A Breede River Valley road trip with a twist

This easy overnight route from Cape Town combines the calm atmosphere of one of the Cape’s lesser-known wine regions with some gravel travel and even a little 4X4 action. I drove it in the All-New Land Rover Discovery.

The highlight of this route (for offroad enthusiasts at least) has got to be the 12km Tierkloof 4×4 Trail.

New is fun, right? With two days to test drive the All-New Land Rover Discovery, I plotted a route from Cape Town into a part of the Breede River Valley that was new to me: a small patch of wine country just east of Worcester. You know, the bit you whoosh past on your way to Robertson, Swellendam, Montagu or Route 62. Turns out there’s more there than first meets the eye. It was also the perfect place to put the new Land Rover Discovery 3,0 TDV6 HSE Luxury through its paces.

Here is a map of the route, a link to it (and directions on Google Maps) and seven highlights you’ll find along the way:

This overnight trip from Cape Town will get you two mountain passes, a 4×4 trail, and a feast of other Breede River Valley treats.

1. Du Toitskloof Pass

Irony is when you skip the Huguenot Tunnel to take in the views from Du Toitskloof Pass, but it’s so misty and rainy that the only good photo you get is of the small tunnel at the end of the pass.

Skip the Huguenot Tunnel and take the R101 (Sonstraal Street) onto this old route over the Hawequa Mountains. We drove it on a rainy and very misty afternoon so there were views to speak of, but the inclement weather did give me chance to get comfortable with the new Discovery’s road manners. The first impression (in case you haven’t noticed) is that the aesthetics have changed rather drastically. It looks more like a Range Rover than the previous Discovery. It’s sleek, stocky and steadfast, and on the road its lower centre of gravity and air suspension makes it feel more like a sports car than an offroad vehicle. It’s also superbly quiet.

2. Aan de Doorns Guesthouse

You’ll find classic winelands hospitality at Aan de Doorns Guesthouse, just outside Worcester.

We arrived at Aan de Doorns Guesthouse in the late afternoon. Not too far from Worcester, this country house is charming, with classic decor, high ceilings and more-than-helpful hosts. I loved the old steel-frame bed – they don’t make them like that anymore. The dogs are friendly (you’ll find the largest great dane this side of the Langeberg there) and the mood is peaceful. From R497,50 per person sharing.

Eat here: Dinner is available at Aan de Doorns on request. Alternatively, try Fowlers Grill in town. The steak menu is impressive, the cuts are delicious and the setting mixes the best parts of casual eatery (there’s a pizza oven outside) with an air of fine dining. 300g fillet steak from R179. 0233478761

3. Langeberg Amble

This fantastic gravel route runs along the foot of the Langeberg past the Rooiberg Conservancy.

The following morning we got an early start and pointed the Landy’s grill in the direction of the Langeberg in search of good gravel roads and any treasures they might proffer up along the way. We didn’t need to look far. Just over the R60, we found the gravel Overhex Road, which winds its way along fynbos-garnished foothills. This, for me, was where the Disco stole the show. I’ve not driven all that many SUVs in its price bracket class (R1 314 000 for the HSE Luxury) it’s also by far the most expensive vehicle I’ve test driven), but it’s the best gravel-roader I’ve had the pleasure of commandeering. It felt superbly planted, dealt with ruts like they weren’t there and the claimed 480kg reduction in weight from its predecessor makes it significantly more nimble.

4. Rooiberg Winery

Stop here for breakfast after a slow amble along the foothills of the Langeberg.

At the end of this loop, back on the R60, we stopped at Bodega de Vinho at Rooiberg Winery for breakfast. It’s a favourite spot of mine because the folk are friendly and there’s more to the whole place than just wine tasting and sales. Sit outside if it’s a sunny morning or enjoy the warm bistro feel indoors. If you’re a mountain biker this is also where you can get your permit to ride in the Rooiberg Conservancy (R40 per person). Trails start at Saggy Stone Brewery, which you will have passed on the Overhex Road to get here. Breakfast from R40.

