Petrus-se-Brand (Diepwalle)

This route has a distance of just over 24km and is suitable for mountain bikers of average fitness. The fist 20km is forestry roads and jeep track and the trails finale is a fun 4km single track through the indigenous forest. Note that this is not a circle route, so you have three options:

• Get someone to drop you off at the start and pick you up at the finish

• Cycle to the finish and back on the same route

• Cycle the trail and cycle back via the N2 and R339 (this adds 27km to your days cycle, 10km of tar on the N2 and 17km gravel on the R339)

The Forestry station at Diepwalle is well kept and offers neat toilet and shower facilities picnic area and a tea garden. In the off season the permit to cycle is free of charge. (off peak is defined as the time outside school vacations) It is worth while to find out wheather ant part of the rout is closed before starting.

We decided on the on parking at Diepwalle and cycling back via the N2 and R339. The trail starting at Diepwalle descends a few kms down the Uniondale road. It breaks away to the left at 2.8km. Keep a sharp look out for the marker on the left. (the route is sparsely marked) The track now follows the contoured bed of the old narrow-gauge forest railway which used to run from Ysterhoutrug to Knysna. The route turns left into the Petrus-brand-pad and begins to descend to the Petrusbrand River. One climbs from the stream, winding toward Petrusbrand eiland.  Passing through more moist and medium-moist high forest, one breaks out into fynbos of Kleineiland (“small island”) – a island of Cape Fynbos surrounded by indigenous forest. The route descends to the Kleineiland River valley. This is the lowest point of the route and the start of a fairly severe climb over 4km.  The last section of route, through the forest on an old timber slip-path, is the most exciting. It winds down to Garden of Eden, offering some fast single-track. The alternative route follows the Fisanthoek road to the N2.

Getting back to the start, you can either back track or complete a circle. We chose the circle route option which meant we now had a 10km cycle on the N2 which is quite easy going. Turning off into the R339 is not fun, there is no yellow line and the 2km through Khayelethu is very busy. Once out of the location there is about 2km the road turn to a dirt road where you will encounter a lot of heavy vehicles frequenting the quarry. Having survived this the road get very quite and you have now got a 14km climb ahead of you  before ending at the forestry station.

For those interested mainly in the single track section: you can park at the end of the route(Garden of Eden) obtain your permit for the Petrus-se-brand route at the forestry kiosk.  Cycle about 4k along the N2 towards Knysna and turn right into the dirt road going to Fisantehoek ( the alternate return route). Cycle up to the start of the single track and have fun.


Getting there:
From Knysna take the N2 East (towards Plettenbergbay). About 2km outside Knysna turn left into the R339, heading to Uniondale (luckily Khayelethu, whitch you are driving through is not  big). Carry on for 15km and you will find the Diepwalle forestry station turn off on your right and will get to the designated parking behind the station in another 2km.