The jewel of South Africa’s own Lake District, Chrissiesmeer is home to one of the country’s largest freshwater lakes. With beautiful wetland scenery and historical sights, the village is a charming spot for a weekend away from Gauteng. Even better, you can travel there along gravel roads that feed your taste for adventure. 

When you need a weekend breakaway to recharge your batteries, you want a place within easy travelling distance – but that’s off the beaten track. It should be a laid-back environment where you can thoroughly relax, yet have interesting sights so you feel energised and inspired again. Chrissiesmeer ticks all these boxes as a breakaway from Gauteng. Its location in the Mpumalanga countryside makes for a top-notch getaway along gravel roads.

The route

Route builder Willem Rudolph first came across Chrissiesmeer on a business trip to eSwatini some years ago. The village is just under 90km from the Oshoek Border Post. He was immediately captivated by the historical buildings and sweeping views across a patchwork of lakes and grasslands. “When I stopped there, it was a wow moment. I wondered why more people didn’t know about it,” he says.

So when the time came to put together a route for a group of adventure bikers, Willem knew he wanted Chrissiesmeer as destination. He had in mind a rollicking ride along back roads that would swap tar for gravel to make the most of the scenery. (Note that this route is equally suitable for those travelling in a vehicle. There are no singletrack sections, but there are stretches of tweespoor [two spoor] or jeep track, so choose a 4×4 or vehicle with high clearance.)

Starting from the Witkop Blockhouse south of Alberton, the route follows good gravel roads – what Willem likes to call gravel highways – through rolling countryside. It goes past the quaint village of Val, takes in an Anglo-Boer War battlefield and a historic bridge, and winds through the lake country of Mpumalanga.

Willem and his group of adventure bikers visited at the end of winter, during the sleepy season, so the land was resting. But farmers were busy ploughing and preparing their fields – in summer the crops will be high and the surrounds a lush green. 

Historic places to stretch your legs

Just over 110km into the route, you will find Val, the little hamlet that is big on charm. Known as South Africa’s smallest village, it’s a place where geese waddle down the main road in quiet confidence. The venerable Val Hotel with its Moeggeploegkroeg welcomes bikers out on a Sunday run and city slickers looking for country hospitality. Note that bookings are essential – send a Whatsapp to 082 550 5540 to book a table for lunch.

Close to Val is the Whiskey Train Monument, with a story as fascinating as the name suggests. (Read about it in the Seven Silos dirt ride blog.) Another historic sight is the Paul Kruger Bridge, situated between Ermelo and Amersfoort. This elegant sandstone bridge consists of 10 arches that span 124m in total across the Vaal River. It was also known as the Begin der Lyn Bridge because the former boundary line between Transvaal and Swaziland passed nearby.

The stretch of route that leads from the Paul Kruger Bridge makes for thrilling riding. The road climbs over crests and through gullies and there are off camber curves that will put adventure bikers through their paces. The scenery is a treat for the eye, with koppies on the horizon and avenues of trees along the road. 

Winding past the lakes

For Willem, the last leg of the trip leading into Chrissiesmeer was a highlight. The village is named after Lake Chrissie, one of South Africa’s largest freshwater lakes at 9km long and 3km wide. During the breeding season, the lake welcomes up to 20,000 flamingos. But Lake Chrissie is just one body of water in a system of around 320 lakes and pans dotted across the landscape.  

“When I did the route planning, I specifically wanted to go through the lakes area,” says Willem. Aside from the picturesque sight of the shimmering pans, the area around the lakes adds a certain level of challenge. Since it is essentially a vast lakebed, there are several stretches of sand, with the loose substrate putting bike control to the test. 

“Riding in sand is one of those rites of passage that is part of adventure biking. Inevitably, someone is going to fall over, so there’s always something to joke about at dinner. The good thing about sand is that it’s soft, so normally it’s just a case of a bruised ego.”

Note that you need at least 50/50 tyres with a studded surface and deep grooves to cope with the gravel and sand roads in the area.

Note for travellers

Due to the seasonal wetlands around Chrissiesmeer, roads have become inaccessible over time. When viewing satellite imagery of the route, Willem found that part of the Coalbank Road, the main gravel road leading to Chrissiesmeer, was underwater. He contacted his accommodation, the John Jack Inn, to learn more. The manager confirmed that a section was impassable and arranged for special permission to detour through private farms. There is a gravel road to the east through the Lake Banagher area that can be used alternatively.

Tips for riding in sand

• Stand on your pegs to improve control over the bike. 
• Lean back slightly to move your weight back from the centre and position it over the back wheel. 
• Stay loose and don’t clamp the handlebars too tightly, you need to be able to move with the bike. 
• Steer the bike by applying pressure on the foot pegs rather than trying to use the handlebars.
• Use a lower gear and slightly higher revs for better traction.
• Don’t look down at the sand but look where you want to go, at least 50m ahead of you.

With sand riding, so much is counterintuitive that it is worth practising and getting the hang of it before a trip like this. Centres that offer advanced rider training can teach you to ride in sand. You could also find a dry riverbed to practise.

Taking it easy in Chrissiesmeer

A visit to Chrissiesmeer is like taking a step back in time. With its dirt roads, sandstone cottages and corrugated iron buildings, it looks much the same as it would have during the Anglo-Boer Wars. In fact, the billiard room was built for British officers at the time. The officers would have loved the steak and traditional sides The Billiard Room Pub and Grill serves today. The pub has also developed a reputation for its pizzas. 

Keeping with the historical atmosphere is the John Jack Inn alongside – a hotel was first opened at this site in 1882. The original sandstone building is now available for rent as a self-catering unit. Although the seven-room John Jack Inn dates back to 2012 only, it is a close reconstruction of the 1903 hotel that burnt down in 1936. Using corrugated iron and wood, the hotel was rebuilt to capture the spirit of the original. While the rooms are furnished in a style that recalls the past, they fortunately feature modern conveniences, as well as fireplaces for chilly weather.

The original owners, prospector John Jack and his partner, August Simmer, also built stables and a gin depot, and planted two oaks. The converted stables are now home to a craft gin distillery with The Gin Shop hosted in the old depot. “The entire property is steeped in history,” says Willem. “Sitting in the garden under the old oak tree and sipping on a gin was just brilliant. This breakaway is the whole package: an awesome day’s riding and a charming place to stay.”

Good to know

Riding to Chrissiesmeer on gravel is a long day on the road, so as an adventure biker you need to be fit and comfortable with many hours in the saddle. 

The countryside is ideal for a range of activities. Guests at the John Jack Inn can go canoeing or windsurfing on Lake Chrissie while fishermen will be in their element. Chrissiesmeer is a hotspot for birding, with a wide range of grassland and wetland species. There are also beautiful hikes and the chance to see San paintings – the inn can suggest guides. 

The FROG Coffee Shop is a proper farm stall where you can refuel with delicious pannekoek and moerkoffie. The farm stall is situated on the main tar road that leads through Chrissiesmeer. 

Turkana Challenge ticks

If you are doing the Turkana Challenge 2025/26, this route incorporates several ticks, depending on the specific safari you’re doing.

Warfields Safari Challenge
Blockhouse: Witkop Blockhouse
Anglo-Boer War battlefield: Whisky Train Monument

Historic Safari Challenge
Historic bridge: Paul Kruger Bridge
Derelict train station: Val train station

Also read: Let the Turkana Challenge rekindle the thrill of discovery