Our Hiking Guide

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Half Price

2011-11-01T05:30:00.000+02:00

Table Mountain Aerial Cable way, Cape Town, Western Cape

From 1 November 2011 to 29 February 2012

Half Price rides!

Table Mountain will be offering its very popular sunset to all visitors at half price from today until 29 Feb 2012.

We hope you make the most of your holiday this season and choose to do a romantic picnic at the top with your loved ones for half the price.

Also remember that you can get a free ride if its your birthday, just bring along your ID to qualify.

Sunset Special tickets are valid from 6pm daily from the ticket office.

Adults pay R97.50 and children just R47.50 to experience the rush of travelling 1067 meters above sea level in a rotating cable car and to enjoy unbeatable views of the Cape Peninsula.

Table Mountain Cableway also offers visitors a Ride ‘n Dine package that includes a half price return ticket and a Café voucher. The package costs R197.50 for adults and R97.50 for kids at the ticket office. So if you want to nab the best sundowner and dinner seats in Cape Town, this package will suit you.

Enjoy further discounts and avoid ticket office queues by buying Ride ‘n Dine tickets online.

Adults pay R187.50 for an online Sunset Special Ride ‘n Dine ticket, and children pay R92.50.

The Cableway operates weather permitting.

Contact: (021) 424 8181
http://www.tablemountain.net

Chris Bramhall and his family climb Kilimanjaro

2011-10-22T14:43:00.003+02:00

Well done to my friend Chris Bramhall and his family for making it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Chris's sister Sue Bramhall, and his dad Paul Bramhall joined each other on a once in a lifetime family expedition.

Chris's wife (and one of my bestest friends) Cindy, was planned to join them on the trip, but Cindy had to stay at home after finding out she is pregnant with their third son. All round congratulations to the proud family for these celebrations of a lifetime.

For many people, the approach of their 70th birthday signals a time to slow down and take things easy. Not so for Paul Bramhall, widely-travelled Chairman of the Kleinmond Bird Club. No thoughts of “downhill from here” for Paul, in fact just the opposite. And not just uphill – up Kilimanjaro!
Paul returned this week after sharing an epic adventure with daughter Sue, (44) and son Chris (39) after months of careful planning and preparation while his wife, Pauline, waited for news of their success. Living in Kleinmond, with its many hiking trails criss-crossing the Kogelberg Biosphhere Reserve, provided Paul with the perfect training ground. He walked daily from his home near the mountain along the circular Jean’s Hill route, which he estimates he must have completed about 40 times during training, averaging 40 minutes each time. Having walked this route myself, admittedly at a very leisurely pace, the mere thought of doing it in 40 minutes leaves me a little breathless.

Paul, Sue and Chris’ excursion, organised through Wild Frontiers, left Jo’burg on 01 October. Their small party of 3 was accompanied by 2 guides, 1 cook and 10 porters, quite an entourage. This support group enabled them to focus on the task at hand with meals and stops that sustained stamina and prepared them for the climb. Their experienced guides, Freddy and Clemence, led them at a slow but steady pace and carried out daily checks on blood oxygen levels and heart rates while on the mountain. Fortunately, none of them experienced any difficulties.
After leaving the Keys Hotel in Moshi on day 2, they passed through the Rongai Forest Gate into a forested area, reaching Simba Camp in the late afternoon. There they enjoyed what was to become a popular afternoon snack – tea and popcorn. On day 3 the vegetation along the route began to change from forest to scrub as they passed Cave 1, arriving at Cave 2 (2200m above sea level) just after midday. It was considerably colder, too, as Freddy took them on an acclimatisation walk in the afternoon. The cloud cleared en route revealing the majestic peak of Kilimanjaro above. What a magnificent sight. Frost lay on the ground as they set off on day 4 and after lunch and a snooze at Khekula Camp, they were taken up 200m of the path they would begin on day 5. Paul was happy to see many White-necked Ravens and a Langermeier along the way before returning for – you guessed it – tea and popcorn!

Setting out on day 5 on the eastern side of the mountain, the path became significantly steeper and the scrub vegetation gave way to lava fields. As they passed through this rocky barren area they endured drizzle, then rain and finally snow which fortunately didn’t last for long. On their way to Mawenzi Camp, they passed a large group of 40 hikers (together with their support party of nearly 180) who were later unable to summit. In November 2008, a Cessna aircraft crashed on the mountain killing 4 Italian tourists and its wreckage was still visible as they headed for Kibo Camp, which stands at 4703m above sea level. It was early to bed for them all as they planned to begin their assault on the peak at midnight.

The final ascent began shortly after midnight on day 7. In the darkness and wearing headlights, the group gradually zig-zagged towards the top. Ahead of them, a string of lights indicated other climbers on the same quest although some turned back, unable to finish. Some 2 hours into the climb, it began to snow quite heavily, oddly seeming to make the group warmer instead of colder. They stopped on the edge of the crater at Gillman’s Point for a much needed rest and mug of tea before the final push. As the sky began to lighten, glaciers with sheer faces of 20m became visible and, as the weather cleared, they stood spellbound at the sight of the scarlet sunrise. On past Stella Point and towards Uhuru, Africa’s highest point, they marched until finally – they were there. Having reached the famous sign their jubilant exhilaration shut out the temperature of -13′C and it was hugs and handshakes all round. Paul described his emotions on summiting in 5 words: elation, awe, beauty, family, thanks. There was a short time for contemplation and wonder before heading straight down once more, a total of 13 hours on foot.

When they finally reached Main Gate in the early afternoon of day 8, the hikers’ unwanted gear was laid out for the porters to choose, in hierarchical order. The choosing over, the porters then sang and danced with Paul, Sue and Chris joining in. Later, back at the hotel, guides Freddy and Clemence presented them with their certificates and the three intrepid adventurers flopped into bed, utterly exhausted. Ten days after beginning his journey, Paul arrived home to an exuberant, proud but no doubt relieved wife, Pauline, who had been a source of encouragement all the way.
Aside from the actual achievement of his goal, Paul’s enduring memory of this journey will be sharing those 10 days and many laughs along the way with his two children. And is he planning another adventure any time soon? He’s thinking about it.

Story source: The Kleinmond Talk

Go Magazine Tankwa

2011-09-19T18:29:00.000+02:00

Jeay! we finally saw our article in the magazine. So excited to say the least. A big thank you to all at Go Magazine (/ Weg Tydskrif) and Bokomo Rusks who assisted in the layout and printing of our Tankwa Karoo article in the October 2011 issue. Also thank you to my fiancee Alex for always keeping me entertained on our road trips and adventurous photographic expeditions.

We look forward to seeing you on our next adventure.

Alex & Juanita.

Free access into National Parks during SANParks Week 12 – 16 September 2011

2011-09-12T07:00:00.000+02:00

in keeping with the September-spirit of Heritage Month, South African National Parks (SANParks) is once again opening up its parks during SANParks Week with free, open access to all South Africans. The 2011 Annual SANParks Week is scheduled for 12 to 16 September 2011.
This year, the theme for SANParks Week is “Know Your National Parks” with the main objectives of the week being: to create awareness; instil a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage; educate the public on the importance of nature and biodiversity and give the public a broader understanding of the custodianship role played by SANParks in conservation issues. This initiative is in line with the organisation’s People and Conservation efforts to bring national parks closer to the people.
First National Bank (FNB) has sponsored SANParks for the week’s activities and each of the 20 participating National Parks (excluding Namaqua and Mokala National Parks as well as Boulders Penguin colony in the Table Mountain National Park) has developed unique plans for celebrating the week, including career guidance exhibitions; hiking trails; photography competitions; exhibitions on various activities around the parks; game drives; evening boma braais; story telling sessions; sports activities, give-aways, pensioners days, and wild walks for school children.
The five Parks in the Cape Region (Agulhas, Bontebok, Table Mountain, Tankwa and West Coast National Parks) have a number of activities planned for the week, from soccer tournaments and game drives to educational school tours. A number of special events such as, braai’s and “mega picnics” have also been planned for Heritage Day – bringing the Heritage Month activities to a close.
The parks are inviting everyone from their local communities to take the opportunity to visit their respective parks, free of charge and get to know the unique heritage that lies just beyond their doorstep.
For more information about the activities of each park during the week, visit www.sanparks.org.
Issued by/Media queries:
Wanika Rusthoi, Public Relations Officer: Cape Region, South African National Parks, tel: (021) 701 8692, cell: 072 060 8188, e-mail: Wanika.rusthoi@sanparks.org

Source: SANPARKS

Tankwa National Park

2011-09-11T20:56:00.000+02:00

It was Easter weekend and we needed a plan.

As avid adventure photographers, any opportunity to get away for a long weekend, especially a location that has the potential for great landscapes and scenery, would not be missed for anything.One of our goals that we are working on is to visit all the National Parks of South Africa. With a limit of 4 days and no option to fly into a given destination, we looked for a park that was in close proximity to our home in Cape Town. The only park in this vicinity that we have not managed to visit to date was the Tankwa Karoo National Park.

Getting There. The Tankwa River Bridge.

Having recently completed our December holiday in both the northern parks of Southern Africa, namely the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld and Kgalagadi Transfontier parks, we felt at home in another Arid park. The notion of getting away from the crowds was another attraction.In our endeavors to understand and plan the trip, we first explored the SANParks website and a few other online articles. This being the youngest of all the SANParks, the information available was limited. We booked our accommodation 1 week prior to departure. Soon our day of departure arrived upon us, we packed our Toyota Raider as if going back to the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld – a feeling of complete bliss – and head off into the unknown in search for big open sky country.

Seasons come and go. Tankwa River clay.

On arrival we were greeted with your typical Karoo scrub, wide open spaces and not a person in sight. This is not your average park and we were surprised to find that there was no official gate like all the other parks do have. Following the main dirt road, which lead us directly to the information centre.

Tankwa Guest House

After checking in and a quick explanation of the park facilities and highlights, we were on our way to our first nights’ accommodation at the Tankwa Guest House. The accommodation on offer consists of old farmsteads that have been converted into self catering guest houses. This gives one the sense of a moment in time and a way of life as experienced by the farmers of the past in this area.

The Tankwa Karoo is a rugged environment and even with our 4x2 Toyota Raider, we were not spared the fate of a flat tyre. It is recommended that anyone who wishes to take one these trails, we suggest that you come prepared.

That night we shared many fun stories with fellow guests around a awesome camp fire. The following morning we were up early to catch the beauty of the Tankwa’s sunrise.

After bidding farewell to our new friends who were passing through from George, we made our way along the 4x4 track to the top of the Elandsberg viewpoint. Here the entire park beauty and vast openness stretches out as far as the eye can see.

Elandsberg Viewpoint

After a lunch break followed by relaxing coffee and Bokomo rusks whilst absorbing the breathtaking view, we proceeded to find our campsite for the night at a place called The Skaapwagterspos.

We were warned in advance that the overnight camping facilities were very informal, so were not that surprised to discover our lodging consisted of a tree in the middle of nowhere. After exploring the site, we decided to give it a miss as the flies made it unbearable.

We proceeded with haste in the failing light to find an alternative location. After one of the most enjoyable evenings under the stars, we once again experienced the magic of Tankwa’s big bright bold stars and the comfort that we were experiencing this unique setting all on our own.

The morning presented us with another magical sunrise and we were treated to a wonderful display by the local Red Hartebeest coming for their early morning drink. After we had quenched our thirst on the magnificent display of photographs on offer, we broke camp.

Our next item on our itinerary was to make our way up the Gannaga Pass, which offered breathtaking vistas of the Karoo landscape.

Gannaga Pass viewpoint looking into the Tankwa Park

It was here that we met up with the passing by of the local karretjie mense making their way down this rugged route.

Local Karretjie Mense about to descend down the Gannaga Pass

Not wanting to miss this opportunity, we set up position for a dramatic photo of these hell drivers speeding down the seemingly impassable mountain pass. At this point it was that we learnt never to startle a donkey coming straight down the mountain. At such a speed, these homemade brakes served no purpose and our vehicle became the point of impact.

Moments before impact ...

Never did we ever think that our paths would cross in such a manner.Luck was on our side that neither passengers nor donkeys sustained any injuries. The startled donkeys were treated with our complete supply of Woolworths apples to calm their nerves. After sorting out the running repairs we were relieved to be able to set them on their way again. It was not an easy or convincing story when we had to file our report at the police station about this accident.

The day continued with explorations of the rest of this magical landscape, and eventually we made our way to our final overnight accommodation at Paulshoek, a delightful farm style cottage set on the mountain slopes of this beautiful area.

Tankwa stars at Paulshoek

With a glass of wine in hand and a cozy campfire, we were treated to another memorable display of Tankwa’s dramatic display of stars. The following morning we bid a farewell to this park, promising to return once again in the flower season.

Dead tree near Paulshoek

One thing the Tankwa has taught us, is that this is not a place to visit if you want to place to find many wild animals. It’s a place of stark beauty, peace and quiet with few people and a getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. The Tankwa has its own unique sense of harsh beauty.

Always look with your heart

~ Only with a true heart, will the beauty of this land reveal itself ~

Know before your go:
• Last stop for fuel is Ceres, Sutherland and Middlepos
• Diesel available in the park
• No shops, restaurants or ATM’s
• No Cell phone reception, but a pay phone at the Information Centre
• Wood is for sale in the park

Bring along with you:
• Insect repellent and sun block
• Extra fuel, water and spare tyre
• Birding books and Binoculars
• Bokomo Rusks

Camera Gear used:

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35 2.8is Lens, 17-40 f4 Lens, Manfroto Carbon Tripod with a Wimberley II Gimble head and remote shutter release.

We would like to thank Weg and Go Magazines, together with Bokomo Rusks for honoring us with the First Prize during the Great Escapes Competition, for choosing these photographs as the winning pictures for their competition. These pictures will also be published in October 2011 issues of these two magazines. Please remember to get your copy too.

Hiking Opportunities:

We did not hike in this park as there are wild animals everywhere. Even though this story is not about hiking, we do believe that a story like this will be welcomed by our fellow hiking friends and blog readers.

Cape Point Free Guided Walks

2011-09-07T18:09:00.004+02:00

Sanparks: Free Guided Walks at Cape Point

There are enthusiastic volunteers who are now offering free guided walks at Cape Point.

Please note:

Meeting point for all hikes is just inside the main gate on the 2nd Sunday of each month.
Walkers must wear strong boots and have hat, sun block, rain gear, water and a snack.
You can purchase an activity card (obtainable at Boulders or Westlake) or pay admission/ conservation fee at the gate.
There is no payment for the walk. ***note different start times***
Enquiries: John 021 782 2379 Ian 021 782 8552

Date	Route	Approx Distance	Starting Time	Hours	Leader
May 8	Olifantsbos Road to Sirkelsvlei and Return	5km	09:00	3	Des: (021) 782 1375
June 12	Sirkelsvlei Circuit (from Olifantsbos)	6km	10:00	3.5	Ron: (021) 789 1918
July 10	Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre to Antonies Gat and Return via Beach	8km	10:00	4	John: (021) 782 2379
Aug 14	Hoek van Bobejejaan Circular Route	5km	10:00	3	Ian: (021) 782 8552
Sept 11	Gifkommetjie to Good Hope	8km	09:00	4	John: (021) 782 2379
Oct 9	Shipwreck Trail (starting from Gifkommetjie)	6km	09.00	3	Ian: (021) 782 8552
Nov 13	Kanonkop Trail (From Visitors Centre)	6km	08.00	3.5	Ian: (021) 782 8552
Dec 11	Mystery Hike	8km	08.00	4.5	John: (021) 782 2379

Go to the Wolfberg Arch

2011-07-29T06:11:00.007+02:00

Looking for a place to go? Try the Wolfberg Arch and Wolfberg Cracks. Its perfect timing is the end of April or September. Book ahead of the long-weekend to ensure you can get there.

