On your bike

Four colour-coded routes – ranging from easy family rides to superb singletrack – meander through shady plantations, coastal fynbos and indigenous forest

The Yellow route (14km) is an easy ride along level gravel service roads, perfect for the not-so-fit. The Blue route (12km) is also an easy option, but this time includes sections of singletrack, meandering through the forest before looping back through a glade of giant redwood trees. The Green route (15km) is an intermediate, circular route bang­ing onto the breathtaking and rugged coastline before returning through a section of tall, coastal forest. The Red route (24km) is a challenging ride with wicked stretches of singletrack and a vertiginous coastal cruise along tower­ing fynbos cliffs.

To do the Red route, crank off across the highway from the Garden of Eden or the parking at the Harkerville Forestry Office further down the N2 towards Plettenberg Bay. The trail head on the Grooteilandpad T-junction starts with a section of singletrack along the south­ern edge of the N2, dipping through the concrete irrigation channel before turning left (1km) to ascend into the for­est. Cruise onto Markpad (2km) where you turn right along jeep track for a few hundred metres.

Head left onto Beukespad among towering trees trailing bearded moss and verdant stands of seven-year ferns until you meet up with Markpad again (5.5km), then turn right and left again (6km) onto Olifantpad. Now it’s an absolute dream of a ride as you slope away towards the coast, taking care along the occasional stream crossing. A sharp climb takes you into the Gumbelt, but the trail soon flattens out as you burst into fynbos country (11km) with stunning views across the rugged Indian Ocean coastline.

Hit the downhill along a rocky section of trail before you swoop down along a steep gravel road onto a bridge crossing (14km). This is a good spot to grab a swim on those sweltering summer days, especially as there is a stiff climb lurking en route to where you rejoin the Green route (15.5km). Huff and puff onto the Waterpad, then crank onto Klei­neilandpad to re-enter the forest after 2km. A left onto Perdekoppad (19km) links to Geelstootpad (21km), and then you hit the final free-ride section of the Red route, a zigzag descent amid tall tree ferns (23km).