5. Olyfberg

Taste olives and tapenade at Olyfberg

We headed back towards Worcester on the R60, but didn’t stay on it for very long, taking the very next gravel road left (turn at the sign that reads ‘Eilandia’) and cruised past some very Karoo-like scenery to Olyfberg to check out their wares. It’s an unassuming spot with a sparse but neat reception where you can do a free olive tasting, buy olive products and fresh-pressed extra virgin oil. At R120 for a litre (if you buy the PET refill bottles), for a product that you know is the real deal (not like some of that foreign ‘extra virgin’ hocus pocus) it’s a bargain.

6. Tierkloof 4×4 Trail

The 4×4 trail at Tierkloof is not exactly a walk in the park. Go in a group and make sure there’s always someone spotting.

We cruised a few more gravel roads (they really were that fun to drive in the Land Rover), crossed the Breede (see map) and then wound our way around Brandvlei Dam to Tierkloof 4X4 Trail for the ultimate test: how does the new Landy handle its marque’s flagship environment? Very, very, well, it turns out. But there is a caveat (which you can read in the overall impressions below). The trail is only 12km, but starts with a very steep rocky ascent with some fairly large step ups. It’s a little nerve-wracking without support, but it was a good way to test its All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) system.

Essentially ATPC is cruise control for steep terrain. All you do is select a speed between 1,8km/h and 30km/h, and the Discovery’s electronics applies the correct acceleration (and braking where necessary), leaving you with to focus on picking the right line and steering. It’s an electronics / engineering marvel but if you’re the classic rough-and-tumble offroader, you’ll find it a little, umm, unsatisfying. We didn’t complete the trail (again, see the overall impressions below) but chatted to the owner at length about it. Things get a lot easier after the initial uphill, there’s a short sandy section and even a water crossing or two. There are also superb views of the Breede Valley at the top. From R150 per vehicle.

7. Bainskloof Pass

Parked on the side of the magnificent (though a little bumpy) Bainskloof Pass.

From Tierkloof we crossed the N1, drove through the Slanghoek Valley, over the Breede River and headed towards Wellington on one of my favourite mountain passes in the country: Bainskloof Pass. It’s narrow, a little bumpy and magnificently long (about 26km) and was a delight to drive. The Discovery impressed even more with its road manners over some of the bumpy sections. You can stop for lunch at the Calabash Bush Pub and Lapa or have a picnic at Tweede Tol, a CapeNature campsite and facility in the Limietberg. It has beautiful lawns and rock pools. Meals at Calabash from R60 per person and conservation fees at Tweede Tol are R40 per person.

From Wellington, it took us about an hour and a half (at most) to get back to Cape Town, another part of the country explored (though there’s a lot more in the Breede River Valley still to see) in a ride that I could feel myself starting to get really comfortable in.

Land Rover Discovery 3,0 TDV6 HSE Luxury overall impressions

Eating up some gravel in the all-new Land Rover Discovery.

Overall this is a magnificently smart vehicle. It’s intelligent systems (Park Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Change Assist and countless others) make being on the road feel safer, more comfortable, and its size (it is very large) easier to manage. The build-quality is solid, interiors well-finished and appointed with the kind of luxury feel you’d expect from a top-marque like the Discovery.

I loved how the navigation software integrated with the dash so aside from the map display you also get directions between the dials.

The only thing that may disappoint hardcore Landy lovers (of which I am one) is that it feels a little too refined to tackle the really tough stuff. The capability is certainly there. I don’t doubt the claim that it is the most capable of the Discoverys yet (it truly impressed me on the 4X4 course) but I was constantly worried that I was going to damage the bodywork or dent the rims beneath those low-profile tyres. It was the reason I didn’t tackle the full course at Tierkloof, I made an about turn when I got to one or two placed where the foliage started looking overgrown and branches started creeping out from the tracksides.

For me, Land Rovers always look happiest when they’re dirty. This was after a rough day on gravel and the Tierkloof 4X4 course.

As an ultra-comfortable, intelligent, SUV that can do a bit of a 4X4ing but will largely be used on the road and gravel, I think it hits its mark.

Cruising the Breede River Valley’s tar roads.