View from Here
Nothing will make you hang up your hiking boots faster than arriving at an overnight hut after a long day on the trail only to find that the bunk beds have no mattresses. The Hiking Organisation of Southern Africa (HOSA) is trying to eliminate these nasty surprises with its Green Flag system; the chairperson of the HOSA quality control committee tells us more.
Where does your love of the outdoors come from? My love of nature, camping and hiking developed early on, when I joined the Bellville branch of the Voortrekkers youth organisation in the 1950s. I later studied at Stellenbosch University and joined the university’s hiking club, called the Berg-en-Toerklub. I became a geography professor at the University of Pretoria and for my master’s degree in landscape architecture, I researched the Magaliesberg area. It was then that I realised that South Africa needs well-designed trails so people can enjoy nature in a responsible way. I saw a lot of erosion and poor trail design and researched the subject further.
What constitutes poor trail design? Many things. For example, a trail shouldn’t face straight into the sun in the early morning – hikers will struggle to see and take photos. You shouldn’t reach a rock pool at 10 am, rather later when the hiker is hot and tired and needs a rest. A long trail that heads straight up an “endless” slope is also poorly planned. Trails should pass to the south of stands of trees so that hikers can walk in the shade on hot summer days.
How did you get involved with HOSA, and what do you do? Albert Bossert and I decided to establish the organisation about 15 years ago. ( Albert is a hiking legend in his own right. He helped design and build many trails, including the Khomas Hochland Trail in Namibia. Erns Grundling hiked the trail with Albert in 2017 – see his story in go! #140 – Ed.) The government oversees all the other tourism industries, like the hotel industry, for example, but hiking didn’t have any similar official structure. There are no guidelines for trail design, maintenance and management, and many owners with trails on their properties aren’t interested in conservation. The layout and planning of trails leaves much to be desired. HOSA is a platform where hikers, owners, outdoor shops and the government can work together to change the situation.
HOSA uses a Green Flag system to measure and manage the quality of hiking trails. How does it work? The main aim of the Green Flag system is to ensure trails are managed responsibly. It comes down to three main factors: Firstly, the information supplied by the trail owner (accommodation options, environment, difficulty rating etc.) must be complete to allow hikers to make an informed decision when choosing to do a trail or not. Secondly, the trail should be safe. If there is a risk element, it should be managed responsibly. Lastly, the trail must be operated in an environmentally friendly way. For example, if a trail is uneven, hikers might detour into the veld to avoid twisting their ankles. Over time, this will cause even more erosion. A good trail is not about distance or difficulty. The hiker just needs enough externally verified information to decide to do a trail – some people like to rough it, others prefer luxury.
Benefits of the system? Hikers are assured of a good experience – and value for money. Many people have had too many bad experiences and gave up hiking as a result. The hiking industry desperately needs a quality-control system. South Africa has the potential to become a dream destination for international hikers. The World Trails Network has already accepted the worldwide application of the Green Flag system in principle, but practically there’s still a lot to figure out. The tourism department of Nepal uses the system for its trails in the Himalayas and there are also Green Flag trails in Swaziland, Mozambique, St Helena island, Peru and Namibia. How can the public get involved? Good trails are about supply and demand. If hikers don’t ask for trails of a high quality, trail owners won’t put in the effort to deliver. Before they book, hikers should ask whether the trail has Green Flag status. A Green Flag trail isn’t more expensive than another trail, and it doesn’t mean the trail must have lots of luxuries. In fact, facilities on a trail needn’t be upgraded at all to be eligible for Green Flag status, as long as the trail itself is well marked and maintained, and the environment is respected.
Do you have a favourite trail in SA? I have many! It depends on what kind of experience I’m after: Sometimes I want to get away from the city; other times I want to show my grandchildren how things are done on a farm. If I had to pick only one, I’d say Magoebaskloof. It has beautiful indigenous forests, swimming holes and an interesting history – it’s where woodcutters felled stinkwood and yellowwood trees for railway sleepers many years ago. You can still see the old bridges, roads, saw pits and mule stables.
Dream destination? I’d like to do the Great Ocean Walk on the coast of Victoria in Australia. I designed the trail 10 years ago at the request of the Australian government, but I’ve never had the chance to hike it myself!
For a relaxing holiday… I head to the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park. I sleep next to the sea and hike in the forest. All the Tsitsikamma trails have Green Flag status… – Suzaan Hall For more information about Green Flag trails, visit greenflagtrails.co.za