Click Here to read the full article

Wildcards have arrived finally

2011-07-06T22:12:00.003+02:00

Wildcards arrived in the post, loaded with errors.

Well, I am very glad that our Wildcard finally arrived, but it took some serious begging, pleading and moaning to the folks at SANParks who are in charge of this department.

The kind lady who mainly runs the Wildcard page on Facebook, offered to help us out. It was through her that she found out almost all our details (phone, address, emails and spelling of surname) had some sort of fault in it. I have a copy of my application that I gave in (as I could only do... I took a photo of the application form before I gave it in at the office in Westlake, but will not load for privacy reasons), and I can remember clear as bells, that I wrote very neatly on the application - for us to have avoid this very experience.

Needless to say, we now have the Wildcard and wish to make you aware that your Wildcard might have suffered the same fate and its worth your while to go and look online or call them directly to confirm the delay.

Happy Wildcard hunting !

.

Cape Point Free Guided Walks

2011-05-23T14:08:00.000+02:00

Sanparks: Free Guided Walks at Cape Point

There are enthusiastic volunteers who are now offering free guided walks at Cape Point.

Please note:

Meeting point for all hikes is just inside the main gate on the 2nd Sunday of each month.
Walkers must wear strong boots and have hat, sun block, rain gear, water and a snack.
You can purchase an activity card (obtainable at Boulders or Westlake) or pay admission/ conservation fee at the gate.
There is no payment for the walk. ***note different start times***
Enquiries: John 021 782 2379 Ian 021 782 8552

Date	Route	Approx Distance	Starting Time	Hours	Leader
May 8	Olifantsbos Road to Sirkelsvlei and Return	5km	09:00	3	Des: (021) 782 1375
June 12	Sirkelsvlei Circuit (from Olifantsbos)	6km	10:00	3.5	Ron: (021) 789 1918
July 10	Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre to Antonies Gat and Return via Beach	8km	10:00	4	John: (021) 782 2379
Aug 14	Hoek van Bobejejaan Circular Route	5km	10:00	3	Ian: (021) 782 8552
Sept 11	Gifkommetjie to Good Hope	8km	09:00	4	John: (021) 782 2379
Oct 9	Shipwreck Trail (starting from Gifkommetjie)	6km	09.00	3	Ian: (021) 782 8552
Nov 13	Kanonkop Trail (From Visitors Centre)	6km	08.00	3.5	Ian: (021) 782 8552
Dec 11	Mystery Hike	8km	08.00	4.5	John: (021) 782 2379

Vote For Table Mountain

2011-05-16T14:48:00.001+02:00

The New7Wonders will be announced on 11 November 2011 and we need your help to ensure our place in the history books.

Vote for Table Mountain online or via SMS as often as possible.

SMS “Table” to 34874.

Each SMS costs R2.

Footprints Revealed - Video of our Road-trip to the Richtersveld, Kgalagadi, Augrabies and Namaqua

2011-03-06T11:02:00.000+02:00

This post is not really about hiking, but I thought I'd share this article with you anyway, as we did to a short 3 hour walk in the Kgalagadi during our trip. Hiking in this area during December is either prohibited or not advisable due to the extreme heat. Hope you like watching our videos :)

We visited the Richtersveld and Kgalagadi in Dec 2010 and I did a video of our trip.

Anyone interested in seeing what it looks like here, or have been here to be reminded of your trip to these locations, might be interested to see the videos of these 2 arid parks.

The reason why I recorded it was for the viewer to see what the environment looks like, the type of roads to expect if you go here and the type of accommodation available if u planning a trip to these destinations. I lost the footage of day 1, so it was replaced with photographs, but the rest of the road-trip is video and photographs combined.

Under each link is a short description of the content. Ideally I would have put the whole video on the forum post, but Im not sure if it is possible, so here are the links:

Day 1 & 2 going to the Richtersveld - Dec 2010
The start of a 11 day road-trip :) Leaving Cape Town on the 21st of December 2010, heading for a small village in the Richtersveld called Kuboes which was recently also declared a "World Heritage Site" This video series (Days1 - 10) shows you what to expect if you choose to also visit these places. We hope you will find it informative, as we had fun making this video especially for this reason. Thanks for watching !!!

Day 3 Richtersveld - Dec 2010
Day 3, we leave the Richtersberg campsite, and travel to Kokerboomkloof, Helshoogte and Akkedis pass. Along the way we see some more hard core 4x4 types passing us with caravans in tow (respect to them!) as this is a extremely harsh and rugged environment for any visitor traveling through this arid park. At the end is a quick look at the accommodation in Sendelingsdrif on the banks of the Orange River.

NOTE: This footage was shot about 2 weeks prior to the river level rising by 8-9 meters (from about the 2nd week in January 2011) and most of it got damaged or washed away.

Day 4 am Richtersveld - Dec 2010
From our overnight spot in Sendelingsdrif in the Richtersveld, we cross the Orange River by the pontoon, and head into Namibia to drive along the road next to the Orange River.

Day 4 pm Richtersveld / Namibia side - Dec 2010
Crossing over the Fish river at the point where it flows into the Orange River, passing Aussenkeihr, Noordoewer and heading towards Bushwacked to go river rafting.

Day 5 Fish River Canyon - Dec 2010
Leaving from our river rafting venue (Bushwacked) by the Orange River, we head back into Namibia to the Fish River Canyon, via a quick stop at the /Ai-/Ais, to overnight at The Canon Roadhouse.

Day 6 Road to Kgalagadi Dec 2010
Do you want to know what the roads look like driving there? Then this explains it a little. You see the entrance to the reserve and some animals and a small section on the Urikaruus Camp. I think that this camp is built from materials to make for a very hot spot in summer and freezing in winter. I did not like staying here one bit. We were here in the heat of summer and from experience I can just imagine that this place must be as cold in winter as it was hot in summer. The old mining style buildings just does not work for me when it comes to shelter / temperature control.

Day 7 Urikaruus to Nossob - Kgalagadi Dec 2010
Wow, this day was jam-packed with a variety of wild animals... almost every animal on this road trip was an experience to remember. Animals in this video are bat-ear fox, black-backed jackal, black mane lion, cheetah, ground squirrel, cheetah chase, secretary bird coming in for a graceful landing and a typical sandy whirlwind, baby springbok fawn, baby barking gecko.

Day 8 The unfenced Polentswa camp - Kgalagadi Dec 2010
A drive from Nossob Camp to our next stop for the night, the Polentswa unfenced camp.

Day 8 midday Polentswa Raptors - Kgalagadi Dec 2010
Who would have thought they let them out the cage at midday?! Wow, what a spectacular sighting this was for us... about 20 raptors frolicking in and around the Polentswa watering hole at the same time. Our best sighting of the trip! spent hours here and loved every second of it.

Day 9 early am Polentswa and the Brown Hyaena - Kgalagadi Dec 2010
We went to the watering hole at Polentswa to see if we can find something, and this beautiful Brown Hyaena came to drink some water. He seemed very shy too.

Day 9 late morning Polentswa to Nossob - Kgalagadi Dec 2010
After a quick stop at the Polentswa watering hole, we headed back to Nossob Camp. We found a male lion roaring away in the heat of the morning... the same culprit who kept us awake the night before.

Day 9 pm Nossob to Kalahari Tented Camp - Kgalagadi Dec 2010
We found a lion resting in the Dikbaardskolk picnic spot and a Martial Eagle drinking rainwater in the road.

Day 10 pm Augrabies Dec 2010
We left the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park around lunchtime and headed for Augrabies which we were told is in flood. Little did we know, that about 10 days later, this waterfall increased about 5 times to what you see in this video and washed the viewpoints away...

NOTE: This footage was shot about 2 weeks prior to the river level rising by 8-9 meters (from about the 2nd week in January 2011) and most of it got damaged or washed away.

In conclusion, we drove 4300km over 11 days and stayed in a different spot each night. It was far and hot. 95% of the cars that we saw were Toyota Raiders. Our Toyota Raider was such a pleasure to be in and we understood why: the car was very comfortable to drive and made for these type of environments. From now on, we will try to stay in one accommodation for at least 2 nights or more. Our next park to visit is Tankwa then Kruger and probably back to the Kgalagadi...

Kgalagadi Richtersveld Augrabies Namaqualand

2011-01-10T10:40:00.000+02:00

We spent about 6 months planning our roadtrip to the Northern Cape. It went by in a flash. We went to look for a place called no-where and found nothing. We also went to a place called the Kgalagadi. If I had to describe it, I would say it was an experience of a life time.

They say if you go to the Kgalagadi, you will always want to go back. Well, for us it was like that for sure, but we also want to go back, because even though I grew up next to Kruger and spent most of my life in it, we felt like city slickers stepping into no-mans land. Booted and geared to the tipping point of perfection (or not!) On the other hand, that city feeling - TIME - and not having enough of it, never left our side. "we need more time!" was key to our subconscious most of the 11 days. 4100km later, we arrived back home, already planning for our next adventure.

We will be going back some time for sure, this time armed with a tripod mounted to the car - promise. The images are being edited and the story is being written, and as soon as I have enough TIME - now that Im back at work - I will load this mind blowing experience on here to share with you our whirlwind tour through the Northern Cape.

Even though our video clips will not be movie-like quality, we had so much fun recording this trip to the Richtersveld, Kgalagadi, Augrabies and Namaqualand. In the mean time, if I were you, get your anti-nausea tablets ready, because my video clips will soon be uploaded and hope you will enjoy the ride with us.

I know, holidays should be exactly that. Lessons learnt: spend more time in 1 location and since we are so into our filming and photography, marry the tripod!

Wildcard Renewal process sucks

2010-11-22T14:05:00.001+02:00

So far this has been my experience in getting our WildCard updated:

1 Nov:
Get email notification that Infinity no longer manages Wild Card. they said to pls go to SANPARKS website and update your card so that the new management have what they need to have.

we go there to update the information. We get linked to www.wildcard.co.za and then we have to find the form...

19 Nov:
get sms from INFINITY to say the following:
"WILD Cardholder: Your WILD Card, 1234xxxxx, is expiring on 21/12/2010. GO WILD, renew your WILD Card by calling 0861234002 or visiting www.wildcard.co.za"

since we have done the website thing, we called the given number.
we get told to go to the nearest WildCard (Sanparks) office... Canal Walk Entrance 2.
at the office in Canal Walk we get given and told to fill in this form and fax it to 021 701 8773 (Done)

after completing the above form, I venture off to phone SANPARKS on 0861 469 453, the phone rang and then I was put on hold for 4 minutes, and then got cut off.

again, I decided to call 0861234002 again to find out something else, again they refer me to Sanparks.

my point being:
all this backwards and forwards commotion to get this card updated so that we can go on holiday with a valid card... getting directed from pillar to post.

After updating our info on the SANPARKS website, they now tell us its not valid we have to do it again. we do it again... for just in case.
Calling the number on the Wildcard sms, only to be told we must actually call another number...
Call the other number, to be put on hold for 4 minutes and then get cut off...
going to Canal Walk to be told its not there its somewhere else...
have been given the above form to fax off into cyberspace and hoping something will be done about it.

why all the missioning? why not send out 1 sms to refer us to SOMEONE SOMEWHERE that can help us to get it done first time.

I just dont know how companies actually survive. grrr

Whats On? A job opportunity and some awesome hikes around the Western Cape

2010-11-18T06:49:00.001+02:00

Opportunity to work on Gough Island - Urgent: last boat leaves on 23 Nov

"One of the 2 field assistants who went down to Gough Island in September has to return to Cape Town for medical reasons. We have a very small window to recruit a potential replacement - last ship to the island sails on 23 November (2 weeks!)

If any of you know someone who might be keen at very short notice to drop everything and go to Gough until October 2011, please send Richard (richard_cuthbert@yahoo.co.uk) and me (pryan31@gmail.com) their details. Ideally we need someone with basic rope access skills, as part of the job entails ongoing control of Sagina on the cliffs adjacent to the base.

The balance of the work includes seabird monitoring and some research as well as work with the land birds (checking them in captivity in the lead up to a potential mouse eradication attempt). There is another field worker on the island who will be able to lead the team.
Please send this on to anyone who might be interested.

Many thanks
Peter Ryan
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
University of Cape Town

Friday, November 19
Don Jepson will show Trail hiking in the Swiss Alps combined with early winter snow - September 2010 (Hosted by Gill Gimberg)

Weekend, November 20 & 21
The HIGHLANDS TRAIL is a two-day circular route (37km) in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. The walk starts in the forests between Grabouw and Kleinmond. The first day descends to Botriviervlei and then continues along the beach to Kleinmond. We'll overnight at a hut in Kleinmond and return the next day via Perdeberg Peak. Maximum group size of 10. Convenor Bruce Spottiswoode 084 548 8220. Book from 8 November. Co-convenor Christina Jongens 072 241 8530.

Saturday, November 20
(Conservation)
Meet at the top of Price Drive, Constantia at 2pm. Jos de Gendt 021 712 7506

Weekend, November 20 & 21
SCORPION AND TARANTULA PEAKS, WAAIHOEK MOUNTAINS. Leave early Saturday morning for 2 long days of big walking over rough mountain terrain, so a high level of fitness required. Full overnight gear required. Convenor Chris Goodwin 083 310 1747 before 8pm. Book from 8 November. Co-convenor Mark Middleton 082 924 5605.

Sunday, November 21
RIGHT FACE / ARROW FACE. Table Mountain classic with some B grade scrambling and moderate exposure. Suitable for the not so fit as the pace will be “unhurried”. (Dave’s not so good with uphill any more!) . Convenor Dave Wolfaardt David@WeDrive.co.za anytime, or call 082 378 5072 from 15 November between 6-8pm. Co-convenor, Jenni Fitzell.

Thursday, November 25
(Classic rock) MUIZENBERG RECESS (E grade). A most attractive Muizenberg trad rock climb with a delightful traverse and face climb on the first pitch. Numbers limited. Convenor Eric Harley 021 712 3642. Book from 22 November. Co-convenor Jose Heitor 082 460 9858.

Thursday, November 25
OPPELSKOP RIDGE - DEVILS PEAK ‘B’ scrambling. Meet at Tafelberg road parking under the bluegums below the Saddle zig-zag path at 07h30. NO NEED TO BOOK BUT don’t be late else you will miss us because we will leave promptly. Bring clothing for all kinds of weather (ie for hot and cold), and enough food and drinks for morning tea and lunch. We hope to be back at the cars by mid afternoon so don’t come if you have to be home before that. We will do something no matter what the weather, but may amend the route depending on conditions. Convenors Mike & Doreen Scott.

Friday, November 26
Bushveld Khaki Fever by Jane Goodfellow
Gill Gimberg will introduce Jane Goodfellow, who will give a slide presentation and tell us how her mid-life crisis led to her spending 6 months in the bushveld and two months in Namibia amongst wild animals, and will explain the dangers of khaki fever!

