Bank on brilliance at Berg & Bush

In October this year, the 14th edition of the Berg & Bush will take place near Winterton in KwaZulu-Natal. From a handful of riders in their first event to the modern version which now features more than 2000 riders taking part over two three-day rides and the original two-day ride, the Berg & Bush is the mountain biking, travelling, sight-seeing, destination event that all cyclists – yes, even roadies – should tick off their bucket list. Why, you ask? Well…

1. The Destination

Em’seni Camp just outside Winterton, on the banks of the languidly flowing Tugela River, is the ideal and idyllic setting for a mountain bike stage race. Spacious, comfortable, scenic, relaxed and relaxing, three days at the race village will take all your worldly troubles away. The Berg & Bush now offers fly-in packages, making your arrival at the race village convenient and hassle-free.

2. The Village Life

While event founder Gary Green wears gumboots with casual farmer-chic aplomb during the week of MTB festivities, his real talent is in letting wife Nicky, daughters Rox and Spoen, and Berg & Bush fairy godmother Jani Maritz run the show. With eyes for flair and attention to the tiniest detail, the women of Winterton have turned the race village into a sweeter version of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory – freshly baked goods, homemade rusks, fountains of free-flowing fruit juice, chocolate milk, biltong, popcorn and, of course, Nottingham Road Brewery beers all make the race village a tough place to leave when your time is up.

3. The Upgrades

Every year Gary, trail builder extraordinaire Mbhekseni Kunene and the team strive to make changes to the route of the Berg & Bush; these are not unnecessary trail additions or changes for the sake of changing, but rather tweaks and twists that ensure every time you return to the trails of Berg & Bush you experience something new and unique. With his inexhaustible digger machine – official name pending – Gary powers around Spionkop, nudging giraffes out the way and rousing dozing cattle to build trail that he would love to ride. And if Gary loves to ride it, that means the Berg & Bush rider is in for a treat.

4. The Trails, the trails, the trails

You can have 10 reasons to ride the Berg & Bush, and all 10 would be about the trails – they’re that good. From smooth and sweet, to twisty and a treat, the Berg & Bush builds in every trail option imaginable into their three events. There’s also a new and improved midweek event this year, allowing you to ride for three days, stay in the same race village for the entire event, and experience brand new trails for the first time.

5. The Ride of a Lifetime

Bush veld bliss. Drakensberg views. Running rivers. Giraffes. African sunsets. Water points where they make fresh pancakes so that you’re forced to stop and eat 10. A deck over the Tugela River where can you enjoy sundowners without a care in the world. Canvas tents for all entrants with enough room to wave a foot pump around. A brilliant new midweek ride. This is mountain bike riding the way it should – just pure, simple fun.