Kroonland 4x4

Tell us about your favorite 4x4 trail. Tell us how easy or difficult it was, is there escape routes for the faint hearted? Please add some photographs if you can.
Post Reply
User avatar
ChrisF
Top Web Wheeler
Top Web Wheeler
Posts: 8188
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:56 pm
Town: inniedorp
Vehicle: Toy
Real Name: Chris

Kroonland 4x4

Post by ChrisF »

On Sunday we did the Kroonland 4x4 trail on the Kaaimansgat farm. This is about 7 km outside of Villiersdorp. YET, the turn off to this is only about 1 kilometer outside of Villiersdorp in the direction of Worcestor.

It was a most "interesting" day ...

We headed out Sunday morning without any specific plans. Finally found a spot for breakfast, wanting to support a new venue turned into a saga to find one ... After a lovely breakfast we headed over the Franschoek pass, in the direction of Villiersdorp.

Having heard of this trail before I headed towards Kaaimansgat - without having contacted the owners beforehand .....

After waiting almost an hour for the owners, we were aided by some of the farm workers. Having paid and signed the indemnity form we took our map and headed into the trail.

It started of as a perfectly graded gravel road, hardly worthy of a "1" rating. Idling along this perfect road we had time to enjoy the view over the valley. The map had numbers at each junction, and the junctions were clearly numbered as well. This made navigation an absolute breeze.

Then a slight climb.... A little bit of erosion on the side ..... Just enough that you needed to start paying attention to the road. Yet hardly worthy of a 4x4, just yet ...... And as we climbed the view of the valley just kept on getting better.

And then it was time to make "a litlle turn" at the end of the dam and then climb upwards. It looked "strange enough" that I stopped and walked the obstacle first, the first of many such stops for the day. As it turns out this one was not bad, as long as you got the line right. Rock on the inside to take note of and more erosion ditches on the other side to catch the unweary .... After this turn the climb got markedly steeper - correct tire pressures, low range a requirement, and diff lock recommended to prevent wheel spin and damage to the trail. Not much further the trail narrowed and the surface changed to slightly larger rocks. Again no reason the sweat, just enough that you now neede to pay attention to the trail.

On the way to the Uitkykpunt we somehow missed one turnoff ... We found our way again and kept on climbing untill we finally reached the Uitkykpunt. It is one of those experiences that a camera will never be able to truly capture.

Going down from the Uitkykpunt, was a nice steep incline. The first of many ...

Due to our late start we now headed straight to the camp site for lunch. Missing out on most of the trail. We WILL be visiting the camp site again ! Next time to overnight. Strange how a hotdog can be better than a Sunday roast ....

So now it was time to do the bits we missed ..... DONT attempt this with a "low rider SUV" !! If I went there with the standard Hilux bumper it would most probably have come back in tatters .... In fact if Uys's bash plate was on it would have have some scratches on it ..... And yet, strangely it never felt like we were pushing the Hilux beyond its limits. Some of those climbs were STEEP. 1st gear Low range and she just idled away. Not once did she break traction and spin away - this with HT tires down to 1,6 bar. I am VERY happy with my Hilux !!!!!!

O-yes, on four occasions we had to do some "trail clearance". Even this was a breeze on a lovely day out on the trail. Pity we could not take pics on the rougherr bits - some of the areas just did not allow you to stop and get out ..... More than once I had to do as Andre says: "Get out and walk the trail, find the best line ....". More than one rock shows the scuff marks where vehicle owners underestimated the terrain ....
Attachments
IMG_6512 (Small).jpg
IMG_6513 (Small).jpg
IMG_6517 (Small).jpg
IMG_6519 (Small).jpg
IMG_6520 (Small).jpg
IMG_6521 (Small).jpg
IMG_6525 (Small).jpg
IMG_6526 (Small).jpg
User avatar
2.8 d/cab SFA
LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
Posts: 1407
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:08 am
Town: Boksburg
Vehicle: Yamaha R1
Real Name: John
Location: Boksburg

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by 2.8 d/cab SFA »

nice txs
John
Real Trucks Don't Have Sparkplugs!
ImageImage
User avatar
swartvark
Monster Truck
Monster Truck
Posts: 2051
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:03 pm
Town: Gordons Bay
Vehicle: SFA HiLEX V8; Suzuki GSF1200s Bandit
Real Name: Tiaan
Location: Western Cape

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by swartvark »

:thumbup:
Ja dis flippen lekkerrr daar.