Saturday, November 27
TOUR OF TABLE MOUNTAIN! Start at Constantia Nek, follow the contour path to the base of Platteklip Gorge, with a detour via Newlands Ravine. Ascend Table Mountain via Platteklip (or Left Face B, weather permitting) and then make our way to the TM hut where we spend the night. The next day we either return straight to the Nek (easy option) or go down via Llandudno Ravine, and then follow the trail that takes us towards Myburgh’s Waterfall Ravine, but we drop down to Farrier’s Way at that point and hike back up to the Nek via the pipe track on the other side of Constantia main road. Reasonably fast pace, with grade of B+ if we take Left Face B. Party limited to 12. Convenor Guy Meredith 084 615 4370 or email guy.meredith@amberjack.co.za. Book from 22 November. Co-convenor Jonathan Mylrea.

Weekend, November 27 & 28
ARRANGIESKOP 2-day trail overlooking Robertson. This includes a tough ascent rewarded by the king of hiking lodges at the day’s end. Nervous Sunday slope shuffles in the morning are followed by easy country downhills. Convenor Dave Wolfaardt David@WeDrive.co.za anytime, or call 082 378 5072 from 1 November between 6-8pm. First six paid up applicants only (price TBC). Co-convenor Jenni Fitzell.

Saturday, November 27
(Outreach) END OF YEAR OUTING: NEWLANDS FOREST (early due to school holidays). Please volunteer to help with the day's activities, hikes and preparing the food. Convenor: Urs Huber (H) 021 559 7947 or 084 713 5545.

Source: Mountain Club South Africa (Explore - Discover - Protect - Connect)

.

Crime Warning Table Mountain

2010-11-15T11:49:00.000+02:00

Warning from the mountain rescue crew:

The latest crime hotspots for hikers and riders in Cape Town are

the Saddle of Devil's Peak,

Newlands ravine, and

Cecila forest.

There is probably more than one gang operating at the moment. There are also isolated incidents of muggings on the cycle ...tracks on the slopes of Devil's Peak.

Full Moon Hiking at Dirtopia

2010-10-23T09:48:00.000+02:00

Looking good. I have always wanted to go on this hike, but never get to it. Its a windless day, so it should be a good hike tonight. Note to self: no drinking when hiking in the dark. Remember to take Petzl and coffee flask, warm gear (beani and dress in layers)!

Will try to document it for the blog too. Ed.

PS: Happy booking your U2 Tickets in the mean time :)

________________________________________________________________________

Our next Hi-Tec Full Moon Hike will be on the 23^rd of October (details attached and below) with panoramic views from Klapmutskop, it promises to be a night to remember….

If you would like to making a booking please send us a mail!

See you there!

Warm regards,

Nicolene van der Merwe

-discover the soul of mountain biking- " uh, and hiking!, Ed. :) "

Tel: 021 884 4752

Fax: 086 614 2808

Web: www.dirtopia.co.za

Full Moon. Where to go...

2010-10-15T16:31:00.000+02:00

Click here to find out where to go hiking on the next full moon.

Full Moon Calendar

Month/Year	2009	2010	2011	2012
January	10	30	19	9
February	9	28	18	7
March	10	29	19	8
April	9	28	17	6
May	9	27	17	5
June	7	26	15	4
July	7	25	15	3
August	5	24	13	1 & 31
September	4	23	12	29
October	4	22	11	29
November	2	21	10	28
December	2 & 31	21	10	28

Hiking Trails Jonkers Hoek

2010-10-04T19:43:00.000+02:00

Jonkershoek Plantation is situated just outside the very scenic town of Stellenbosch. We decided to do the easier route on this day, called 'Tweede Waterval'.

The whole route was about 6km there and back.

Getting there: pay a nominal entrance fee at the gate and drive your car in for about 5km. The start of the walk starts at the furthest point of this circular jeep track around the lake. Park your car there and follow the signs.

The walk if fairly flat, easy and very traightforward. As soon as you get to the point indicated in the image below, you will start climbing towards the gorge. This is where the path gets a bit haizy and one can often assume the route stops somewhere here...

continue to follow the path downwards into the valley by the stream. Cross over the stream and continue to follow the path up towards the 'look out' point.

This is where we decided to rather follow our noses and head upstream into the valley. At first it looked impossible, so we decided to walk in the river path for as far as we can. This turned out the become a beautiful discovery for everyone...

being able to walk right to the waterfall was such a peaceful experience...

... always taking pictures :)

after spending about an hour inside the river, having a lunch break, we headed back under the now very hot sun, 3km to our cars.

I forgot to load this walk on my blog. and am a little rusty on the details. Its given me a reason to just have to go back here again.... but its dedicated by Al to his brother Russle.

Dont ever forget to stop and appreciate the wild animals roaming freely all over the place!

Wolfberg Cracks - Part 1: Getting there

2010-09-26T19:29:00.003+02:00

Hiking Trail: Wolfberg Cracks and Wolfberg Arch
Name of Reserve / Area: Private Property, Cederberg,
Nearest Town/s: Clanwilliam via N7, or Ceres via N1
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 8 hours

Directions to get there: It took us 3 hours from Cape Town, but we also were stuck in the peak hour traffic at 16h00 for an hour, so it took us 4 long hours to get there.

From Cape Town CBD, take the N1 towards Paarl. Take the turnoff towards Wellington, and pass through it and follow the R44. Pass the Voelvlei Dam on your right and continue until the road makes a 3way junction. Turn right at the junction towards Ceres (and not Tulbach). Follow the road to Ceres. Once you get into the small town of Ceres, turn left at the second set of traffic lights. Pass through Prince Alfred's Hamlet.

As soon as you have driven through PA Hamlet, you will head up onto the Gydo Pass, which then takes you to an even smaller town called Op Die Berg (in an area also known as Die Koue Bokkeveld). Continue on the R303 and soon just outside Oppi Berg, you need to turn right at the Cederberg Sign

A 17km tarred road will take you onto a gravel road. From here you need to keep left and follow the Oasis signs for 48km to your over night destination called Oasis.

The following morning we had a scrumptious breakfast, bacon, eggs, toast and a good cuppa coffee to get us going. This farm kitchen is filled with character and definitely worth a visit.

Gerrit was ready to personally draw up the map of our planned route for the day. This was 2 A4 pages of pure mapping on both sides. We held on to this map like never before. And oh boy, did this map help us enjoy our journey just that much more. Thanks Gerrit!

With your back to Oasis, you follow the road to the right for about 6.5km and turn left at the Clan William sign.

...3km further is where you pass the sign for Stadsaal Caves and Rock Art.

Drive for another 3km where the road forkes left to Krom Rivier. Dont turn left here, but take the right more obvious main road and drive for 5km to the Sanddrif Wine Farm. This is where we stocked up on necessities (like Cederburg Cabernet) and our permits for the hike.

After leaving Sanddrif main house, turn left towards another Sanddrif sign. The road drives down into the valley through a few cottages and soon you will cross a low water bridge. After the bridge take a sharp right. The road splits into 3. Take the left fork, drive pass more cottages and what seemed like a stunning and very popular camping ground. The road forkes again, take the left fork upwards until you reach the gate. Enter in your code and drive through to the furthest end where you can park your car and start the walk.

Contact Information:
We stayed at the Oasis Bed and Breakfast.
GPS CORDINATE
23. 33. 20. 21 S
19. 21. 55. 31 E
Tel: +27 27 482 2819
cederberg@telkomsa.net

The owners were extremely friendly and welcoming. Once you get there, you feel a very welcome vibe. The visitors seem like regulars, and the place was packed to the brim with tents and the rooms were all fully booked.

Our room did not have an on-suite shower, but we were lucky to have the loo next door to it and a small area on the balcony to make our fire to cook our food on.

Cost was R120pppd, and breakfast was an added R40pp, but comes highly recommended before a journey like the one we were about to tackle.

Best time of year to go: .
April (its coming to the end of summer) and September (just after winter, and flowers everywhere)

What costs did you incur to do this hike:
Accomodation: R120pppd
Breakfast: R40pp
Permit for Cracks: R25pp
Permit for Arch: R25pp

How safe is it: There is no crime here.

Fresh Water: None. Take at least 3 liters per person if you are going to the Wolfberg Arch.

Difficulty: Very easy climb to the top, but its a long hike. Tricky to know where exactly to go, but with good guidance from our host at Oasis (Gerrit), we headed for the hills with confidence.

It took us about 1h30 to get to the top of the cracks.
Then another 1h30min inside the cracks,
30min coffee break
and then an 1h30min to walk to the Arch.
30min at the Arch,
1h30min to walk back,
and 1h30min to get back down.
Total walking time of about 8 hours...

Pets: No pets allowed, environment is very harsh.

How will I rate this hike? Best hike Ive done so far in my life. Loved it.

The rest of this hike is documented under the Wolfberg Cracks link. I hope you enjoy reading this hike as much as we enjoyed doing it. Or just scroll down for Parts 2,3,4 & 5.

We can not wait to go back here again, and hopefully take a group of people with us next time.

Wolfberg Cracks - Part 2: Finding the Crack

2010-09-26T18:42:00.004+02:00

Panorama of Sanddrif Valley.

(Click on images for enlargement

all images by Alex Aitkenhead)

To get to this part of the hike, we drove for 4 hours from Cape Town, and spent the night at Oasis Bed and Breakfast. Then we drove another 22km to get our permits at Sanddrif Wine Farm, and our final 2km to get to the parking area and the start of this route.

I had been waiting for 2 years to do this route. There was always something that stopped me from doing it. Alex and I were both very excited to finally get here and start the trek up this gauntlet.

This part of the route is fairly simple: Follow the path to the top.

It was not long before our car became a small speck in the car park below.

After walking for 45 minutes, you will reach this massive square rock. This marks the halfway spot in your up route in terms of time.

The tricky part of the route starts here. I have marked the rocks in the picture below to help you should you wish to follow this route yourself.
1,2,3 are bolders that have rolled down and blocked the path up. This is where you need to find your way around the right of boulder 3 and get to the back of it and aim in the direction of point 4 behind it.
(Note: if you pass the left of boulder no.1, you can also climb up the easy route to the top (follow the sign). This is not recommended, as you will be missing out on the most special part of this route).
4. Here you are faced with a 2.5m (90 degree) climb onto the ledge leading to point 5. But first get yourself to point 4.

Once you have reached point 4. A short scramble to the top will take you onto a easy ledge.

Follow the ledge to the end, turn left at the end. Be careful as there is one section where the ledge is not wider than an A4 size paper. It gets better immediately after this point.

A short scramble will take you to a massive arch in front of you. Once you reach the arch, scramble between the rocks marked 1 & 2 into a beautiful rock-filled amphitheater.

In the picture below, the amphitheater is show to be about 20m in width. Scramble over the rocks, directly across and opposite the arch. Do not take the more obvious (but not easy) route to your right (more or less where the people are standing in the picture). Rather walk across in the direction of where this photo was taken from. Im sorry to not have taken a picture of this, but for now this is the best that I can do here.

You will be walking towards a massive rock cave, seen in the image below.

Above pic sourced from lastfrog.co.za

Enter this cave on its left side. Its a tight squeeze for 6m of darkness. But you are able to see the light on the other end, the moment you enter the cave. Be careful, and best to switch on your petzl lamp on this tiny part of the route.

The next section of this route took us into the most beautiful rock formation hidden deep into this mountain.

Wolfberg Cracks - Part 3: Adventures inside the Crack

2010-09-26T18:27:00.004+02:00

The fun began here. Entering this passage was the start of a 200m adventure into the mountain.

This is a dark narrow passage of about 6m long.

The other side of the passage brings you to a sandy spot where the party can re-group before the next adventure. Make sure you bring your Fisheye lense- if you have one! (We forgot ours at home, so its another reason for us to just have to come back here again) - jeay!

venture around as much as possible and enjoy the moment for what it has to offer. stop somewhere here and have lunch, and give yourself time to really look around.

to get to the next level, keep to the right of the crack...

crawl under this large rock to the next section of the passage...

The arches and rock formations are like some of my friends would say: "to die for darlin'!"

The chief happy snapper taking a break ... (he was fired from all and any navigational duties, but he is still allowed to take snaps) ~ LOL

Soon the crack is split into 2. This is where you must take the left passage at this section as seen in the pic below.

Alex, the love of my life, doing what he loves doing :)

The passage is very long and becomes narrower as you walk into it.

Once you reach what seems to be a dead end, don't despair. But its a tricky 2m scramble to the top of this rock. This is a link to an image of an easy way to get up.

Once you have reached the top of this rock, after 5m you will notice your last obstacle before you exit this crack. Its a trapped rock. You need to lie on your back, and go head first into the hole. Its the only way you will be able to get your body out on the other side. See the graphic of the image below on how to do this.

This lady is about to get through this trapped rock. Its very easy and thousands before you have done it already. So don't be afraid. Leave your city fears behind you and Just Do It!

Within 2 minutes of walking you reach the top of this crack.

In the image below I looked back into the crack. All you can see from here is the thin and narrow split in the mountain ...

Find a spot to enjoy the view and have a quick coffee break before you head off to your next adventure.

From here you have 2 choices:
1. Go back down. (We came from the crack behind me to my right. The way down is the bushy patch on my left.) 1h30min to get back down.
2. Follow the clearly marked path to the Wolfberg Arch. Please see Wolfberg Cracks: Part 4. 3 hours needed for this section to get back here.

Wolfberg Cracks - Part 4: Heading to Wolfberg Arch

2010-09-26T17:15:00.098+02:00

If you come to hike in the Cederberg, be sure to be entertained by the most beautiful rock formations.

The weather was perfect for us (late September), with a crisp breeze blowing the whole day, the hot sun to keep us warm, and the most beautiful blue sky.

All images by Alex Aitkenhead.
Click on images for larger views or go to Alex's blog for desktop sizes.

Immediately as we came out of the cracks, we could see the Wolfberg Arch in far the distance. This was the last time we saw it, for about another 45min of walking.

To get to this point, (The Sign Wolfberg Arch), we hiked up the mountain, then chose to go through the very scenic Cracks. After a short coffee break at the top of the cracks, we walked in the direction of the Wolfberg Arch, down towards the end of the small valley that we found ourselves in. We were told by our virtual guide (Gerrit) that this is the exact point that we have to mark very clearly. He said the following:

When you get to the end of the valley and see the sign, immediately turn left and go around the rocks. Notice a path going down the mountain again. Clearly make a marker here for yourself, so that upon your return from the Wolfberg Arch, you will know exactly where to go down. This will be your down route, also known as the easy way up and down. He said: "be sure to take the easy way down, because you will need it and there will not be time for you to try and find it when you come back to this point".

So we made our mark. And then turned towards the sign and the obvious path going towards the Wolfberg Arch.

This route was very easy to follow as all you needed to do was keep your eye on the cairns built by the thousands of hikers who have made this route before us. Thanks to those who have contributed to making this route such a pleasure to follow!

All that you can hear is the sounds of nature, and sometimes you are reminded about the beauty of silence too.

It would be sin to not notice these giants molded to perfection by time :)

This must be the first hike I have ever been on, where I can see our destination for almost the entire way.

It felt like it was never getting any closer!

Aaaaahhhh, the end is near... (eh, well, this end)

Jeay! We made it. Easy peasy.

Alex taking all sorts of weird pictures, while Im doing what normal people do when they get to their destination: chill and enjoy the view.

He took so many nice pictures, I decided to load them all! Thanks Al :)

Due to time constraints, we could not stay too long. 30mins was our mark. Its 15h30 and time to head back to make our way back down the mountain. We have enough time, but we are scraping it fine.

