The popular Polkadraai Farm, traditionally associated with strawberry picking and other fun activities, has expanded its entertainment offering with the launch of the biggest and most comprehensive family-friendly bike park in the Western Cape.
Spanning an area of 3.5 hectares, the Polkadraai Bike Park caters for riders of all ages and abilities – offering skills and flow trails as well as jump lines and a comprehensive technical zone that caters for all riders: from beginners to professionals.
According to Julian Zetler of Polkadraai Farm, the team set out to create a fun-filled outdoor destination for mountain bike riders of all ages. “The bike park was designed and built in collaboration with Trail-Blazers and Michard Meets and has flow trails, fun lines, jump lines, rollers, a technical skills zone, a pump track and a kiddies’ track to provide fun for the whole family.”
The bike park took 12 months to complete with thousands of plants, succulents and trees added to the local flora to create a truly magnificent and beautiful riding experience. “The development also includes a new expanded parking area for visitors to Polkadraai Farm, which has been a popular destination for strawberry picking and children’s birthday parties as well as other fun activities, providing a fun day out for the family in the Stellenbosch Winelands,” continues Zetler.
The Polkadraai Bike Park is the ideal training destination and has partnered with independent coaches offering skills clinics and provides a great setting for children’s birthday parties against the beautiful backdrop of the Bottelary Hills and surrounding wine farms. The food court, operated by Burger Brothers, offers a variety of delicious light meals for both adults and kids, with seating and lawn areas are available for your comfort.
The Polkadraai Bike Park is a member of the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy (BHRC) and gives access to the 130km Bottelary Hills Conservancy and MTB Trails that meander across the rolling Bottelary Hills through working wine farms including pristine fynbos and renosterveld conservation areas featuring farm roads, jeep tracks as well as numerous single tracks.
Situated on the slopes of the Bottelary Hills in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the BHRC (founded in 1992) currently has 50 landowner members who work together to promote conservation through sustainable farming practices, alien invasive clearing and renosterveld regeneration. Less than 4% of the original renosterveld in the Western Cape remains and only grows in very rich fertile soils, often replaced with commercial crops. The BHRC is mandated to care for, expand and sustain the large tracts of the estimated remaining 1 500ha of renosterveld in its area that covers approximately 10 000ha in total.
Game such as caracal, grysbok, grey duiker, porcupine, bat-eared foxes, Cape foxes, honey badgers and genets still roam naturally in the Bottelary Hills. The endangered diamondback tortoise as well as more than 110 bird species have been identified in the area.
Day permits for the Polkadraai Bike Park cost R70 and annual memberships starting from R400 are available. The bike park opens at 09h00 daily and gates close at 17h00. The park is open every day including all weekends and public holidays (except Christmas Day). A limited number of bikes are available for rent at R100 for the first hour and R50 every hour thereafter. Helmets are required, and are available at R25.
Holders of BHRC annual permits have free access to the Polkadraai Bike Park. Annual permits are available online at a cost of R900 a main member, R800 for a spouse, R700 for students and pensioners, and R600 for juniors.
For more information on the Polkadraai Bike Park or birthday party bookings, riding schools and other special events, email: bikepark@polkadraaifarm.co.za