Umtamvuna Mountain Bike Trail – UMBT Overview Situated at the very edge of our Kingdom of the Zulu – South Coast The trail runs through private farms and municiple land adjacent to the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve. The Nature reserve conserves 180 endemic plant species, the rarest tree in SA and rarest shrub in the summer rainfall area, including 259 species of birds with mammals such as Spotted genet, Baboon, Samango Monkey and Reedbuck. The Umtamvuna River flows from the Engeli Mountains near Harding, the home of another fantastic MTB race. Dividing the E.Cape from KZN it meets the sea just south of Port Edward our Gateway to the Wild Coast. The Trail offers a super mix of terrain and memorable sight seeing with four trails to suit all levels and tastes. For those who want to enjoy it at a leisurely pace, there are a number of interesting places to stop at. The classic view of the Umtamvuna estuary meets your eyes before you head onto Spook-house Down Hill for a white-knuckle ride. Hit the awesome Red Desert for some technical fun and fly onto some wicked single track through rolling grassland, all with a back- drop of the warm Indian Ocean. All routes pass through Beaver Creek Coffee Estate after Coffee-bean Uphill ending back at Clearwater Chalets. If you enjoy this you will just love our Rides on the Wild Side. The UMBT, is proudly part of the new ‘Sardine Classic’ with the all proceeds going to the KZN Wildlife, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, join us on the 6 June 2004 for our next race. Fast Facts Distance; 6,10,14 and 22kms Grading; 6-easy; 10,14,22- medium with option of technical Riding time; from 30mins to just over 2hrs Top Speed; Average speed; Total Ascent; 250m Starting height; 241 m Max height; 250m. Starting Point; GPS C0-0rdinates Surface; Dirt roads(DR), jeep tracks(JT), tar road(TR)and single track.(ST) Map; Trail is fully marked and map can be collected at start from Clearwater Chalets &Trails. contact Jan or Natalie Abbott (039311 1130 / 0835496710 / 0835618479) Fee; R15 to Clearwater Trails, guests at Chalets ride FREE , enquire about our frequent user fee Organised rides over the weekend on Trail or down Wild Coast and morning/afternoon during the week, with Satour Guide Jan Abbott. Wild Coast rides are done in partnership with Amadiba Adventures. Facilities; secure parking, braais, toilet & shower, bikes for hire, hiking trails, gorge views, rustic timber chalets, trampoline, hose to clean bkes. Caution; Check your Brakes before Spook house down hill, ride with care in the red desert, no littering, NO HELMET NO RIDE, don’t forget to save some energy for Coffee-bean Uphill. Respect where you lay your tracks. How to get there From Durban travel down the South Coast on the N2 for 150km, 1½hrs, pass Port Shepstone and continue down the coast on the R61 past Margate to Port Edward, at Traffic lights turn right inland onto Izingolweni Rd for 5’5km turning Left onto District rd D595 just after Vuna Village Crafts, then 2km along dirt rd to the end and then right 100m down to Chalets on top of the Umtamvuna gorge looking out over Pondoland, with fantastic sunsets. Best time of year Port Edward and Lower South Coast enjoys life giving rain over the summer months with plenty of hot, rain free days, but bring rain protection just incase. And there is a hose to wash off your bike if needed. In the summer it is light enough to ride from 5am until 7pm so one can ride out of the heat of the day. Winter sees a lot less rain and plenty of crisp clear mornings to head out for a truly rewarding ride. Route description Start point: From Clearwater Chalets and Trails head out of gate to the top of the drive way and turn right and follow white poles painted with black arrows and luminous pink stripes so you don’t miss a marker. One arrow – direction, two arrows – direction and take care, three arrows – direction and sharp/dangerous corner or obstacle, Watch Out. Down ward pointing arrows – be very careful or dismount. The trail begins with a gradual descent along farm roads and hand built single track, a few nice bunny-hop options, through a nice s-bend and coming out of the avenue of trees the trails takes a left down Dam Hill onto Clearwater Dam Wall. Test your balance over the dam spillway wall or not and head around the dam for a beautiful section through ‘Abbott’s Wood’. Come out and turn right and go straight for 6km Green Route, which is ideal for the whole family and sprint rides. The longer route follow signs right and go 30m then left on to the handmade single track down the old East Griqualand wagon and cattle track. Check your brakes as you come to the top of Spook House Downhill with fantastic views of the estuary and suspension bridge. Stick to the right on the way down the steep DR and be prepared for the right turn at the bottom, it levels off for a bit and then descends steeply again under the canopy of thick indigenous forest exiting onto a district DR look right for traffic coming up hill. Coming up to the Eskom Sub-station the 10km yellow route turns left and follows a DR to though to the base of Coffee-bean uphill Continuing straight onto the tarred Old Pont rd for 250m cross over to the right side of the road and take the DR off behind Jo Arkells Pottery. Turn right after 200m onto a jeep track through the grassland leading to the Red Desert (an open expanse of bright red sand, with numerous tracks to follow over drop-offs big and small). Please remember to ride with care and don’t do unnecessary skids, to keep this a low impact sport. When you have finished playing, follow the path out the other side on to some brilliant ST footpaths. About 400m down the 14km Red route takes a sharp turn left and up so remember to change down. The red route follows some ST footpaths through grassland, with a technical little descent to the Zolwane River, definitely three down arrows, check sharp (remember bum back off your seat and don’t hesitate) or portage. Follow markers to Mill Rd, continue past saw-mill, through the dip and follow markers left. The 22km Blue route continues on ST down the CH Mitchell bridge over the Umtamvuna Rive. You can cross over using the pedestrian crossing on the right and stop half way to admire the view. On the E.Cape side cross over to the seaward side and cross back over the bridge, again stopping to enjoy the view. Head north on the R61 for about 1.2km and you will see a white curb stone and two white poles, mount the curb and follow the ST footpath through, (the little ditch can be ridden if you lift your front wheel over it) and left onto Rennies JT. Follow track to gravel and tar streets of Southern Port Edward, for a walk up North Sand Bluff Light House or take a breather at The Gully over looking the warm Indian Ocean before heading back. Go straight up from the light house to the tar road at the top and turn left onto Ramsay avenue, follow road out back over the R61 past Banners Rest Retirement Village and Edwardian and turn left onto DR Nelson rd. Follow DR to Africarve and crossover Old Pont Rd through some banana plantations to the base of Coffee-bean uphill for a bit of time in granny gear pass through Beaver Creek Coffee Estate for last few kms ending back at the Clearwater Chalets. Riders are welcome to enjoy the facilities available or pop over to Beaver Creek for a tasty breakfast or light lunch and some delicious coffee. |