After walking at a pace, it took us about 1h00 to get back. We hardly stopped for photo's to catch up on some time and reached the cracks at 16h00. Both of us were exhausted but pushed on to commit to our final stage of our fabulous journey.

Read on about how we made it down the mountain ...

Wolfberg Cracks - Part 5: The Easy Route Down

2010-09-26T16:40:00.050+02:00

Having come from the Wolfberg Arch, we wanted to be back down by at least 18h00. By this time I was exhausted and decided to take a slow pace down.

We returned to the Wolfberg Arch sign, then we went to look for our marker that we planted before we left, and we were comfortable to know we were going down the right way.

The path is very clear, so it was not difficult to find at all. No need for describing where to go, again the cairns were a blessing.

At this point I decided to take short 5 min break, to regain some strength to head forward. Its almost more difficult to stop, because then your legs become lazy from being so tired. My feet were hurting more than anything by now.

The picture below is showing the last stretch of the easy down-route (6) of the crack. I only inserted it to give the readers an understanding of this is where your path splits when you go up (5), and again the path that you come back to when you come down from the other side. (The picture is of me going up, so dont let it confuse you if you wish to use this article as a guide.)

How do you climb a mountain? 1 step at a time. I had to remind myself: "its the same for getting back down - 1 step at a time".

We reached the car at 18h00.

And were spoilt for choice again with the most beautiful of beautiful sunsets over the Cederberg!

The memories of this hike will surely last forever. Alex is the most wonderful hiking partner, and he pushes me all the way. I enjoy being challenged and would not want it any other way either.

Thanks again to Gerrit at Oasis for being our virtual guide all the way!

We really would love to come back and do this route again some day in the near future. We will be bringing our mountain bikes with us and stay for longer. Maybe next September again?!

Free access to South African National Parks 13 - 17 Sept 2010

2010-09-13T14:54:00.000+02:00

Media Release: Free access to National Parks starts this week

From Monday, 13 September until Friday, 17 September, the country’s body charged with the management of national parks, South African National Parks (SANParks) will allow locals with valid identity documents an opportunity to spend a day at a national park of their choice free of charge.

The week-long campaign giving free access to the national parks will be applicable to all the national parks managed by SANParks, with the exception of Boulders in Table Mountain National Park, Tankwa and Namaqua National Parks.

According to SANParks General Manager: Media Relations, Reynold Thakhuli, the objective of the week is to cultivate a culture of pride in all South Africans in their relationship with the country’s natural, cultural and historical heritage, under the established theme “Know Your National Parks”.

The idea of a national parks focus week was conceived in 2006, after a realisation that a vast majority of South Africans were not accessing the national parks. “SANParks then embarked upon this campaign to encourage all South Africans, especially those from the communities around the parks, to share in what SANParks envisions to be “the pride and joy of all South Africans and the world”.

The feature element of this campaign is the free access granted to all South African day visitors carrying their official Identity Documents. Young persons under the age of 16 will be allowed free access without the requirement of proof of identity. It must be noted that the free access to the parks will not include any commercial activities in the park such as guided safaris in vehicles or guided walks, etc.

“Environmental education and protection is the responsibility of everyone, not just a privileged few. If we are to create a sense of ownership of the natural heritage of South Africa in all South Africans, then all South Africans must be able to have access to such,” said Thakhuli.

“We especially want our young people to take advantage of this opportunity because this heritage will be under their protection in the near future,” added Thakhuli.

“The annual SA National Parks Week has been made possible with support from First National Bank since inception. “In recent years, awareness of environmental issues and the impact we have on our environment has increased greatly. At FNB we recognise the immediate and potential threats posed by global warming and other environmental issues, and have taken steps to minimise our impact on our surroundings, said FNB Public Sector Banking CEO National Government,” Yvonne Zwane.

“FNB has embarked on environmentally friendly initiatives such as: energy saving that reduces the load on the Eskom grid, water conservation processes, paper saving initiatives and encouraging the use of recycled paper. This precipitates environmental impact reduction for a sustainable future through energy efficiency, water efficiency, waste re-cycling and indigenous gardens. Furthermore FNB has completed initiatives such as the development of the environmentally friendly Fairlands Building moving South Africa a step closer towards an environmentally friendly society,” concluded Zwane.

SANParks encourages all South Africans and especially educators and school groups to diarise these dates and plan a visit to a national park nearby.

For more information and activity list visit: http://www.sanparks.org/events/parks_week/2006/

Visit us on: www.sanparks.org
Joining our discussion forum: http://www.sanparks.org/forums/
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SANParks
Become a fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-African-National-Parks/20031840634
Issued by:
SANParks Corporate Communications

Media Enquiries:
Reynold “Rey” Thakhuli – GM: PR, Media & Stakeholder Relations, tel: (012) 426 5203, cell: 073 373 4999, e-mail: reyt@sanparks.org

Hiking Trails in the Cederberg

2010-07-01T10:45:00.001+02:00

This hike comes highly recommended if you wish to take the family on an outing into the Cederberg this winter. Make sure you book accommodation in advance - as the long weekend falling over the 9th of August (in South Africa) will become booked out in no time.

Sevilla Rock Art Hiking Trail

Other hikes to consider is also the 'Wolfberg Cracks' and 'Die Tronk to Die Hel'

For flowers (end July - Sept), your best option will be Postberg in the West Coast Nature Reserve near Langebaan.

Enjoy!

Accommodation for the Fish River Canyon

2010-06-22T07:12:00.005+02:00

We have booked our roadtrip to the Richtersveld and Kgalagadi , but I have a problem finding accommodation for the Fish river canyon.

All we want is a reasonably priced chalet to put our heads down en route from the Richtersveld to Kgalagadi. We are even happy to camp, but would like the chalet option - since we are spending only 1 night in a place.

The reason for my asking this too is that when we went to Addo, we had no idea there were SO MANY Bed and Breakfast spots just outside the park... as we had to plan our whole holiday around the few days they had spare for us inside the park... had we only known.

any suggestions (other than the Canon spots and the Ais-Ais) will be great, thank you.

My Cape Town "I just want to be like you" video by I Scream and Chocolote Stix

2010-06-17T17:11:00.001+02:00

There is nothing like a little more genius coming from our locals. What a fun video about how it really is here right now.

"My Cape Town" by I Scream and the Chocolate Stix - Music Video directed by Porteus Xandou. The Emergency Hours. from Mannequin Pictures on Vimeo.

Fatality in Skeleton Gorge onTable Mountain

2010-06-14T14:16:00.000+02:00

I think this is where it happened and would like to remind all visitors to Table Mountain to please be very careful. This mountain has 4 seasons in 1 day. The rain makes is extremely vulnerable for rockfalls and creates very slippery surfaces. My sincere condolences to the American family.

IOL.com News Article of this sad incident.

Hiking Smuts Track on Table Mountain

2010-06-06T20:31:00.002+02:00

Hiking Smuts Track was not a another walk in the park. Again, another breathtaking walk - famously known to have been the route of General Jan Smuts which he walked up to the age of his mid eighties.

I had my heart rate monitor on, and burnt 1680 calories from start to end. Had we not done the cable way down, Im sure I could have added another 400 calories to this figure.

The route starts at the foot of the mountain by Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. It cost us R35 each to get through the gates and onto the route, which is via Skeleton Gorge.

Follow the Skeleton Gorge signs inside the Botanical gardens.

Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens is also a very popular venue for Concerts in the Park.

The path going up varies between wooden foot steps and well placed rocks.

This route is a difficult and potentially dangerous climb, particularly in wet weather.

A good 30 minute walk from the TOP Entrance gate in Kirstenbosch, will take you to cross over the Contour Path and a small sign indicating the start of Smuts Track (there is no confusion as to which way it is, but only up)

The path zig-zags its way up the steep stone steps into the gorge. During winter this is the main flow down for the Liesbeeck river. I particularly love this section of this route the most. Its not often that one can see so much green moss covering the rocks in such a condensed area.

About two thirds of the way up Skelleton gorge, we reached a few wooden ladders (and gladly no chains as the sign indicates). These wooden ladders are a real welcome! Usually by now we've had our second break, but today was one of my stronger days for climbing and we went up in one go all the way to the top.

Looking at these pictures, Im very sad to say that my new Blackberry 9700 Bold takes very poor pictures compared to my Nokia N82. Dont get me wrong, I just love the Blackberry for what it has to offer for business etc, but for taking photo's it gets a thumbs down. Had I not dropped my Nokia so many times (on my hikes!) and it was still working, I would have used it hands down as my main source for taking my pictures.

Once we emmerged from the Gorge and its dense forest below, the view of False Bay and the Helderberg is clearly seen. During a cold winters day, the rays of the sun is also a warm welcome.

From here, we walked another 20min up the steep incline before we reached our next crossroad.

At the first crossroad once we reached the top, we turned right to follow the path hugging the side of the mountain overlooking Kirstenbosch and surrounds.

The good news is we reached to top of Skeleton Gorge, the bad news was... the 'mountain' ahead of us.

Its very disheartening if you think you have reached the top, when you see another monster hill in front of you.

Our GPS indicated that we were on about 800m from here, and we had another 280m to go before we reached our peak... MacClears Beacon.

The climb to the top of the beacon was actually a beautiful walk and fairly easy to walk in about 1 hour from the top of Skeleton Gorge.

At the top of the fabulous walk we were again blessed with a near 360 degree view of the Cape! This is for sure a must do walk if you have not done it.

MacClears beacon marks the highest point on Table Mountain of 1080m. We started walking at an altitude of 50m, so a 1km climb over about 4.5km is not too bad for one to consider it a good walk for the day.

We found a comfy spot on the rocks at MacClears Beacon to have our halfway mark lunch break. Looking down onto our route of last week - Devils Peak. Im still keen to find a way from Devils Peak to MacClears... not sure if there is one? Have seen a few faint paths on Google Earth, but Im going to have to set out on a mission to find this one.

Due to our respect for this majestic mountain, we are very careful to not just go wandering off onto some route into the unknown...

After a short break, we ventured on - heading directly for the cable way. This path follows a almost flat path all along the face of Table Mountain. I just love it here, and would recommend it to anyone to come and see the views this fairly easy and flat section has to offer.

The path literally hugs the cliff face for us to enjoy looking down onto Lions Head and the city of Cape Town almost all the way back to the Cable Station.

Thissection is us looking at Platteklip Gorge from an angle we are not too familiar with. Platteklip Gorge is the easier route to walk up to the top of Table Mountain if you do not wish to take the cable way. Be sure to remember that Plattes (as known by the locals) has no mercy for the unfit either.

The Upper Cable Station is very well equipped - the walkways are also made for easy access for disabled persons - and there is a rather pricey restaurant / coffee shop at the top.

Ha ha, this is Alex - DONE!!! I dont often find him chillaxing like this after a walk... blaming it on a weak stomach - I told him to ease off on the italian salami he had the day before :)

We remembered to take the Wild Cards, which eased off on the price tag of taking the Cable Car down.

Normal price is about R85pp one way, but it cost us R68pp as South African Citizens we had the Wild Cards which helped us get it at a more discounted rate.

You can also buy tickets online if you dont feel like standing in the queue. Note: This queue for the cable way coming up is often over an hour long.

This is a snap that I captured as the cable car started moving down - with the lower Cable Station in sight.

Here is the view from the cable car, looking at the point of mountain we had just come from... I just love staring at the mountain after a walk... trying to see if I can recognise our path we had just done.

Another favourite thing of mine to do, is to draw our route of the day off Google Earth map.

Before I got the Garmin eTrex Legend, I used to do this type of picture manually. Now the GPS does it for me automatically. Love it!

Costs of route:
R35pp entrance fee to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
R68pp down the cable way with a Wild Card.

Distance: 8.5km
Altitude: start 50m to 1080m at MacClears Beacon
Calories: 1680
Time: 4 hours

What a walk! We did this walk just over a year ago, but forgot to take pictures (it was raining and we had a white-out on the day - loved that toooooo!), but at that time we were focusing on staying on the track. Great walk, great workout and good all round fun as part of living the life that our environment has to offer us.

Blog Header Image Karoo National Park

2010-05-31T19:12:00.002+02:00

I have found another favourite image for the blog, so sadly, this one is now also going to have to go...

Alex and I visited the Karoo National Park during 2010 Easter. Wow, again, what a stunning National Park this is! We just loved it here. There was so much variety to see, but we were both very happy to squeeze in some time for a hike up this mountain. To be able to see the park from here was so beautiful. We had been all over the park, and now had the opportunity to view some our tracks from above.

I loved the mini 4x4 route that we went on... much to Alex's dismay... he kept on wanting his car back, but I was having way too much fun behind the wheel. And tracking the animals in the dry river beds was taking me back to my childhood days of growing up next to Kruger National Park where my dad was forever showing me animal tracks. I was almost certain I saw the tracks of a baby black rhino! Well, this I will just never know for sure. Whether true or not, in my heart, and at that moment, I believed it 100%.

A visit to the Fossil Trail was mind blowing! ... have you ever seen fossil remains of animals that were considered extinct 30 million years before the dinosaurs roamed the earth? This park has them a dime a dozen!

I can talk about this park forever, but for now, this park comes highly recommended and can be covered comfortably with a 4x2 high clearance vehicle over a 3 day period. Enjoy!

Devils Peak from Google Earth via my Garmin GPS

2010-05-23T17:12:00.029+02:00

Alex dragged me up Devils yesterday, and oh boy, am I feeling it today! When I said Devils Peak The Easy Route... I did not mean its easy, I meant "the easy route" as in there are way more difficult / hard routes that can take you up to 6 hours just going up.

Having hiked this route so many times before, I must say that this time I was very exhausted at the end. (Burnt 1200 calories - not too bad for 'just a hike') I guess its been a while since we have been hiking good routes again.

Above is the reading that our Garmin eTrex Legend produced for us on my computer.The above vertical profile shows that we climbed 610m over a distance of 2.76km.

Remember that you can read more about this routes and its details in other posts of ours: Hiking Devils Peak

I dont normally re-write about a route that I have been on (blogging is very hard work - just in case you dont know it yet!), but this one deserved some more attention as I had a reader from Germany who asked me some questions which I thought I would answer via this blog entry.

The first thing that is important is that we have noted that Table Mountain National Park have changed all the signs on the mountain. Thank you guys!

On the 2 signs that we did come across, some of the information was incorrect and the suggested changes were made with red indicators as you will see when you read on.

To get there take the Tafelberg Road which runs past the Lower Cable Station of Table Mountain Cable Way. About 3 km from the Cable Station, the path starts to the right (and opposite a car park) as indicated in the image below (or read my other posts of Devils Peak).

Soon you will be climbing steep steps that zigzag their way up the mountain towards the Contour Path.

As you see in the image below, when you cross over the contour path, the sign is easily misleading, so focus on the path going more upwards than the one flattening out (Contour path / Oppelskop). You should be heading towards the Saddle (but the arrow is wrong), so focus on going upwards.

After the above, crossing the path continues to zig zag its way up. Again, if you see other paths, continue to follow the one that is going up, until the path flattens out and heads towards the saddle.

A brisk 10 minute walk on a semi flat route, will take you to a T-junction by the Saddle.

Notice a large rock on the left and a small stream flowing on the right. This is where you turn right.

After your right turn at the T-junction by the Saddle and the big rock, follow your nose and the stream for another 10 minutes.

