Does anyone know the state of this gravel road for towing a tourer sw. I'm atbthe baths and it would be a shorter drive going this route rather than through lutxville and around the top..but would it be faster and would it be safe??

The road is ok. N bit off corrigation between 2nd and 3rd bridge. Just make sure your wheels are deflated, which people dont do. The travelling to slow on corrogation causes unnecessary vibration

Daai grondpad is baie baie korter. Ek stel voor gaan ry hom net met jou voertuig en kyk vanself. Die bier is lekker koud in Lamberts

I assume you are at The Baths, Citrusdal going to Strandfontein.

I would go via N7 and Lutzville.

The road alongside the Shishen/Saldanha railway is a private road, permit holders only.

In December 2020 it was ok as a gravel road.

We visited Lambert's Bay from Strandfontein via this rail side road, and was stopped at a womaned gate requiring a permit. Begging forgiveness got us through. We returned via the next gravel road (google maps shows this as the shortest route from Citrusdal) and joined the rail road further up (as shown on google maps) but it is via the private road.

I traveled that road twice in the last to weeks. Only a gaurd at Lambertsbay travelling north. Just before the bridge at lambertsbay their us a dirt road which is fine and links onto the rail road, avoiding the gaurd. He does accept R20 certificate

Fienie wrote:

I traveled that road twice in the last to weeks. Only a gaurd at Lambertsbay travelling north. Just before the bridge at lambertsbay their us a dirt road which is fine and links onto the rail road, avoiding the gaurd. He does accept R20 certificate

Yes that's pretty much as I have tried to explain it.

To answer the original question yes the route is safe. 

For the shorter benefit starting from the N7, considering dust and flying stones, corrugations, time taken is probably not much quicker than the tar route.

Fienie wrote:

I traveled that road twice in the last to weeks. Only a gaurd at Lambertsbay travelling north. Just before the bridge at lambertsbay their us a dirt road which is fine and links onto the rail road, avoiding the gaurd. He does accept R20 certificate

Danie is Bird Island currently open?

Yes it is

We have used the railways inspection road on aloccation, paying a fee and receiving a receipt, so it seems legal. But the last time we tried, a few year ago, we were not allowed through. So don' t depend on it. Try using it but have a Plan B ready. Every time we travelled it, the conditions was OK as Spoornet keeps it that way for their use, but I guess it depends on how long ago it waa last scraped.

Fred wrote:

We have used the railways inspection road on aloccation, paying a fee and receiving a receipt, so it seems legal. But the last time we tried, a few year ago, we were not allowed through. So don' t depend on it. Try using it but have a Plan B ready. Every time we travelled it, the conditions was OK as Spoornet keeps it that way for their use, but I guess it depends on how long ago it waa last scraped.

Same happened to us. One day they allow you to go through, but the next day they refuse entry.