Biking in the city

By Wangeci Kanyeki

Cycling in the Kenya’s cities can be a daunting and precarious exercise given that most of our roads neither have pedestrian footpaths nor bicycle lanes where cyclists can safely ride.

It is with this in mind that Windsor Golf Resort and Country Club has introduced a five-kilometre bike trail right in the heart of its nature trail that sits on a 200- acre land on Kiambu Road near Ridgeways.

Recently launched by the Belgian Ambassador to Kenya, His Excellency Bart Ouvry, this is a dream come true for nature and outdoor lovers.

The Belgian Ambassador to Kenya, Bart Ouvry (second left) and other bikers prepare to tackle the five kilometre trail. [PHOTOS: wangechi kanyeki /STANDARD]

The hotel offers an opportunity for bike lovers to use professional Gant mountain bikes to enjoy a bush experience right in outskirts of the city.

According to the general manager, Marc Van der Borght, this mountain bike trail is the first of its kind in Kenya.

"With people working harder every day and experiencing higher stress levels, the outdoor biking ride where one comes across monkeys and dik diks is a sure way to unstress people and keep them healthier both physically and mentally."

 Bike trail

One of Kenya’s best mountain bikers, 15-year-old Robin Van Dijck from International School of Kenya, has won the 15-kilometre hog-charge biking event at Brookside farm for two years in a row. He describes the Windsor bike trail as a fun but challenging event.

Beginners can use the first part of the trail, which is fairly flat at the beginning. It then goes downhill, then flat again before climbing the ‘killer hill’, which is where the real challenge is and would be a thrill for advanced bikers.

I decided to take a ride on the golf carts so that I could get a feel of the bike bush trail. I was not about to attempt the five-kilometre mountain bike ride when I had not practised.

The journey turned out to be one I was not likely to forget in a long time. Driven by James Kimani, Windsor’s e-commerce marketing manager, I climbed onto the golf cart, which was used by green keepers and golfing officials to ease movement across the golf course. The cart was like a tuk-tuk and had no doors, which meant I had to grip tightly onto the handle to save my dear life.

We started our journey through the nature trail. The scenery was breathtaking, with an endless landscape of a well manicured 18-hole golf course lawn with valleys and contours of bridges that hang over man-made lakes amidst a cluster of Victorian style buildings.

The trail meandered through a tranquil natural bush with indigenous trees off the forest towering on either side. It really was like taking a ride in the woods. The air was fresh and crisply cold, which made breathing a pleasurable experience rather than just an involuntary respiratory activity.

 The grass was covered with dew after a rainy night, the leaves moist and slightly drippy.

In the background I could hear the sound of a stream in the midst of a cacophony of insects sounds.

According to the resident ornithologist, this forest was home to birds that perched on trees on the undergrowth vegetation. Their pleasant singing and chanting, flapping and soaring made the bike trail a pure delight.

Some of the birds found here include the black smith, fiscal shrike, speckled mouse birds, Egyptian geese, cormorants, herons, white pelicans and the African fish eagle amongst others.

For bird lovers, their bike experience could double up as a bird watching tour as long as they carried their binoculars and a bird guidebook.

As we trailed through the path, yellow, auburn dry leaves carpeted the muddy nature trail. The sunlight was determined to seep through the forest trees.

The sidelines were scattered with driftwood and lazy lying logs.

There were signposts along the path to direct those walking, jogging or biking. Those without a sense of direction are advised to follow the golf course tee-offs, as this is the way back to the hotel.

 

‘Killer hill’

I was enjoying the ride but just as we were almost done, we approached the so-called ‘killer hill’. As we attempted to climb up the hill, the golf cart started swaying from side to side due to the muddy trail. Kimani courageously offered to push the cart while I took on the wheel.

We eventually got out of the mud and over the hill. To my relief, the hotel cottages came in sight. We met five gentlemen of Asian origin taking their walk.

One of them, Shah Madina, said: "I appreciate the peace and quiet, the aroma from the trees and challenge of walking up and down the pollution-free nature trail in the midst of small game like dik diks and squirrels."

There are security guards in the woods as well as an in-house nurse in case of emergency.