Under the boardwalk

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GEORGE NEWS AND VIDEO - The boardwalk that runs alongside Waterside Road in Wilderness, running along a short section of the Touw River, was once one of the jewels in the Wilderness crown.

Adverts still invite tourists to enjoy the boardwalk: "Experience this 1.8km out-and-back trail near Wilderness. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 22 minutes to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of the day. This boardwalk is simplicity at its best. Nestled between the suburb and the Touws River, it provides a beautiful setting and a gentle walk with the whole family."

However following a flood in April 2024, the boardwalk was closed and it now lies silent, falling into a state of disrepair.

Large sections are damaged, and nature has started to take back her land, with some sections of the walkway completely overgrown and shut off.

A large collection of bottles, cigarette packets and plastic litter in certain areas, and other signs that the once pristine areas are being abused, lie everywhere.

One of the damaged sections on the walkway.

SANParks say that despite closing the walkway off to the public, they cannot prevent trespassers from gaining access.

Senior section ranger for the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park Chamell Pluim says that SANParks rangers, assisted by 'Working on Fire' teams, do clean-ups regularly, but, unfortunately, members of the public are still accessing the area.

Pluim says they are currently meeting with their insurance company as well as the technical departments of SANParks to plan the way forward in what is logistically a very big project.

They are unable to commit to a time frame regarding the restoration, but he stressed that it has already commenced. Pluim says, to deter the public to access the boardwalk, they will not be spending any time on the maintenance of the current path. However, that will start once the repairs begin.

For now, the path remains a broken shadow of its former self.

A broken staircase is just one of the many signs of deterioration on the path, that has been closed to the public.