Soon you will reach another sign, showing Devils peak is the way back. That is wrong. This is your mark where you do not go back to where you came from, but rather do you turn left and head up the steep slate and rather loose rocks to slog your way all the way to the top. They have upgraded this path about a year ago, but the rocks are still fairly loose and slippery.

Once we reached the top of Devils Peak, we headed for a spot away from the wind (the wind is always blowing up here!) and had our well deserved cuppa Nescafe Cuppachino :)

The view from here never seizes to amaze us. So relaxing and so beautiful!

On our way down, we came upon a group of people who were putting up this flag and banner.

We asked them what they were up to and they explained to us that they are protesting and trying to get the name of Devils peak to be changed to Windberg or Duiweberg as it was originally known to be.

The Legend has it that the devil disappeared onto this mountain 300 years ago, hence the name Devils Peak. There are other stories about where its name originated from, but a name change will be great.

The coloured flag was a prayer and the other the symbol of the cross.

More information and pictures about this hike can be found here.

Warning Attacks on Table Mountain

2010-05-13T13:50:00.005+02:00

Hi all,

I have just received a message from Table Mountain Safety Action Group via Cape Town Hiking Club. Looks like these guys / criminals need to get nabbed asap. Its likely that they are the same 2 people attacking hikers. Please do not walk alone. Im always so frustrated when I hear about the hikers that venture off into the hills on their own. Apart from being a perfect target for abuse by a potential criminal, if a snake bites you or you twist your ankle, you put yourself into great danger. Spending the night alone on the mountain can almost predict certain death.

The idea is to join a hiking group that will suite your hiking style. There are hiking groups being created all the time. Some people like to walk fast, others like walking slower (sometimes avid photographers), others like talking, some dont... find your perfect hiking partner/s and go out and enjoy the mountain. Never think you are safe, always make sure you know how to defend yourself when approached or attacked. Best thing is to try and run away of course, but if that is not possible, try to at least prepare yourself for if it happens to you. Good luck friends! and hope to run into you sometime on the mountain too :)

OK, im done moaning. Im really sorry to hear of this terrible experience that these people endured and hope they catch the criminals soon. We always carry a shocker and a mace spray on us... you just never know.

Regards, Juanita

Just a warning notice that there have been two attacks in this area over the past 10 days or so. Not much detail is available but we understand that the more recent attack (last day or two?) was particularly nasty. We are going to ask TMNP for more detail on this one. It may also have been picked up by the press so check the Cape Times today / yesterday. More on this one later, hopefully.

The other attack occurred in Newlands Forest specifically - about 10 days ago or so. Here is the text we received with regards that one:

From a Facebook entry: is traumatised after being attacked in Newlands Forest yesterday by two men with bottles that they broke on a stone and used as weapons. After that spent whole day looking for Josie (the dog) who ran off scared as a mouse, shame, found her again with the help of amazing friends. Such is life in South Africa. But South African men must be applauded for the way they step up in a crisis!

If anyone knows more, plllleeasse let us know. This way we can get the facts out soonest to warn others. Especially with the weekend coming up. We need locations and any form of description.

Regards Andre TMSAG

I get to meet Zakumi, our famous FIFA 2010 mascot

2010-04-30T13:16:00.003+02:00

Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in South Africa, with green hair wearing a shirt saying South Africa 2010.

Zakumi's green and gold colors represents South African national sports' teams colors. He is the South African mascot for the FIFA 2010 coming up in June and July this year.

His name comes from "ZA", the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code for South Africa, and "kumi", a word that means "ten" in various African languages.

Keep your eyes out for Zakumi when you come to hike in our mountains when you visit our beautiful country :)

Hyena Trap Karoo National Park

2010-04-13T20:57:00.002+02:00

The Hyena Trap: Early stock farmers of the Karoo Area built these traps in their attempt to eliminate the brown hyena, jackal and leopards in the area.

I think it was a very cruel thing that they did, but we cant change history, and hopefully only learn from these mistakes of the past.

The Brown Hyena is now sadly extinct from this area.

Even though this is not a hike as such, its one of the many interesting places you can visit when you go to the Karoo National Park. Its within walking distance from the main reception, but there are also other traps similar to this located all over the park and can be seen if you go for a drive around.

Contact Information: Karoo National Park

Main Camp Phone: 023 415 2828 / karooreservations@sanparks.org

SANPARKS Reservation Phone: 012 428 9111 Pretoria / 021 422 2816 Cape Town
reservations@sanparks.org
www.sanparks.org

Karoo National Park Fossil Trail

2010-04-12T22:19:00.002+02:00

Wow... check this out man! These fossils were extinct 30 million years before dinosaurs evolved. How cool is that? The Karoo has an immense amount of very interesting history of the earth from the days before the separation of the Gondwana Land. No where else in the world is there a place as special as this place. 24 000 fossils have been found here since this park was declared a World Heritage Site. You just have to come over and see history of 300 - 250 million years ago.

The start of the trail is within walking distance from the Reception of the Main Camp and about 200m in distance.

BRADYSAURUS - This fossil was donated to the park.

"... hello Brad! Nice to meet you too :)"

100 Million Years of Geological History. The Karoo was a massive inland sea.

The Permian Deep South: when all the major continents were still grouped together into a single super continent called Pangaea.

Map of Gondwana Land:

Rhinesuchus - Amphibian Monsters, closer related to frogs than reptiles like crocodiles.

Diictodon - I liked this one the most. It had so much character.

The Fossil Trail in the Karoo National Park is not very long, but you could spend a good hour or more on this short route. As you can see in the pic below, its right next to the Main Camp. Here I have my chief photographer caught snapping away - I just love the way he gets so carried away when he takes pictures :) Thanks Al for all the stunning photos!

This park has so much to offer, we had to almost run through everything. I would not mind coming back here some day soon to experience it all again. The vast open spaces, the stars at night, the silence of nothing, it was an awesome experience.

The Park is very well maintained. The people were so friendly and helpful. Thumbs up for this Sanparks venue.

Karoo National Park Pointer Hiking Trail

2010-04-11T19:13:00.011+02:00

Hiking in the Karoo National Park proved to be one not to be missed. Ive been to many parks and hiked all over, this one was lovely. The hike itself was not the best hike Ive ever had, but was absolutely stunning. The total experience of the Karoo National Park was awesome. This park is very underrated and I think talking about the entire experience as a whole is the only way to go. I cant cover it all in one post, so the rest of our experience at the KNP, will be published in future posts.

Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take the N1 for about 460km. About 2 km before you reach Beaufort West, you will see a sign on your left for the Karoo National Park

Hiking Trail: Pointer Trail
Name of Reserve / Area: Karoo National Park BIG SKY COUNTRY. Read on to find out why we say so :)

Nearest Town: Beaufort West
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Rising early has never been one of my favourite things to do, but with Boot Camp Al by my side, whilst we are visiting a Sanparks venue, I have little choice but to bear the cold darkness before the sun rise and head for the hills. Its true, once you are up, its a wonderful time to enjoy the sun rise and the fresh feeling of a new day. The weather has a end of summer chill in the air, but as that sun rises, oh boy... do you know about it.

In the pic below you will be able to see the camp in the back, as we heading up the hill. At first we started walking on the 800m Bossie Trail, but soon we realised we were on the wrong route. The Bossie Trail is very interesting to say the least, as each bush is marked with a number and the guided numbered route has a detailed field guide that explains to one as you follow the path. Since this path was not on our agenda for the time being, we had to back-track through the bush to get onto the path that would guide us to the top of the world.

Duration of hike: 3 hours and the distance was 5.6km. This trail has the extended option to do the entire contour of this mountain of about 12km, but due to our limited time we chose to do the shorter option. We headed off into the trail about 6am, but took it rather slow to make sure we absorb and capture everything this route had to offer us.

Our aim was to reach the top of the right peak in the image below. On our way up we caught up with a large group of hikers. I love finding people on the mountain.

Soon we were able to see the town of Beaufort West in the far distance. Beaufort West is the nearest town to the Karoo National Park and also considered the halfway mark for long distance travellers between Gauteng and the Cape Province. They also have this kick ass little butchery called Groot Marino hidden in the town. We did a special trip into town to go and find this place. You know, if the locals recommend it, then you just cant miss out on the opportunity. The place was ordinarily packed inside. A queue for the biltong was averaging 15 people constantly, and double that for the fresh meat. Never in our lives have we had such lekka biltong or the best boeriewors you will ever taste. Wowee... what a nice treat! ok, enough about the yummie meat that we could get our hands on, lemme get on with the hike.

Best time of year to go: Well, we went in April. I guess in the Karoo you can expect extreme temperatures both in Winter and Summer. The weather in April was just perfect! As we assended, the weather was perfect, but during the descent I really began to feel the Karoo heat.

Once we reached the saddle, the path turned to the right again. Here we were again spoilt with the views of the vast open plains of the Karoo National Park.

What costs did you incur to do this hike: None to do the hike, but there is a fee for entrace to the park.
Wildcard Holders have all year round free entry to all Sanparks Reserves 086 123 4001

Being ontop of this hill really brought a sense of complete tranquility to me. I just loved looking down onto the camp and the entire area understand the park a little better.

How safe is it: There is no crime here. One has to keep an eye out for the animals. We have been warned to stay away from the Black Rhino and the Buffalo if we do come across them.

A coffee break on the best lookout point one can find! The crowd of people continued to walk on and soon we found ourselves completely alone and it felt really like we were ontop of the world. It was so peaceful here, we just sat on this beautiful rock staring down into the vastness in front of us.

Fresh Water: none. (thats why its also a great idea to take your coffee flask with you too )

Difficulty: Path is well marked with Yellow Paint spots on all the rocks.

I just love this picture of me looking back into the distance as far south as the eye can see. This view shows you only the 180degree view of a 360 degree that you can see from here.

Heading back down again proved to be beautiful landscapes all the way down.

Pets: Not allowed

As the shadows of the morning get shorter, we get to feel the might of the Karoo heat.

How will I rate this hike?
Once you have traveled all the drivable routes that the park has to offer, you just have to take a climb up this beautiful hill. It was not very high, we started on about 930m above sea-level, but climbed to about 1166m. The total climb was about 240m. The reception has a map of the route.

The path ends with a short walk in a dry river-bed back to the main camp.

We were happy to do this walk as they will soon be introducing lions to the park in about 3 months from now, then this self guided hiking trail will become a guided hiking trail. When you reach the top, you can appreciate almost the entire park in a distance. This walk comes highly recommended to everyone who visits the park.

In the map image below the route is indicated by the yellow dotted line.

An awesome walk in a very beautiful Karoo National Park!

Contact Information:
Reservation Phone: 012 428 9111 Pretoria / 021 422 2816 Cape Town
reservations@sanparks.org
www.sanparks.org
Main Camp Phone: 023 415 2828
karooreservations@sanparks.org

New7Wonders of Nature FINALIST TABLE MOUNTAIN

2010-04-08T08:22:00.002+02:00

I told you soooooo...........!!!

News Release

New7Wonders of Nature
FINALIST TABLE MOUNTAIN WELCOMES 20-MILLIONTH VISITOR
- Colombian journalist cast his votes for Table Mountain and the Amazon -

Zurich/Switzerland, April 7, 2010—Representing a unique link between the wet, sprawling rainforest of the South American Amazon and solid, majestic Table Mountain, Colombian journalist Frederico Uribe was the 20_millionth visitor to take the cableway up to the South African landmark.

Both Table Mountain and the Amazon, which runs through Colombia, are amongst the 28 Official Finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign—Mr. Uribe cast his vote for both of them during his visit to Table Mountain

Mr. Uribe was in South Africa filming a documentary on the preparations for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

Table Mountain; the Amazon; Colombian journalist Frederico Uribe on Table Mountain,
voting for his favorites in the Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign

Day hikes and luxury slackpacking trails in the Eastern Cape Drakensberg

2010-04-05T18:21:00.003+02:00

Hi Juanita,

Love your site on blogspot. If you could add our Wartrail Skywalk it would be fantastic.

Location: Wild Mountain Adventures
Name of Reserve / Area: Eastern Cape Drakensberg
Nearest Town: Barkly East / Rhodes
Province: Eastern Cape
Country: South Africa

Directions to get there:

ROSSTREVOR GUEST FARM
GPS Coordinates: S 30° 48' 30" E 27° 35' 33"
From Barkly East take the R58 towards Aliwal North. After 3kms turn right (signed New England & Tiffindell). Follow this road for approx 9kms crossing the Kraai River at Loch Bridge (National Monument). You might want to pause at the layby further up this cutting to take in the scenic views including the famous Barkly Railway Reverses (only 3 of their kind in the world).

At the T junction turn right (signed Wartrail/Tiffindell) and follow this road for 11kms. Rosstrevor is on the left hand side - look out for the 'Cattle Crossing' road sign and our stunning sandstone barn.

Duration of hike:
4 day slackpacking trail – approx 4-6 hours hiking per day.

Best time of year to go:
A typical highland climate with moderate summers and cold winters. The area has summer rainfall with afternoon thunderstorms. It is suggested that you start your trails early in the morning so that you have descended the mountain soon after lunchtime. There is not much shade on the hike, but the temperatures are never opressively hot at this altitude.

Fresh Water:
Fresh water provided at at all overnight stops and you can safely drink from any of the mountain streams and fountains. as we hike very close to the sources and there is no habitation in-between.

Difficulty:
Would need to be reasonably fit. We are hiking at altitudes of 1800m-2200m and there are steep inclines and descents. If necessary we can adapt the trail to a less strenuous contour route. No climbing required.

You might also want to give your version of the Mike Lundy rating which is a combination of the following two grades:

3C

1 = Easy stroll;
2 = Moderate;
3 = Streunous excersise;
4 = Only for the very fit

plus
A = No exposure to heights;
B = Mild exposure to heights;
C = Moderate exposure to heights;
D = Very exposed to heights;

Pets:
Not recommended as we are walking through sheep faming country.

How safe is it:
Extremely safe area and fully guided.

What costs did you incurr to do this hike:
R3,575-R4,395 depending on the numbers.
This is a luxury slackpacking trail that includes:
Guest Farm accommodation (approx 3*)
Guiding by farm owners each day
Fully catered: Famhouse breakfast, packed lunch and delicious home-cooked dinners

Pics taken by:
Wartrail and New England Community Tourism Association

Describe the hike from beginning to end:
I have not been on this route, but it comes highly recommended by Kate of Wild Mountain Adventures :) Thanks for sending us this route Kate. I hope our readers will come and join you! Regards, Juanita

Contact:Kate Nelson
Wild Mountain Adventures
Rosstrevor & Millard Guest Farms
PO Box 101, Barkly East 9786, Eastern Cape
Tel: 079 536 3996
Web: www.wildmountainadventures.co.za
Email Wild Mountain
Skype: kate.nelson101

Blog Header Image

2010-03-31T19:08:00.001+02:00

I usually use my favourite images as headers and am always both sad to let the one go, yet excited to post the new ones! So instead of them just vanishing into thin air, I will post them as I change them for good memories! This picture was taken on a walk from Eagles to Table Mountain. I remember this day so well. It was hot and sunny - but I was low on energy almost all the way. Every time I walk on my hikes, I get reminded on how beautiful a country we live in.

