World first for Plett as trails get the Green Flag

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Plett prides itself on being the "best" in many arenas from top beach destination to sought-after heritage haven, and recently added another feather to its cap - this time on the more adventurous side.

The coastal holiday town became home to the first international Green Flag status mountain biking trails.

This accreditation is an international standard that looks at trails that are responsibly managed, environmentally accountable and display verified accurate information.

Plettenberg Bay Tourism chief executive Patty Butterworth said that the Garden Route has often topped many riders' bucket lists and is known to offer some of the most "exquisite" rides in the world.

Some of these trails weave and dip through coastal vegetation veering along cliff's edges, stripe through pine plantations, meander through winelands and sweep along the forests of the Garden Route National Park.

"Added to this, famous rides such as the Dr Evil Classic, Cross Cape Cycle Route, Tour de Plett and Karoo 2 Coast provide riders with a sample of the exceptional trails to be enjoyed in the region. The final puzzle piece to this cycling playground is the trails to be enjoyed at Cairnbrogie and Sky Trails," Butterworth said

Owner of Trail Lynx Johan Vorster, who has created the network of world-class trails across Bitou including the newly accredited Green Flag trails, said the new Sky Trails had been constructed within the greater framework of a botanical park concept.

"Each trail has been created to showcase the diverse fynbos biomes on the property and all the trails have been constructed responsibly, with good drainage and careful trail planning to minimise negative impacts on the local ecology. This synergises directly with the international Green Flag Trails initiative and we are proud to be one of the first accredited MTB trails," Voster said.

The accreditation is also aimed at enhancing public awareness and confidence in trails with a system designed to meet the needs of trail users in relation to trail information, difficulty grading and skills, and trail classification.

The system ensures well managed and environmentally accountable trails remain a valued and on-going resource for access to nature, recreation and trail sports, for health and tourism and the many benefits trails offer local communities.

Butterworth said Plett's location, at the heart of the Garden Route National Park, surrounded by nature reserves, pine plantations, mountains, dramatic coastline, fynbos and exquisite indigenous forest, made it the ideal base from which to explore the region.

The accreditation also comes hot on the heels of the recently launched Plett Trails app. It is a comprehensive guide to the best and lesser-known walks, hikes and MTB trails to be found in the areas around Plettenberg Bay, from Harkerville to Tsitsikamma. It informs users with regard to trail information, difficulty grading and skills, and trail classification.

After 18 months and much ground covered, the Plett Trails app is ready to use and includes 26 hiking trails – 16 of which are international Green Flag Trails, and the first Green Flag mountain bike trails in the world.