail winds through indigenous forest, with occasional openings into the grasslands.
If you’re not accustomed to long descents, you might need to stop occasionally to regain your composure. Joanne, for example, isn’t used to so much continuous descending and needed a few pauses along the way. This allowed us to absorb the trail more completely and shoot some photos and video clips.
Hylton Turvey is a Karkloof local renowned for building exceptionally flowy trails, and those familiar with his work will recognise his signature on Rockwood Angel. Highly skilled, fit riders will inevitably want to attack it at speed, but what makes this trail stand out is that intermediate riders can enjoy it too. It’s a trail for almost every keen mountain biker, with beginners probably the main exception, as excessive braking would take away much of the fun.
As you reach the bottom, you might think the fun is over when the trail turns left and starts climbing. Fortunately, the climb is short. Soon you cross a small river and begin another gradual, flowing descent.
Curiously, on this particularly hot August day, we encountered scores of large grasshoppers along the trail. A quick internet search suggested they were actually crickets. Some were mating, others appeared to be waiting for their turn, while a few may simply have been recovering from the exertion.
This final section is a 5km segment on Strava named Godwini. It passes a dam, follows a dry stream bed and skirts the edge of a small ridge, maintaining the flow theme until it reaches the gravel road. It’s a marvellous piece of trail and a fitting way to finish the Blue Route.
Rockwood Red Route
The following day, we rode the Rockwood Red Route. At around 20km, it’s considerably shorter than the Blue Route but no less engaging. It lies entirely within the Rockwood property and normally starts and finishes at reception. Because it passes Mountain Cabin, we adjusted our start and finish points accordingly. That meant saving the beastly climb for the end rather than tackling it at the beginning.
From the cabin, we entered the lush indigenous forest almost immediately. The forest section was surprisingly long, but in the best possible way. It was peaceful, rich in forest smells, sights and sounds, and a wonderful sensory experience.
The forest is naturally damp, with rocks and tree trunks covered in layers of moss. Thick mist hung over the high ground that day, making the trail surface slippery in places. We rode cautiously, mindful that an injured rider could be difficult to reach in such a remote location.
Although the indigenous forest section is around 3.5km long, it seems to go on forever. It feels almost surreal and is a very different experience from riding through the plantation forests that dominate much of the surrounding area. Along the way, we crossed several wooden bridges – possibly the best-built trail bridges we’ve encountered.
Once out of the forest, the trail gradually winds downhill, opening up superb views across the surrounding landscape, including Spitzkop, a prominent local koppie. We also encountered three large Zebra. The descent gathers a good amount of speed as it leads into the lower-lying parts of the farm.
A gradual climb then takes you back to the final section of the Blue Route, the Godwini segment, before setting you up for the big ascent to Mountain Cabin. This is a gravel road that transitions into jeep track, with concrete strips on the steepest sections. It’s around 4km long, averages a 7% gradient and pitches above 15% in places. In other words, it’s a proper climb.
Our adjusted Red Route ride finished at 19km with 601m of ascent. It was a satisfying ride that delivered a completely different experience from the Blue Route, with the indigenous forest and final climb providing two memorable highlights.
THE NATURE
Rockwood’s location within the Karkloof Nature Reserve means there’s plenty of wildlife to look out for. We encountered Mountain Reedbuck and Zebra, but the reserve is also home to Common Reedbuck, Black Wildebeest, Bushbuck, Blesbok, Blue Duiker and Bushpig and several smaller mammal species. Predators include Black-backed Jackal, Caracal and Serval.
Birdlife is equally impressive, with more than 185 species listed, including the critically endangered Wattled Crane and Cape Parrot. Even if you’re not riding, the natural environment is a significant part of the Rockwood experience.
THE BACKSTORY
We spoke to Tom Hancock, owner of Rockwood Lodges, about the motivation behind the trails and his plans for the property.
What motivated you to build mountain bike trails on your land?
Because it’s fun. We’ve been riding mountain bikes since the early 2000s, but there wasn’t always much in the way of trails.
We used to explore our farm on mountain bikes, but it was often unridable. We’d point the bike down the hill and hope for the best. There were old log-haul trails used to transport yellowwood with oxen, and those channels are still there.
During Covid, we decided to build formal trails. We were living in the Netherlands at the time, so I called Hylton Turvey and told him we wanted a trail from the top to the bottom. I expected him to convert some of the existing paths into a mountain bike trail, but he built something completely different. Rockwood Angel is essentially a work of art.
I use it a lot with my family, both riding and hiking. As a walk, it’s amazing because you notice so much more than you do on a mountain bike. And, of course, it’s a great climb on an eBike.
Are there plans to expand the trails on your land?
Yes. We’re working with Wild Trust, which manages other portions of the Karkloof Nature Reserve, to create more trails in the vlei areas at the top of the escarpment. We’re aiming to have a full trails circuit within the Karkloof Nature Reserve in the future – more of a loop. We want a route that riders of all levels can enjoy.
We’re working to develop the Karkloof Nature Reserve. It’s pretty much closed to the public because it’s a complicated network of properties owned by ourselves, Sappi and others. By creating dual-purpose trails for hiking and mountain biking, we hope to generate a sustainable level of income, with accommodation offered in conjunction with other local lodges.
Is Rockwood Lodges popular?
Yes, primarily on weekends. We’re focused on establishing Rockwood Lodges as a trails destination, which will hopefully attract more weekday guests who are keen to explore our trails and others in the area.
SUMMARY
Most mountain bikers visit Karkloof for its established trails network, which we still rate among the best in the country. Rockwood Lodges adds another dimension to the region, offering accommodation owned by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers, with access to a trail network that includes the genuinely world-class Rockwood Angel.
The accommodation is comfortable and spacious, with daily cleaning and friendly, communicative staff who are eager to make your stay hassle-free. The setting is remote enough to deliver a proper wilderness experience, yet reasonably central for exploring the wider Karkloof area, including the established trails network, Karkloof Country Club and Curry’s Post with its country crafts and eateries.
We stayed for four nights, from Monday to Thursday, and would recommend at least three nights to give yourself enough time to enjoy both the Rockwood trails and the comfortable accommodation without feeling rushed.
Rockwood is more than a place to sleep between rides. It’s a destination in its own right, particularly for mountain bikers who appreciate well-built singletrack, natural surroundings and the opportunity to explore somewhere a little different from the usual Karkloof experience.
To find out more or book your stay at Rockwood Lodges, click here.
