Article & Photos: Elise Kirsten @elisekirsten
A slow leak in my front tyre almost caused me to miss out on exploring the new mountain bike trails that snake their way across Sky Villa Boutique Hotel’s 500-hectare property, set on high on the hill in Baron’s View Estate overlooking Plettenberg Bay.
I’d driven the Toyota C-HR 1.2 T Luxury CVT from Cape Town to Plett the previous day. As it wasn’t fitted with a towbar, my husband and I folded the back seats flat, detached the front wheels of our two mountain bikes and popped them and the luggage into the back. The vehicle was roomy enough to fit all our kit despite being a compact crossover.
We wound through valleys of canola fields near Swellendam and if you consider its limited capacity of 85 kW and 185 Nm, the 1.2-litre turbo didn’t disappoint when it came to power and overtaking. We had the continuously-variable automatic transmission (CVT) that did the job adequately, while a 6-speed manual gearbox is also an option. However, what I really loved about the C-HR is how grounded and stable it felt on the road and especially when it came to steering and cornering. There was none of the twitchiness that you could find in a sportier vehicle.
After spending the night at Sky Villa Boutique Hotel, we were itching to try out the mountain biking routes with trail builder Johan Vorster of Trail Lynx. I felt as deflated as my mountain bike tyre, as we’d accidentally left our pump behind (a mistake we’d never made on any of our mountain biking trips before). As thoughts crossed my mind of missing out on what I’d come here to do, another journalist saved the day with a pump that he’d brought. A few minutes later we were ready to ride.
At this point there are four mountain bike trails with more to come. Johan and the owners of Sky Villa – a sumptuously decorated five-star boutique hotel with incredible views – have been working closely with conservationists to identify species on the property and to build trails in a manner that helps ‘protect and rehabilitate the pockets of coastal and shale fynbos, as well as certain tree species’ forests.’ Its important that the trails are integrated into the landscape in a sustainable manner.
Johan envisages this as a ski-run concept with multiple shortish downhill runs on machine-sculptured trails from two apexes that cater to different skill levels. The next phase of development includes the building of some fun gradient ‘view-filled’ climbs but in the meantime we ascended the hill via a jeep track. From here we crossed a grass patch at the top of the hill, made our way across some decent singletrack before we began the Lilo descent, which Johan describes as ‘fast and floaty.’ The Lilo trail provided a relaxed and fun ride, but the more technical Wanderlust downhill track with some tighter berms was my favourite.
While it’s easy to spend a good few hours riding here,with glimpses of the ocean at various points on the ride, the property has lots of potential for more trails. The long-term plan for Sky Park includes the construction of a skate park, a UCI-grade pump track and other bike-related facilities at a communal hub situated at the entrance to Sky Park, opposite the popular Old Nick Village. In addition to the mountain bike trails, there will also be some separate running and hiking trails. The vision is to provide a host of opportunities for youth and families to get outside and enjoy nature and adventure-sport activities in a safe and environmentally-friendly environment.
After the ride and a shower, some of the braver souls in our group went for a mid-winter dip in the pool. The rest of us recharged in the tranquil setting at Sky Villa before enjoying sundowners and a meal overlooking the bay.
Before heading home the next day, we took the bikes to the nearby Cairnbrogie trails situated near the Plettenberg Bay airport and not far from the well known Harkerville trails (which join Carinbrogie). After an enjoyable ride on the edge of the ocean we hosed the bikes down at Cairnbrogies bike-wash facility before putting them back into the Toyota C-HR.
The drive home was just as pleasant and we enjoyed being in such a stylish carriage. While opinions are divided about its aggressive lines, I love everything about the C-HR’s design. The 2022 Luxury model has the added attraction of 18″ directional alloy wheels and the LED headlamps which help enhance its looks. The inside styling is also top-notch on this flagship model and although the 4.2″ Multi-Information Display has limited functionality, it does have a rear-camera display, which is very useful.
All-in-all, whether on four wheels or two, we’d had a magnificent weekend exploring Plettenberg Bay and look forward to returning to experience Sky Trails and Sky Villa again.
Article & Photos: Elise Kirsten @elisekirsten