Diagonal Route up, Kasteels Poort down

2010-03-23T16:22:00.015+02:00

oh I LOVE my new toy that I got for Christmas!

this little genius GPS tells me distances, altitudes and maps the route for me directly onto Google Earth. yes... yes... we all have GPS's in our phones (and up our butts! ...is sometimes how I would prefer to put it), but this one is great because it downloads the data so nicely onto my computer. I just love it. Thanks to my awesome boyfriend, who spoilt me rotten for Christmas :)

ok, so here's the route... and I hope you will also like to follow it one day too!

Hiking Trail: Pipe Track, Diagonal Route, via Porcupine Ravine & Kasteels Poort
Name of Reserve / Area: Table Mountain National Park
Nearest Town: Camps Bay, Cape Town
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

To start off with, the Vertical profile below shows how high we climbed as well as the total distance covered.

Duration of hike: 4 hours, if you stop to take pictures.

it all started at 5am and a very disalusioned sleepy me waiting to for 'the lights to come on' to make my next move - and that is to decide if I want to hike today - or kite (one of my other crazy mad hobbies). After much debate with my other half... especially the fact that we agreed on a 6 a.m'er and not a 5a.m'er as he suggested, we managed to get our butts out of bed and 'head for the hills'! (it looks like a blown-out day today with no waves anyway).

Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take Buitengracht Road up towards the Cable Way, at the top of Kloofnek Road, turn left onto Tafelberg Road. Immediately on your right is the parking area for the Pipe Track. Take the steps in the direction of Campsbay, and soon your walk will follow a long narrow path the hugs the mountain towards its more famously known as the 12 Apostles.

Where are we going today? he said to me. So I replied with a very comfortable ... the Pipe Track. Its perfect for when you want to bail out of a planned route, as its long enough for a good walk and short enough if you still want to venture upwards.

Best time of year to go: On a cool cloudy day is always good.

What costs did you incur to do this hike: none

How safe is it: This route is as isolated as the rest of the routes on Table Mountain. Make sure you have some sort of protection on you at all times. We ran into tourists that were totally unprepared for the mountain again.

Today our snacks involved 2 apples, packet of peanuts, some banana bread and 4 sachets of instant cuppachino coffee, 2 litres of water each and a flask of hot water. Alex is not impressed with my choice of nibbles lately... but i have to remind him that we are training to get fit and keep in shape and that these snacks are NOT doing wonders to our waist lines at all.

The image above shows the route along the pipe track, which marks the start and end of this route.

Soon into starting our route we met up with a friendly gentleman and his doggie that he rescued 6 months ago from a local pound. He proceeded to tell us all about the Diagonal Route that we are about to follow.

Pets: Pets are allowed, but please remember that your dog also needs fluids and nutrients when you take them with you. The route is very exposed from the heat of the sun and the rocks get very hot. Ive seen how my own dogs got blisters under their paws from fairly short hikes on hot days, so please take care of them.

Walk along the Pipe Track for 2.5km and turn left by this sign which is the start of your up-climb on the Diagonal Route.

The path will zig-zag almost half way to the top. From here the views of Campsbay and the back of the table are breathtaking. I had to take a few breaks up, but was not half as exhausted as my trip up Platteklip Gorge last weekend.

Difficulty: Easy, very little scrambling, but it was 10km in distance.

Soon you will reach a rock overhang, known as Porcupine Cave. It is not a cave, but a mere rock overhang and a perfect spot for a quick break before you start the next leg of the climb.

Once you have head around the face, the path follows directly over the waterway and up into Porcupine Ravine. Halfway up into Porcupine Ravine, keep your eye out for the clear path heading towards the right. Take this route which is clearly marked by two cairns which are packed on top of the rocks either side of the path.

Now you head in the direction of Barrier Ravine, which also hugs the mountain, until you reach Barrier Ravine.

At the top of Barrier Ravine, we stopped to have well deserve coffee break and picnic.

The banana bread and coffee went down so well. The wind was howling - at least 50km ph - but we managed to get a really awesome spot behind a big rock, with a stunning view of the ocean below. After the apples, nuts and 3 cups of the best Nestle Cuppachino coffee in the whole world, we decided to move on. At the point we made the call that the wind was blowing very strong... in fact too strong to continue our 3km walk to the Cable way (which was closed due to the strong wind), so we decided to rather head towards Kasteels Poort and back down to the Pipe Track.

The path drops over the top and into the Valley of the Red Gods. You could see the Mountain Club huts from here too. Pity we did not spent more time here... but its gonna have to be a definite 'must do' for next time.

I can always count on Alex for finding these stunning Protea's popping up all over the top of the mountain! He was all over the place with his camera. I lost him once, and to my not so surprise, found him up a tree - trying to get to the right angle to get his perfect shot.

This route turned out to be a follow your nose kinda path. Soon after crossing over the top, the path came to a cross road as you head down into this stunning valley of the Red Gods.

Fresh Water: There were small streams at the top, but in summer they could dry out completely.

At the sign - which gave us a choice of left towards Platteklip Gorge (and the Table) and will take about 2 hours to get there, or right towards Kasteels Poort. This is where we decided to take a right onto the boardwalk. Just imagine the expression on my face - when these people walked pass Alex stuck under the boardwalk to get his shot. "eh, ja hey... he is uhm... taking pictures :)" ... which is also part of the reason why I employ him as my chief happy snapper.

The path in the picture below is also known at the Main Road crossing the mountain. It can also clearly be seen in the Google earth image that I attached via my new Garmin GPS which I got from father Christmas last year! what a fun toy to have!

The path ahead of me, is seen in the Google Earth image below as the straight path that marks the point of the Valley of the Red Gods, down towards Kasteels Poort...

Walk about 300m to the next point where the path clearly forks either down towards Kasteels Poort, or can be continued towards the Corridor Ravine and Slangolie Buttress. Here we turned down towards Kasteels Poort to start our descent down table mountain.

A good resting point halfway down Kasteels poort is a beautiful flat rock... pity about the litter bugs and their graffiti that is drawn all over it.

The route down to the Pipe Track took us about 30 minutes.

Shortly before we got to the bottom,we crossed the watercourse of the Valken Buttress. To the left of the Valken Buttress (image below) is Barrier Ravine that we have just hiked through. Nice hey!?

Once you reach the Pipe Track, turn right towards Kloofnek. From here the path takes you 600m to the point where we started out assent into the Diagonal Route. The total distance back to the car is 3km from Kasteels Poort to Kloofnek Road where we parked our car.

How will I rate this hike? We loved this route. It was not difficult to climb and fairly clearly marked out route. The new signage on the mountain is looking very good. My foot was burning underneath from the pain of a car accident a few years ago, but nothing will stop me to come back and do this route again. Today... 1 day later... my legs are super stiff and I know we had a great mind and body work out!

Full Moon. Where to go...

2010-03-22T05:30:00.000+02:00

Click here to find out where to go hiking on the next full moon.

Full Moon Calendar

Month/Year	2009	2010	2011	2012
January	10	30	19	9
February	9	28	18	7
March	10	29	19	8
April	9	28	17	6
May	9	27	17	5
June	7	26	15	4
July	7	25	15	3
August	5	24	13	1 & 31
September	4	23	12	29
October	4	22	11	29
November	2	21	10	28
December	2 & 31	21	10	28

The Big Tree in the Tsitsikamma forest

2010-03-13T16:29:00.011+02:00

Hiking Trail: Big Tree and Ratel Trail
Name of Reserve / Area: Tsitsikamma National Park
Nearest Town: Storms River Village, Plettenberg Bay
Province: Garden Route
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 1 - 2 hours depending on how far you wish to walk. The boardwalk to the Big Tree is a 1km circular walk, from there you can continue along the path for up to just over 4km walk to more big trees and fallen giants.

Directions to get there: From Cape Town, take the N2 towards Plettenberg bay. About 60km pass Plettenberg bay, and just after the turn to Storms River Village on your right, is the turn to the left which takes you to the parking area for the Big Tree walk.

Contact Information:
SANparks - Tsitsikamma Indigenous Forest
Phone: +27 (0) 42 281 1557
www.sanparks.org

This is a 800 year old Yellow wood tree, with a height of 36.6m, Trunk length is 18.3m and it takes 8 adults holding hands around the girth.

Best time of year to go: Anytime.

What costs did you incur to do this hike: R8-00 Adults and R4-00 Children
Free entry (if you are a South African Citizen) for Wild Card Holders (www.wildinafrica.com)

How safe is it: Even though we felt very safe walking through the forest, we are always equipped with a mace pray and a shocker.

Visitors Hours: 06h00 - 18h00

Fresh Water: All running water in the river is drinkable. The brown colour of the water is due to tannins and humic acids leached from leaf litter on the forest floor.

Difficulty: Three routes have been laid out and colour coded with red (4.2km), yellow (2.6km) and green (1km) footprints giving a choice of walking distances. All three these walks are relatively easy.

Pets: No pets allowed in the park.

Permits:
Access to the Ratel Nature Walk (after you have entered the park for the Big Tree Trail) can be obtained by means of self-issue permits that are available at the start of the walk. You are requested to carry your permit with you at all times.

How will I rate this hike? We loved the neatly laid out boardwalks. Its always sad to see only 1 or 2 of the 800 year old trees around, but its good to know they are still standing.

I was so excited to see a Knysna Dwarf Chameleon. He survived a crowd of 8 people walking over him.

These chameleons are a favourite for the very poisonous boomslang that frequents the eastern cape region. The boomslang is a very non-aggressive and shy snake, which makes the risk of a bite very low. We happen to run into a female boomslang later on in our travels, I was so excited to finally see one in the wild - wowee :)

Crime and Self Defense whilst Hiking

2010-02-24T07:51:00.009+02:00

Read about the latest stats on Google Groups of incidents of attacks on hikers. Before you read these stats (shown below), thanks to an email from Tony Heher of Cape Town Hiking Club, this is what I would like to add to the subject of Crime and Self Defense whilst Hiking:

I say, unless you like to hike dressed like our friend above:

Do not expect to be 'safe' when you go hiking, especially in areas that are surrounded by typical squatting type communities or low income housing. These areas generally are filled with opportunistic criminals mainly due to poverty. (which is most of Table Mountain in this case).
Take along a shocker (GREAT for chasing away baboons and monkeys). When you get approached by a criminal, baboon or monkey, snap the shocker to make them aware that you have 'safety gear'.
Pepper Spray: apparently this does not work too well if your criminal uses it for pleasurable rush to his head on 'off days'. Its possible, but I would rather have it than not have it. Just make sure you have it replaced with a 'fresh' one at least 1/year.
Gun: if you have one, take one. The legal ramifications is your problem if you use it - of course.
Knife: if you know how to use a knife, like maybe you might have done some sort of self-defense course, then take one. I learnt how to use a knife - and trust me, its NOT like cutting a nice piece of cheese :)
Bottom line: whatever you take to protect yourself with - make sure it is within arms length (not like me, at the bottom of my backpack!). My hiking partner (he is such a winner!) ALWAYS takes his shocker and his pepper spray - both are in his back pockets. I always complain that it makes it difficult for me to touch his cute bum. Then I get a grumpy mumble of some sort in return about another lecture on safety. Love it! He is so cute when he grumbles like that :)
Dogs: your pet is a great deterrent for wanna-be criminals.
Lastly: Know your gear! if you don't know how to use it - tried and tested - then why do you have it? Consider to go on a self defense course, or go to an open field - please make sure its on a windless day, and test your pepper spray, shoot your gun. Know how it works. How far does your item reach - what are the sounds that it makes - familiarise yourself with how it feels in your hand - know where the trigger button is - how messy is the real deal? Don't be intimated by your own forms of self defense, because trust me, when someone else pulls out a weapon, you are going to WANT to have learnt how to use your own gear, to protect yourself and your fellow hikers.
Some easy tips for you to consider if you dont have some sort of weapon:

Elbow is strongest bone in your body. Use it.
Knee the person in the groin / or the face / side of leg / stomach / ribs / you name it.
Fingers are excellent to poke into someones eyes.
Sand is great to throw into someones face.
Scream - try to let others hear you or know.
Attitude is vital. If you show you are scared, you will be walked over and even maybe raped. If you show aggression, you might be attacked out of pure adrenalin. Stay calm and think clearly of the points above. I know its horrible to consider these factors, but spend some time alone, visualize how you will deal with an attacker one day, what kind of weapon will you use, how will you use it etc.
When you are done with overpowering your attacker - with whatever you chose to do to eliminate the ordeal - RUN away as fast as you can! if and when they contain themselves, make sure you are not around for their crazy minds to take over and do something stupid again.

Buy a shocker / StunGun at Bid or Buy

Updated Incidents (February 2010)
Signal Hill / (Lions Head is ontop of Signal Hill): (Sunday Feb 14 to Tuesday Feb 16 2010)

Four tourists were robbed there in just three days this week :

An American man was robbed and apparently injured with a pair of scissors on Sunday morning (14th). R400 was taken. The victim was attacked with a white-handled pair of scissors, causing cuts on both hands.

A group of three students, studying English at a local language school, were robbed on Tuesday night (16th). A group of three men stepped from behind a tree and threatened to kill them unless they handed over their belongings. Money, cellphones, cameras and watches were stolen. "It was very fast, I think less than a minute. “

Sandy Bay (Saturday 16 Jan 2010 20:30)
ROBBERY – Rocket Road

Black Male +/- 20 years old threatens walker with a knife. Suspect asks walker to hand over his cellphone and wallet. Walker says no and fight breaks out whereupon suspect stabs the walker in the back and arm and hits him on the head with a rock. Walker taken to Constantiaberg.

ROBBERY Tuesday 2 Feb 2010 14:17 – Sandy Bay (path to Llandudno) -

Two lady tourists mugged on Sandy Bay beach close to the Llandudno footpath by a group of five males 3 Black males (one in a red sleeveless top and shorts) and 2 coloured males last seen heading toward Kerzner Est. Good response by HBNW, SSP's, Herzner guards and SAPS

Karbonkelberg (Hout Bay): (Friday 8 Jan 19:30)
ROBBERY – Karbonkelberg – CAS 9/1/2010

3 colored males, one with a golf club and another with a (toy?) firearm hold up a party of 3 hiking on the Karbonkelberg. They took camera and cellphones. Suspects pepper sprayed by one of the complainants. Mountain was searched by police. Suspects also set fire to the mountain (no case of arson from saps) resulting in helicopter services being activated for many hours, including the next day. All 3 arrested?

Buy your Pepper Spray at Bid or Buy

Year 2009 Incidents:
Silvermine East: 2 Attacks.

Saturday 23 May 2009: 2 hikers held up & robbed at Amphitheater at about 2.30 or 3pm. Firearm involved.

Weekend 16/17 May 2009: Attack in the Waterfall area. No further details.

Sandy Bay:

Sunday, October 19, 2008 19h42 Mugging earlier at Sandy Bay by a group of 4 Bravo males that take off with a bag. Victim reported to be heading to the CSC to lay charges. 19h55 ADT6 detains a matching set of Bravo males with “the bag” at Victoria traffic lights. SAPS asked to attend. 20h22 Long story but as the ‘victims’ never arrived at the CSC, suspects are released to shop another day.

Friday, February 27, 2009 18h24 Elderly tourist couple mugged, robbed and tied up on Rocket Rd above the dunes. HBNW respond. Two knife wielding Bravo males, one taller than the other carrying a backpack in which the knives were concealed.

Sunday May 10, 2009 09h22. Serious incident (rape) at Sandy Bay. Suspect Charlie male, 40 yrs old short/stocky wearing black cycle shorts and a white t-shirt, may be well known in HB. Extensive 3 hour search, nothing found.

