The good folk from oZone Africa have spent many hours traveling and exploring the South African wilderness and sharing their experiences as they go. They spent a long weekend at Hayterdale and explored the Zuurberg mountains and had a lot of great things to say. Their recent issue of oZine magazine perfectly sums up their trip. Download the magazine below.
Be sure to follow oZone to keep up with their adventures:
Not only are the team from oZone keen athletes they are also masters with a camera, be sure to check out their galleries of the exquisite landscape of the Zuurberg mountains and Hayterdale.
Also see some of our favorite paragraphs from the magazine below.
Hayterdale's Favourite Mentions
Go Hike (or Run)
The secret Zuurberg section of the Addo Elephant National Park boasts a superb network of hiking trails, offering everything from easy ambles to strenuous multi-day treks. You’ll lose yourselves within densely wooded valleys or take in breathtaking views from atop grassland plateaus, where ancient cycads and spreading cabbage trees dot the dramatic cliff edges. Look out for bushbuck, rhebuck, spiral-horned kudu and an impressive bird list, including verreaux- and martial eagle. The annual ‘Great Zuurberg Trail Run’ is not to be missed – www.gztrun.co.za
Ozine Magazine Issue #2 Page 10
Go Ride
Hayterdale Trail Centre plays host to some of the top MTB trails in SA, with hand-built and manicured tracks catering for all levels of riders. Crank into proper velo pay dirt on 60km-plus of loamy single-track, with top quality builds, wooden bridges, shaped berms & bush tunnels galore. You’ll be smiling your way via indigenous forest and – once out of the bush (and quite possibly out of breath) – you’ll marvel at extraordinary views across the coastal plains towards Port Elizabeth. These well-marked and colour-coded routes is also central to the annual ‘Great Zuurberg Trek MTB Stage Race’
Ozine Magazine Issue #2 Page 11
Trail Focus
Bru, few experiences on the bike come close to the PwC Great Zuurberg Trek. Yup, I know many mountain biking stage races like to lay claim to a ‘boutique’ experience, but few of them actually deliver on this promise. The annual #GZT does so on all fronts, and without losing the edge when it comes to riding these wild Zuurberg trails he region has become legendary for.
You will find Hayterdale Trails at the heart of this epic riding region here in the heart of Eastern Cape ‘Frontier Country’ and boy, what a kickass MTB destination it is! Situated right on the border of Addo Elephant National Park, you have well over a 100km-plus of singletrack and jeep-track to explore.
Collect your bonus adventure points by getting face to face with ellies – either in the national park or at some of the nearby lodges – or by signing up for any number of other outdoor activities. No wonder the Eastern Cape is known as the ‘Adventure Province’!
The mountain micro-climate is generally mild, and mostly warm and temperate throughout summer. Winters do go into big chill mode, with freezing nights and fresh day-time temperatures. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, with precipitation in early and late summer.
Ozine Magazine Issue #2 Page 11
Awe-inspiring nature scenery has been shown to accelerate recovery from posttraumatic stress disorder (this according to a University of Berkeley study), while Swedish scientists proved that time in nature improves recovery from psychological stress.
And this is exactly why a weekend away in the wilderness can be a life-changing experience especially during the current times of corona-related stress). Natural grandeur is guaranteed as part and parcel of an escape, whether it is the Zuurberg ranges or an untouched beach on the Namaqua West Coast. It is here where you will rediscover a multitude of unique ways to once again commune at grassroots level and return to your instinctive cognitive state.
Hike into a high peak and stand entranced within the swirl of a million snowflakes; crank onto the free-flow of a mountain biking trail to feel the energy of our remarkable planet; stand stock-still and drink in those close encounters with eland and verreaux eagles; tramp onto a trail amidst sandstone turrets or plunging granite cliffs; let San rock art transport you thousands of years into the past lives of hunter-gatherer generations; dip into a freezing pool for some cold-water therapy and a reset zing of your entire immune system … this is how to escape the virtual trap and re-imagine your reality.