Ek en my ou Isuzu (Bosvark) het 'n paar jaar gelede daar gaan speel.
Attachments
DSC00296.JPG
DSC00289.JPG
DSC00261.JPG
Image
MUD........GLORIOUS MUD!!!!!


Your friendly VW salesperson......(with a passion for SFA Hiluxes)

NEED A CAR?
talk2tiaan@gmail.com
0829294028
User avatar
2.8 d/cab SFA
LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
Posts: 1407
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:08 am
Town: Boksburg
Vehicle: Yamaha R1
Real Name: John
Location: Boksburg

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by 2.8 d/cab SFA »

isuszu looks still very good nick, no rust??
John
Real Trucks Don't Have Sparkplugs!
ImageImage
Traveler
Monster Truck
Monster Truck
Posts: 5311
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:11 am
Town: Springs
Vehicle: Pathfinder 2.5 LE AT
Real Name: Heinrich
Club VHF Licence: X81
Location: Gauteng
Contact:

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by Traveler »

Chris, nice pics.
Daai nuwe bumper lyk ook erg wiele. Baie mooi.
Image
Image

Know what you don't know.
User avatar
Andre du preez
LR 4WD Full Lockers
LR 4WD Full Lockers
Posts: 788
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:45 pm
Town: somerset west
Vehicle: hilux 2.2
Real Name: Andre

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by Andre du preez »

Was daar darm n water gat of twee , met die winter reen dik ek dit kan net lekker raak. :thumbup:
User avatar
ChrisF
Top Web Wheeler
Top Web Wheeler
Posts: 8188
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:56 pm
Town: inniedorp
Vehicle: Toy
Real Name: Chris

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by ChrisF »

Andre kyk na Swartvark se foto's ... lekker MODDER GAT !
User avatar
Andre du preez
LR 4WD Full Lockers
LR 4WD Full Lockers
Posts: 788
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:45 pm
Town: somerset west
Vehicle: hilux 2.2
Real Name: Andre

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by Andre du preez »

Ons was so paar maande terug daar vir naweek.Regtig baie lekka plek.
Ek se nog vir nuwe 4x4 manne wat vir die eerste keur wil harde grond wil ry is kroonland n baie goeie idee.
User avatar
Mud Dog
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29852
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
Town: East London
Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
Real Name: Andy
Club VHF Licence: HC103

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by Mud Dog »

Mooi Chris! Lyk soos 'n baie interesante plekkie daar tussen die berge. :thumbup:
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

Image
Image

Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Matewis007
Low Range 4WD
Low Range 4WD
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:50 pm
Town: Brackenfell
Vehicle: Toyota Hilux D/cab 3.0KZ-TE
Real Name: Jaco
Club VHF Licence: HC355
Location: Brackenfell

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by Matewis007 »

My Skoonmense het op Kaaimansgat gebly. Het daai paaie al almal gery. En dan is daar nog 'n waterval ook wat min mense van weet.
User avatar
ChrisF
Top Web Wheeler
Top Web Wheeler
Posts: 8188
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:56 pm
Town: inniedorp
Vehicle: Toy
Real Name: Chris

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by ChrisF »

Jace het jy so pas gevolunteer om die volgende outing te reel ... :mocking: :siffler:
Matewis007
Low Range 4WD
Low Range 4WD
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:50 pm
Town: Brackenfell
Vehicle: Toyota Hilux D/cab 3.0KZ-TE
Real Name: Jaco
Club VHF Licence: HC355
Location: Brackenfell

Re: Kroonland 4x4

Post by Matewis007 »

Hahahahaha Ek is hoeka besig om saam met 'n pel 'n bikers outing te reel soontoe.
Post Reply

Return to “Trail Reports”