BITOU RIVER LODGE
Accommodation Services in Plettenberg Bay

Bitou River Lodge is a farmhouse-style guest house on the banks of the Bitou River. Well, all the way to the sea, but that’s a long trip. It’s fun to paddle to Emily Moon, have a drink or even lunch and paddle back again. Canoes can be hired from Emily Moon depending on availability. The route passed from Cairnbrogie into the Harkerville Forest & over part of the Red Route, before returning to the farm for some long, rough single-track riding. But the route ran next to the sea and the views were stunning. Over the three days everything seemed so organized, so punctual, so effortless. Plett, as I’m sure you know, is home to the most beautiful beaches. This is the ultimate beach to walk if you’re a family with teens (this is a popular beach to walk), and also if you’d like to have a lot of spots from which to swim. Usually, there are lifeguards on the beach to make sure you swim safely. I’ve had many a crab-race here, as well as walked our dogs on the hard sand. It’s perfect for a run, for finding pansies, and for spending some time in nature. From the shop at Natures Valley, walk onto the beach & turn right. You’ll find a path over the rocks, which is not for the faint-hearted, be careful. Cross the little river above the waterfall & follow the path down to the sea, enjoying the views as you go. There are two paths back up the cliff: the shorter, steeper fishermen’s path which you’ll see first, or the longer route further down the beach. The boardwalk winds through lovely indigenous forest & ferns, crosses the river several times & has bench-&-table areas to stop off at along the way. He could tell because the African Grass Owl flies with its legs dangling below its body, unlike the Barn Owl. William Radue took the only photo we had of the owls. Until Bruce Ward-Smith phoned to say that he’d found an African Grass Owl on the road outside our farm. That was our African Grass Owl, almost a member of the family. And there are lots of mountain bike trails to choose from, with spectacular views & stunning forest single-track (sadly, no floating bridges). Three days of concentrating only on the partnership of body & bike. Three days of exploring some of the secret trails around Plett.