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I am happy to advise that two new Mountain Bike Trails have opened in the West Coast National Park, another successful Honorary Rangers Project.

As in the past, cyclists are welcome to ride the Langabaan Gate to Kraalbaai route and back on the tar, a return trip through the Park of 70 kms. If you turn back at Geelbek, the return trip is 30kms.

The two new ones are the Green and the Red trails:

The Green trail (follow Green signs) starts at the Langebaan gate and turns right off the tar down on the old Bottelary dirt road (lift your bike over the chain) and joins up with the original old "white road" where you will turn right. Turning left here is not permitted as there is a bush reclamation project underway there. This brings you back out at the Seeberg Bird Hide and it's an easy ride back to the gate. This trail should take you about an hour to ride.

The Red trail (follow Red signs) uses a similar route, but has two deviations. The first is to turn off to the right up the steep Seeberg lookout road to the top, after which you rejoin the tar road at the same place and continue towards Geelbek. The second is to then turn left at Mooimaak and follow the Red trail signs around Mooimaak and down along a circular route back to the tar road where you would turn left for a short ride to the Bottelary turnoff as indicated on the Green trail. This one should take you just over an hour and a half to get back to the gate.

There is no charge for riding these trails, other than normal Park entrance fees, but riders are requested to book in and out at the gate in order that we may come and look for you if you don't report out as you leave.

Trail rules are as follows:

* All routes start at the Langebaan Gate where you will receive a Trail card when you register for the ride.
* Carry your Trail card with you at all times till the end.
* Respect our Park and do not damage anything.
* Beware of and do not scare the animals.
* Leave no trace except tyre spoors on the route.
* Ride on marked trails only and heed no-entry signs.
* Be alert to other riders and cars.
* Normal road rules apply on the tar.
* No helmet - no ride.
* Except for the deviations described above, no bike may use any other trail or dirt road in the Park.

Direct any MTB enquiries to the West Coast National Park offices (during weekday working hours on (022) 772-2144).