Follow-up to 10 May incident: Sandy Bay - Hout Bay police have arrested a man in connection with the rape of a 50-year old woman on a Llandudno beach at the weekend. Lesch said police had made another arrest last night - a man in his late thirties - in connection with the incident. She said the man had initially only been taken in for questioning.

"We had a few positive leads and we followed them up, this is what led to his arrest," she said. "The suspect left some clothes on the beach after the incident and these will be sent for tests. " she said. The suspect, who is from the Hout Bay area, is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

Beware also Rhodes Memorial area where bicycle riders are targeted from time to time. Last incident in this area was in March 2009.

Good luck! any other advice from the readers will be great?

Waterfall Hiking Trail (aka Day 1 Route and start of the Otter Trail)

2010-01-20T14:40:00.012+02:00

Get your walking shoes on, put on enough sunblock, take lots of drinking water and experience nature at its best!

Hiking Trail: Waterfall Trail (Known as Day 1 Route and start of the Otter Trail)
Name of Reserve / Area: Tsitsikamma National Park
Nearest Town: Storms River Village, Plettenberg Bay
Province: Garden Route
Country: South Africa

This route starts (when facing the ocean) to the far right of the Storms River Mouth Resort, just next to the camp grounds. Wow! this was such an amazing walk we had here.

One is often exposed to only one type of environment... Here we had thick dense forest, some board walks and bridges, shrubbery, rock scrambling, flat open fields, bolder hopping along this magnificent coastline and a nice freshwater pond to swim in at the end... definitely a must do when you visit the area.

Duration of hike: 4 hours if you stop as often as we do to have fun and take pictures. Its a 6,4km route to the waterfall and back. Without stopping, it took us about 45 minutes to walk the 3.2km back to base.

Directions to get there: From Cape Town, take the N2 towards Plettenberg Bay. About 60km pass Plettenberg Bay, and just after the Blaauwkrantz River is a turn to the right which takes you to the entrance of the Tsitsikamma National Park by the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp.

Recommended starting times:
Summer: not later than 14h30
Winter: not later than 13h30

Contact Information:
SANparks - Tsitsikamma Section
Phone: +27 (0) 42 281 1607
Reservations: +27 (0) 12 428 9111
www.sanparks.org/parks/tsitsikamma
reservations@sanparks.org

Best time of year to go: Anytime.

The route is marked with little yellow otter paw prints all along the way...

What costs did you incur to do this hike:
Entrance to the Park: Free entry (if you are a South African Citizen) for Wild Card Holders (www.wildinafrica.com)
Accommodation: varies from Camping to Stunning self Catering log cabins of up to R900 per night in season.
Actual hike: Free when in the park.

How safe is it: We felt very safe walking in the park and on this route. Do not go without water as its is a long walk and there is limited shade from the heat of the day.

Fresh Water: Only at the camp. The walk does cross a stream at various points but its not recommened to use as drinking water.

Difficulty: Due to the uneven & slippery terrain, The Waterfall Trail is rated as difficult and is not recommended for unfit hikers.

Pets: No pets allowed in the park.

How will I rate this hike? The route hugs the cliffs all the way to the waterfall. We experienced bolder hopping and rock scrambling, as well as various flat sections all along the route. At the start we were very fortunate to see a Blue Duiker grazing on the beach below us. The pond below the Waterfall provided everyone with a welcome break from the heat of the day. The Tsitsikamma area is experiencing a severe drought during the time we visited the park (and wrote this article), which explains why the waterfall was so small.

The actual (and very popular) Otter Trail starts on this walk and continues past This waterfall for about 45km in total. It takes the hikers an average of 5 days to complete this grueling but very scenic challenge, and is booked out 2 years in advance.

Storms River Mouth Circular Route

2010-01-10T14:19:00.000+02:00

Hiking Trail: Storms River Mouth Circular Route

Name of Reserve / Area: Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park
Nearest Town: Storms River, Plettenberg Bay
Province: Garden Route
Country: South Africa

Directions to get there: From Cape Town, take the N2 towards Plettenbergbay. About 60km pass Plettenbergbay, and just after the Blaauwkrantz River is a turn to the right which takes you to the entrance of the Tsitsikamma National Park by the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp.

Contact Information:
SANparks - Tsitsikamma Section
Phone: +27 (0) 42 281 1607
Reservations: +27 (0) 12 428 9111
www.sanparks.org/parks/tsitsikamma
reservations@sanparks.org

Duration of hike: 1 hour

Best time of year to go: Anytime.

What costs did you incur to do this hike:
Entrance to the Park: Free entry (if you are a South African Citizen) for Wild Card Holders.
Accommodation: Cost varies from Camping to Stunning self Catering log cabins of up to R900 per night in season.
Actual hike: Free when in the park.

How safe is it: We felt very safe walking in the park.

Fresh Water: Only at the camp, none on the route.

Difficulty: Easy, short 2km circular walk. Most of the walk is fairly flat and on the boardwalk. The route continues - after the main suspension bridge over the Storms River Mouth, up the cliff about 300m above.

Pets: No pets allowed in the park.

After you cross over the hang-bridge, the route continues to the lookout point ontop of the hill.

A short easy climb takes you to view the Storms River Mouth resort from the other side...

We stopped here for a short coffee break and to enjoy the view.

Having gone back down the mountain, the route takes you back on the lower level of the boardwalk to the campsite.

How will I rate this hike? Very easy, but so beautiful and well worth visiting.

Simonsberg in Franschoek is a must do!

2010-01-04T17:37:00.005+02:00

SIMONSBERG 1390 metres

Hiking Trail: Circular ridge route on the Simonsberg
Name of Reserve / Area: Simonsberg is a private property.
Nearest Town: Stellenbosch
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 6-8 hours
Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take the road to Stellenbosch then drive to the summit of the Helshoogte Pass.

Contact Information:
Ed Flitters, Cape Hiking
(www.capehiking.com)

Best time of year to go: October to April.

What costs did you incur to do this hike: None, but I feel it is important to support the vineyard owners who allow access to their land.

How safe is it: Exposed and can only be recommended to those with experience and a head for heights.

Fresh Water: Plenty lower down

Difficulty: see above

Pets: Not appropriate as there are sections of scrambling

How will I rate this hike? Very highly. Simonsberg is an iconic peak which dominates the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek area.

sent to us by:
Ed Flitters, Cape Hiking
(www.capehiking.com)

There are some mountains that simply get into your blood. Beautiful, aesthetic peaks such as the Matterhorn in Switzerland or Ama Dablam in Nepal. Often solitary summits they dominate an entire valley or region, tempting walkers and climbers with their exposed ridges and dark gullies, offering a playground with a myriad of possibilities.

The Simonsberg is one such mountain. It does not matter where you are, Table Mountain, Cape Point, the Jonkershoek, Mont Rochelle Reserve, Paarl Rocks and even parts of the Cederberg, this iconic triple-headed berg dominates the skyline. I remember seeing it for the first time and being immediately captivated by its striking physical presence. For a mountaineer there are hills that are climbed and then forgotten or pushed to the back of one's mind, and there are those that are revisited many times during a lifetime, presenting different challenges on each occasion; the Simonsberg falls very definitely into this latter category.

Parking in the Thelema courtyard, at the top of Helshoogte Pass, and ignoring the dozing Weimaraners, we make the gentlest of starts, strolling up a gravel road past the ordered rows of vines. Looking back occasionally we are rewarded with magnificent views of Bothmaskop and Haelkop to the south and the Jonkershoekberge to the south-east. After about forty-five minutes a large dam on our right and a small cairn on the left of the track indicate a path cutting left through the fynbos. After another hour we come to large boulders, at about 800m, an ideal resting spot for a well-earned drink. This is the point at which the path forks.

The main path, our descent route, continues left and winds its way up the south-west facing slopes of the mountain. Our route, a longer and more exposed variant, forks right and heads up north-east towards the kloof. The path is very indistinct in places, as it is rarely walked, and the fynbos does its best to repel our advances! Two stream crossings, gentle when I first came here in dry weather, but far fiercer the second time after several days of heavy rain, remind us that the mountain environment can change very quickly and that these expeditions should never be undertaken without necessary items such as a First Aid kit, cell phone, waterproofs and plenty of water.

Entering the kloof, the steep and rocky path winds its way up along the stream, passing slippery mossy banks and some gorgeous waterfalls, throwing out rainbows as the morning light catches the droplets. Care needs to be taken here, as the ground is uneven and the rocks sometimes greasy and loose. After two and a half hours we now reach the nek at 1100m. Breaking out of the darkness of the kloof into the exposure of this breche affords us breathtaking views of the village of Pniel below and the vineyards which line the R310 and R45.

After a tasty sandwich or muesli bar our route now cuts north-west up the ridge, changing sides from west to east, to a large ledge at about 1250m. There is some easy scrambling here, but one still needs to take care, and the more able and adventurous can even practise the odd rock move on sun-baked sandstone. The setting is idyllic; flowers are everywhere and the white and grey rock is stained with bright orange lichen, adding to the Provencal feel. At 1320m the climb evens out and we pick our way through the heathers and orchids towards the summit. The hard work is well and truly over now and, for me, this is the most rewarding stage of our excursion. The slopes are covered in purple ericas and yellow daisies and, although we spot no wildlife on this occasion, other than the ubiquitous lizards, there is plenty of dassie and klipspringer scat to acknowledge their existence.

The summit is topped with a large wooden cross and just next to it stands a smaller cross commemorating the life of 21 year old Jeremy Wilshere. A fifty metre scramble on the east side of the summit reveals a beautiful bivouac cave, built from stones around a large overhang, in which two or three people could easily spend the night if they had the energy to carry up enough water. There is a summit book in an ice cream container stashed in here, and the dates reveal that this is another Winelands summit that is rarely visited. In the distance we can see Cape Point, Table Mountain and Lion's Head, and slightly closer the Wemmershoek range, Franschhoek Mountain, Victoriapiek and the Hottentots Holland mountains.

Wind and rain have carved away the first part of the path down, and we pick our way carefully over loose boulders and past overhanging proteas for the initial two hundred metres, but then we level off and meander across colourful fynbos-covered slopes, looking down onto the vines and dams below us to the south and west.

Easy walking allows us to enjoy the views and reflect on the day's adventure. After two hours we reach the point at which we diverged earlier on and, following the track through the fynbos, we arrive back at the dam and gravel road which leads us back to Thelema and eagerly-awaited refreshment! Thelema Estate prides itself on being one of the highest and coolest wine farms in the Franschhoek/Stellenbosch area. A former fruit farm, it is now a cutting edge winery, producing exceptional award-winning wines. Sipping a glass of Ed's Reserve (great name!), I cannot think of a better way to end a superb mountain day.

''He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.'' (Nietzsche)

Ed Flitters, Cape Hiking
(www.capehiking.com)

Thanks for sharing this with us Ed!
Loved walking with you in your area a short while ago. We look forward to joining you again on this one sometime soon.
Kind regards,
Juanita and Alex.

Due South on Facebook

2009-12-31T08:53:00.001+02:00

Alana from the Due South facebook group has made this December her hiking month.

Please see the interviews she is having with me over the duration of this month. You are welcome to post questions on the group at any time.

Due South Facebook Group

Full Moon. Where to go...

2009-12-25T05:23:00.000+02:00

Click here to find out where to go hiking on the next full moon.

Full Moon Calendar

Month/Year	2009	2010	2011	2012
January	10	30	19	9
February	9	28	18	7
March	10	29	19	8
April	9	28	17	6
May	9	27	17	5
June	7	26	15	4
July	7	25	15	3
August	5	24	13	1 & 31
September	4	23	12	29
October	4	22	11	29
November	2	21	10	28
December	2 & 31	21	10	28

A scenic but hard walk from Houtbay to Llundudno

2009-12-20T08:54:00.009+02:00

Hiking Trail: Houtbay to Llundudno
Name of Reserve / Area: Karbonkelberg
Nearest Town: Houtbay, Llundudno
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 6 - 7 hours

Our Hiking Guide: Dieter Heiser - aka Bosvark (u gotta love it!)

Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take the scenic coastal road past Campsbay and Llundudno. Follow the road into Houtbay untill you reach the 3rd circle at the bottom end of the road. Turn right into Harbour road, pass the Mariners Warf on the left and continue with this road all the way.

Take the last road right into Skipper road. This will lead to a gravel road and a dead end. I do not recommend that you leave your car here, but this is where your walk starts (as seen in the pic below). We parked our cars at the Mariners Warf Restaurant and hitched a ride to the start of the walk. (We were also told that we were not allowed to park at this parking spot by the car guard of the restaurant, but do not let the owners bully you into moving your car. This is a public common ground parking area and there for everyone's use.)

Best time of year to go: (there are 4 things to take note of here)

A very early start (around 06h00) is recommended for the summer. You are walking in the shade almost 2/3 of the way.
This section of the mountain is fairly protected from a NW wind in winter, but caution is always recommended.
Make sure you start when the tide is going down, or else you will have to climb steep cliffs in places to escape the high tide.
This route is only recommended to be done by an experienced guide like Bosvark, do not attempt to do this one on your own.

We all gathered at the starting point marked by an old stone wall being a clear entrance to the start of this magnificent walk.

What costs did you incur to do this hike: none, but the guides may ask for a fee.

How safe is it: I always say that the mountains around Cape Town are never safe from crime and one should never drop your guard. Always take a mace spray and or a shocker along with you.
The phone signal is very poor and sometimes non-existent.
The route is exposed in many areas. Rock scrambling and bolder hopping is par for the course. According to the hikers in the know, every year this route has claimed lives, so please do not attempt this route on your own.

The route starts with a single track and bolder hopping for the better half of the way. Here is a view of our first peak that we pass, the Sentinel (331m) on the right as seen in the pic above.

Fresh Water: none, unless you are fortunate enough to pass a small running stream from the mountain. We often stopped to take a 5 min break and to re-group.

After bolder hopping for about an hour the route flattens out below the Karbonkelberg.

Another break on the rocks at Duiker Point and in front of a surfer spot known as the Dungeons - a world famous spot for surfers who wish to catch the biggest wave in Africa.

Leaving Duiker Point, we head off again to scramble the rocks below the cliffs of the Karbonkelberg.

The views along the entire way were breathtaking. The ocean was that beautiful sea-green and just to add to our delight, we saw a school of dolphins playing in the water below us.

Being the typical girl, my hands started feeling rather sensitive from this point on, and next time I do this walk, I will remember to bring my mountain bike gloves with me. At the end of the walk, I made a mental note that gloves and a medical kit is a must if I come here again. This route is just too isolated for you to not come fully prepared.

As seen in the pic above, again, we took another break, which gave the group a chance to regroup for the next 1 hour very tough leg to an area known as Leeugat by the first shipwreck (Bos 400 - 1994). From here we were exposed to the merciless heat of the day, and rough bush and shrub terrain.

A mere 1 meter of shade next to the rocks, gave us a welcome break from the sun and a chance to enjoy the opportunity to view this massive wreck from very close by.

This area known as Leeugat has 3 wrecks to prove what this part of the ocean has to offer on a bad weather day.

Bos 400 hit the rocks in June 1994 and all 18 of the crew survived by being airlifted safely to shore.
The Maori was a British steam ship that hit the rocks of the rocky peninsular known as Oudeschip (as seen far left in the pic above) in 1909. Only 22 of the 55 crew survived and she lies below the water to the right of this bay (as seen in the pic above).
The next shipwreck which can be seen on the rocks of Oudeschip landed there in 1986 known as the Harvest Capella. She was a long-liner owned by Sea Harvest.

