ABOUT US
Hayterdale lies in the Zuurberg Mountains, at the heart of the Addo Region in the Eastern Cape. It was founded by brothers Rob and Trevor Hayter, whose family have farmed in the Zuurberg Mountains since the 1950s. Hayterdale is within 10kms of the Addo National Elephant Park and 5kms from the Zuurberg Hotel. Hayterdale offers around 50km’s of mountain biking, running and hiking trails. The diverse terrain offers a unique outdoor experience and is South Africa’s best kept mountain biking secret.
The idea of creating mountain biking trails started in 2008 with Trevor Hayter and his son Matthew as a way to keep active by doing something they both enjoyed- Mountain Biking. As the pre-existing Jeep tracks did not showcase the many breathtaking areas of the Zuurberg Mountains, the Hayter men decided to start building their own single tracks and course outlines. Fattracks (the local MTB club) members were soon enjoying riding the new trails and the club offered to assist in building more, and after a year of adding new routes with different difficulty and lengths, the first sanctioned race was held on Hayterdale Trails. Even though ‘Race for the Rhino’ was held in a torrential downpour, the spirits were high and a 40km loop up from Hayterdale past the Zuurberg Inn, at the top of the mountain, and around back down again generated a great deal of interest. Subsequently the Herald MTB race in 2008 opted to choose Hayterdale to host a segment of their race instead of the old horse trails ridden in previous years races. The segment was nicknamed Hayter’s Hell and featured up to a 20% gradient uphill climb, this seemed to whet MTB appetites even more and soon more trails were being built, technical sections added, rock gardens assembled, single track, double tracks, jumps and ramps, even bridges… you name it. The well-known event, The Herald, has used the Hayterdale trails every year for their races. The Cross Country (XCO) and Downhill MTB Nationals were held on Hayterdale in 2014 and many people came to support, take part and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
In 2014 after much planning and hard work,the first PWC Great Zuurberg Trek (GZT) stage race was held. The 2 day event was such a rousing success that riders insisted on putting their names down immediately to ride the following year. 2015 saw the PWC GZT lengthen to a 3 day stage race due to popularity and demand, and the result was a thumping success once again. The PWC GZT has hosted a 3 day stage race every year since and has been garnering some high profile riders attentions and international riders travelling specially to experience the unique trails, diverse landscape and wholesome South African hospitality.
Mountain Biking, Trail Running and Hiking are a passion for the team at Hayterdale. It is a way to showcase our beautiful country and diverse terrains housed in our unique part of the Eastern Cape. A day of riding or running through the veld and an evening in the campsite enjoying a braai with friends and family- the good old South African feeling of gees.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
- MALE & FEMALE ABLUTIONS WITH SHOWERS
- RUNNING & HIKING TRAILS
- WELL MARKED TRAILS
- CAMPING RENTALS
- BRAAI FACILITIES
- CORPORATE & SCHOOL OUTING FRIENDLY
- GPS TRACKING
- FULL CONNECTIVITY
- BIRD WATCHING
OUR TEAM
Thankfully there are so many special people that help make Hayterdale Trails a possibility that it will take too long to introduce them all. That being said there are a few people that provide a helping hand to Hayterdale trails everyday:
ROB HAYTER
a.k.a Gorilla
Co-Owner and Trail Designer
Rob Hayter is one of two brothers that own Hayterdale farm. Rob grew up in the Addo region and his knowledge of the trails is unmatched. You can call him our Dr Evil as he chooses all the trails for all of our events including the Great Zuurberg Trek! He spends many an hour looking for more places to design new trails.
MIKE VERMEULEN
*not Rob’s son
Hayterdale Farm Manager
Although he has only been with Hayterdale since 2015, he has had a relationship with Hayterdale since his childhood, he has often visited the farm and has many fond memories throughout his whole life. Mike manages the Hayterdale team on the farm with all activities from trail building to farm maintenance and everything in between. Mike stays in Hayterdale lodge with his friendly guard jack russel Bertram. They will be both be on hand if you require anything while visiting us.
THE HAYTERDALE TRAIL BUILDERS
the dream team
Names and Surnames
Hayterdale arguably employs the best trail builders in South Africa! Without these men and women we would not be where we are today, they are a crucial part of the Hayterdale machine and without them we would be stuck in the mud. Our team has grown and shrunk over the years but there are those that have stayed with us since the beginning, and to those we thank you greatly!
TREVOR HAYTER
*the older brother
Co-Owner & Financial Manager
Copy
THOSE WHO HELPED ALONG THE WAY
Special mention must go to the following companies for their continued interest and investment into Hayterdale Trails…
Engeli have helped us give back to the community and played a crucial part in resource management at many of our events.
PWC South Africa is our naming sponsor for our feature event, the PWC Great Zuurberg Trek. They play a crucial part in making the event a success every year!
VW Tavcor has been a sponsor for a lot of recent events and have supported us greatly as we branch into the trail running genre. They have often provided us withvehicles to use for our events.
Rhino Linings has sponsored many of our events and their well kitted vehicles our often seen in the Hayterdale camp.
Fat Tracks was there at the very beginning, when we created our first trails. Thank you for the continued interest in us!
Mountain Events helped us host our first event and have been involved in every one of our events since then. Thank you for your continued support!
Hayterdale family is expanding
The Hayterdale family is expanding! We are very excited and can’t wait to show you what we are working on. Due to the additional construction
Zuurberg Weekender rolls out under Kelston banner
The Zuurberg Weekender, a mountain bike ride aimed at relaxation rather than racing, is poised to roll out under the banner of the Kelston Motor
Zuurberg Weekender giveaway: First Ascent Advance Trolley Bag could be yours
The organisers of the Zuurberg Weekender are hosting a giveaway on social media to social media followers.Participants stand a chance to earn a First Ascent
New Zuurberg Weekender a great escape for entire family
A new mountain bike event which provides a proper challenge while having an emphasis on fun and relaxation will be launched in mid-October when the
Hayterdale Organised Hikes 2021
Bimonthly Organised Hikes We will be hosting a guided hike at Hayterdale every second month to introduce everyone to our newly constructed dedicated hiking and
oZONE Africa having fun in the Zuurberg Mountains
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.