After leaving the shipwreck Bos 400, we went scrambling again through very thick bush and schrubs for about 45 minutes - we reached the now deserted Rocket Station (built after the sinking of the Maori in 1909) at top of the rocky peninsular known as Oudeschip. Here is a clear view of the Harvest Capella. We chose not to go down into the valley, but opted to follow the jeep track above, which took on a easy walk down into Sandy bay. I saw many naked bodies all over the place. Most of the walkers could not wait to jump into the cold water, before taking the short 15 minute walk back to the carpark in Llundudno.

Difficulty: Its a long walk and only the fit and experienced hikers should attempt this. Many parts need rock scrambling, so if you have a fear for heights, then I will also recommend that you rather give this one a miss.

Pets: not recommended at all

How will I rate this hike? I have always wanted to walk here, but never knew the route existed. When Dieter invited me on his annual Houtbay to Llundudno walk (the 9th one this year!), I could not wait for it. The weather was perfect, the tides were low. The crowd that walked with us were awesome. I will not attempt this one on my own, but can not wait to take my friends along to show them parts of this route sometime in the future. The water at the famous Dungeons was flat as a pancake. It seemed like a different place to the one that Im normally used to seeing the biggest wave in Africa at. Very cool hike. Great memories to last a long time for me. Thanks again to Dieter and the guys who joined him on this walk. Also thanks to the gentleman that gave me his last plasters to cover my war-wound on my leg, and who saved me from being stuck in a deep pit in the rocks. Dolphins playing in the water below us... loved it all!

Thanks to Dieter and the very friendly crowd for an amazing experience.

Contact Information: email Bosvark

Climb the Himalayas all expenses paid

2009-12-19T12:49:00.003+02:00

Climb the Himalayas with Mike Horn’s Pangaea environmental expedition – apply right away!

Anyone between 15 and 20 years old can apply to join Mike Horn’s Pangaea environmental expedition, a round-the-world adventure that will be exploring the Himalayas in May 2010. There are no costs attached – all you need is a passion for saving the planet. The emphasis is on showing youths the beauty of the Earth, so that they grow up to be its custodians.

From the applications, about 20 youngsters from around the world will be selected to attend a training camp in Switzerland. From those, about eight will be chosen to join the Himalaya climb. All expenses are covered and there is no cost to participants for either the training camp in Switzerland or the Himalaya climb.

The Pangaea expedition is a four-year, seven-continent journey. Those who join the expedition, called Young Explorers, join in different places to Explore, Learn and Act. So far groups have visited Antarctica, New Zealand and Borneo.

Applications close soon! (The application deadline has been extended to after Christmas and is not 20th Dec as stated on the website.) For more info visit www.mikehorn.com or click here to complete an application form, or email Adelle Horler direct.

Many thanks,
Adelle Horler

A note from Adelle: My email is there as an alternative if anyone wants to apply and can’t find what they need. I was part of the expedition crew aboard Pangaea in Borneo, and part of my job as expedition journalist is to spread the environmental message and get more young people involved. I can vouch 100% for the expedition, Mike Horn and his sponsors (the main ones of which are Mercedes-Benz, Gerberit and Panerai). The expedition has been underway for a little more than a year; its patrons are Prince Albert of Monaco and Gaynor Rupert, wife of Johann Rupert.

Source: Mountain Club of South Africa - Cape Town
97 Hatfield Street, Cape Town 8001

Take the Cable Car up Table Mountain

2009-12-15T17:44:00.009+02:00

Hiking Trail: Table Mountain for Sundowners
Name of Reserve / Area: Table Mountain National Park
Nearest Town: Cape Town
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 2 hours

Contact Information: www.tablemountain.net

Best time of year to go: Any time of year is good to go. This time, we wanted to experience a sun set from the top of the Table.

What costs did you incur to do this hike:
Sunset Special: they have a special half price rate for after 6pm of R80-00 pp return trip up the cable way. Generally the cable way closes at 6pm, but in peak summer they have extended operating hours up to 9.30pm.

(The following Rates are Valid from 1 October 2009 - 30 September 2010 and may change without notice)
Adult - Return: R160.00
Children (under 18 years) - Return: R80.00
SA Senior Citizen (Fridays only): R80
Student (Fridays only): R105
Children under 4 years travel free
Wild Card - Adult Return: R128.00
Wild Card - Child Return: R64.00

Online Bookings (to avoid the 100m plus queue): http://tablemountain.net/cableway_e-tickets/

Birthdays: Free return trip. Just bring along your South African ID / Passport

Operating Times:
1 December - 31 December
First Car Up 08h00
Last Car Up 20h30
Last Car Down 21h30

How safe is it: If you go up the cable way, you should be safe from most crime. Paths are clearly marked and lit up at night.

Fresh Water: There is a water fountain at the top. The Table Mountain Cafe is also open up to 30minutes before the last car goes down.

Difficulty: Anyone can do this, even if you are in a wheelchair.

Pets: Not allowed in the Cable Car.

How will I rate this hike? Very romantic to enjoy watching the sun set. We were lucky to have taken warm clothes along, as the temperature dropped to a uncomfortable level without warm gear. A nice warm coffee also added to enjoying the view of the city lights below after sunset.

The Cable way does not operate in strong winds. Please call their Information line on 021 424-8181 to ensure that they are open on the day of your planned visit.

Thanks to Alex Aitkenhead for these awesome images.

The Donkey Trail in Calitzdorp is a must do for the Karoo

2009-12-14T13:59:00.005+02:00

Hiking Trail: The Donkey Trail
Name of Reserve / Area: Swartberg Nature Reserve, Little Karoo
Nearest Town: Calitzdorp
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Directions to get there: From Cape Town or From Garden Route or From Beaufort West, link onto the R62 which runs between Oudtshoorn and Cape Town through the towns Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Barrydale, Montague, Ashton, Worcester. (Enjoy the R62 it has much to offer as a route in itself). Once reaching the town of Calitzdorp turn into Calitz Street in the direction of Groenfontein (towards the Swartberg, this would be in a northerly direction). Measure 15km on your odometer. This will bring you onto Living Waters Farm. Turn left at the Donkey Trail sign and follow the signs to reception.

Duration of hike: 4 days required including travel to and from starting point. Trails start on Fridays and finish on Mondays or, Tuesdays and finish on Fridays.

Best time of year to go: March, April, May, September, October and November are arguably the best times to hike. We have however had fantastic hikes all the way through the year with snow to enjoy in winter and divine mountain pools to linger at during summer. There is not much shade on the trail but mountain breezes and the increase in altitude as we hike does bring cooler conditions even on the hottest summer days. Even though the Donkey Trail takes your from the Little Karoo into the Great Karoo, we are more concerned with the sudden drops in temperatures than with high temperatures on this trail.

Fresh Water: Yes there is fresh water. It is THE BEST, completely unpolluted.

Difficulty: You need to be fit to ENJOY this trail. There is no rock climbing or terrifying cliff to conquer however you will need to be fit to walk 14 kilometers up hill, climbing 1500 meters in 7 hours on the first day. Day two of hiking is easier.

You might also want to give your version of the Mike Lundy rating which is a combination of the following two grades: 2B The drive back includes exposure to heights.
1 = Easy stroll;
2 = Moderate;
3 = Streunous excersise;
4 = Only for the very fit
plus
A = No exposure to heights;
B = Mild exposure to heights;
C = Moderate exposure to heights;
D = Very exposed to heights;

Pets: No pets allowed

How safe is it: This is a guided hike. You will feel safe at ALL times. Crime is practically non existant

What costs did you incurr to do this hike: the cost is R2750 per person for 3 nights and 4 days, this includes all meals, bedding, towels, accommodation, park entry fees, guides, return accommodation and non alcoholic beverages.

Our rate includes all meals, trail snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, 3 nights accommodation including bedding (sleeping bags on one night) and soap, shampoo and towels, guides, CapeNature conservation fees, comfortable transportation back to the starting point (over the Swartbergpas) and of course the donkeys to carry your personal items. As rates are seasonal, please call Erika on 0836289394 should you have any rate related queries.

Maximum size of group 8, minimum 4. Individuals and groups of less than four can be matched up with other small group bookings. Let us know your preferred dates and we will see what we can do.

Pics taken by: Pictures owned by Stephan Theron from Die Burger or Erika Calitz.

Hikers Ratings: Our hikers range from young students who save up to do the trail to lawyers and doctors who use the short break opportunity to get into a wilderness area, enjoy some real exercise and drink in the culture, history and incredible biodiversity of the area.

Describe the hike from beginning to end:

Some facts about the trail

Total distance covered on foot, approximately 26 kilometers
Gradient not rated but expect moderate to strenuous, no rock climbing required, you MUST BE FIT to complete this trail
Highest altitude reached during the trail is 1523m at Wyenek. Depart from altitude of 350m at Living Waters
Do not count on having cell phone reception
Itinerary : Click Here

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR HIKERS prior to walking – Please provide your full name
1. Do you have any health considerations that we should know about (e.g. asthma, heart problem, diabetes, allergies such as bee sting).
2. As we will be catering for you, we need to know of any food limitations or allergies.
3. Do you have any particular interests in this area (e.g. a specific mammal, plant or bird, local architecture)?
4. Will this be your first visit to Gamkaskloof, “die Hel”?
5. Did you know that you will be hiking through one of only 34 biodiversity hotspots on the planet?
6. Where did you hear about the Donkey Trail
7. Which is the last trail that you walked and when?

What to bring
Hiking boots and socks
Light slipslops for on the mountain (no barefoot at the rest camp on the mountain)
Insect repellant (mainly against ticks)
Lip ice
Binoculars
Sun block
Swimwear (towels are provided)
Camera
Personal medication (we have first aid but not a dispensary)
Hat
Walking stick
Water bottle
Day pack rucksack
No firearms or narcotics
Cash for curios and local preserves/wine/port
3 layers of upper clothing for hiking days (t-shirt, fleece and waterproof)
Preferably long pants (the night on the mountain can be VERY cold)

Warnings
Every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of our guests however indemnities will be signed prior to hiking. The trail traverses a remote, wilderness area which can only be accessed by emergency helicopter services during daylight hours and in favorable weather conditions.

We have confirmation from tracks and signs that leopards, though rarely seen, make use of the Donkey Trail. We also share the mountain with other potentially dangerous animals such as snakes, honey badgers, porcupines, baboons, bees, ticks and spiders. Our guides are trained in basic first aid.

The climate is generally moderate but temperatures can drop by 15-20 degrees as we climb to Wyenek camp (good news for hot summer days), in winter months, below zero is to be expected. Donkey Trail management will monitor weather conditions for 14 days prior to your booking departure and inform you of any scenarios that could require a postponement of your tour.

Contact Information:
ERIKA 0836289394
eMail: email Erika
www.donkeytrail.com

Where to go on a Full Moon night...

2009-12-09T21:18:00.010+02:00

The above image shows Lions Head on the right and The Cable Way Station on Table Mountain on the left.

Hiking Trail: Lions Head on a Full Moon
Name of Reserve / Area: Table Mountain National Park
Nearest Town: Camps Bay, Fresney, Hugo vale, Cape Town CBD
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Duration of hike: 45 min up and 30 min down. How long you stay at the top is up to you.
Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take Buitengracht road up to the Cable Way. At the top, turn a sharp right into Signal Hill drive. Soon thereafter going upwards, you will find the security hut by the boom (as in the image below) on your left. On good weather nights, finding a close parking is a luxury. We were lucky to find one right at the start of the walk.

Best time of year to go: This is a hike for anyone to take at any time. We decided that we wanted to experience a full moon experience on the mountain. This one was by far the closest thing to getting out there and enjoying the outdoors at night, and in a safe environment. (By safe I mean, without maybe getting lost)

How safe is it: It used to be a spot for regulars to be mugged. Now we are happy to see that the Cape Town City Council together with Table Mountain National Park have taken on the responsibility to keep us safe. This is the second time that I have come here to find a security guard together with his dog, to protect the walkers for as long as it takes them to come back down again. We offered them a snack, and we were so taken by the fact that he had no problem to share it with his dog.

I must say that if you are not looking for crowds, then this is not the place to be on a full moon night. With 1 single track all the way to the top, patience and a good attitude will ensure a fun experience with everyone.

On our way up, we were amazed by the number of people who had a similar idea to what we had for tonight. Watching the sun set and the moon rise (on a warm summers' night) is uplifting and an experience you should not let slip by you any time soon.

As our single track around the mountain takes us up towards the peak, the shadows disappear and the city lights begin to entertain you all the way to the top.

We were still climbing and suddenly the hustle and bustle of the mountain came to an eerie stillness. All the people seemed to stop and find themselves a spot to get comfortable on. And then... a sudden cheer, applause and laughter begins - The moon has risen. What a awesome spectacular once again, so many millions of times... over and over again did she rise over the horizon to do what she has come to do. Well done Mrs Moon. You rock chickeroo! (such elegance, power and beauty... the moon must be female?! )

What costs did you incur to do this hike: sushi and bubbly.

(I might comment that this is not such a good idea for going down in the dark after sharing a bottle of bubbly with your favourite person. Stepping skew or wrong did ensure a swollen ankle for me for at least a week after. Which lead us to the nearest outdoor shop to buy a Petzl lamp for our next after-dark expedition the week after...)

Fresh Water: none. Take lots.

Difficulty: Its a steady incline all the way to the top. Anyone can do this walk.

Pets: Allowed. Not sure if its such a good idea for a night time experience though.

The above image can be seen in a large version here.

Table Mountain in the background and the man with the telescope in the foreground, gives the beacon on top of Lions Head a much more interesting perspective.

How will I rate this hike? Wowee!!! I loved this one. Very romantic and a must do if u wish to experience the outdoor in Cape Town at night. Easy. Fun walk for the whole family. Fantastic experience if you wish to experience the full moon from on top of the mountain.

Full Moon dates for the future:

Full Moon Calendar

Month/Year	2009	2010	2011	2012
January	10	30	19	9
February	9	28	18	7
March	10	29	19	8
April	9	28	17	6
May	9	27	17	5
June	7	26	15	4
July	7	25	15	3
August	5	24	13	1 & 31
September	4	23	12	29
October	4	22	11	29
November	2	21	10	28
December	2 & 31	21	10	28

Stunning Walk in a 100 year old Arboretum

2009-12-04T07:44:00.004+02:00

Looking for a place to go this holiday? Try this easy and fun walk for the whole family...

Tokai Arboretum and Listers' Place Tea Garden.

Wallpaper Image:
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Crime Warning Table Mountain

Warning from the mountain rescue crew:

The latest crime hotspots for hikers and riders in Cape Town are

the Saddle of Devil's Peak,

Newlands ravine, and

Cecila forest.

There is probably more than one gang operating at the moment. There are also isolated incidents of muggings on the cycle ...tracks on the slopes of Devil's Peak.

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Wolfberg Cracks - Part 2: Finding the Crack

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My Cape Town "I just want to be like you" video by I Scream and Chocolote Stix

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Blog Header Image Karoo National Park

Devils Peak from Google Earth via my Garmin GPS

Warning Attacks on Table Mountain

I get to meet Zakumi, our famous FIFA 2010 mascot

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Stunning Walk in a 100 year old Arboretum