Hiking Spesbona Forest via Echo Valley Kalkbay

We were inspired by a photo from a book I got my husband for our anniversary, South Africa's Wildest Places, authored by Scott Ramsay. Even thought this hike is at the top of my list of favourite places, seeing Scott's photo of the Echo Valley Boardwalk made us realise that this is really the photo we would love to see more often.  So for a while now I have been pondering on what photo I would like as a wall mural in my office.  It had to be something inspirational and definitely a place I would like to 'go to' when you need to 'get away'... 

This is one of the places I can easy call my happy place, and Im sure many many others who have been here would agree with me.  So instead of sharing photo's like we used to in our blog posts, we decided to do a video of our experience on the walk and in search of 'the photo'.  My video skills are slightly improving and the editing... well let's just say, we are getting there ;)

Hope you enjoy the walk with us from the comfort of your computer screen.

If you wish for us to take you on this 2 hour walk, we charge R1000 minimum fee , and R250 per person if it is more than 4 people.  This can also include an epic cave walk (add another hour and R100pp), but it will depend on the weather - as you can't enter the 100m long cave shortly after the rain.  We mostly prefer to hike in the winter months due to the fact that hiking in summer heat and the potential danger of high risk  during the summer fire season.  It will be a memory lingering for a long time after your visit to this beautiful part of Table Moutain.

Untill next time,

Juanita and Alex

Wolfberg Cracks Wolfberg Arch Cederberg hiking

Wow, what a pleasure to get a report from one of our blog readers on their recent visit to the Cederberg too.  Thank you to Ingrid and Gareth for sharing with us their version of this awesome experience, and the great photographs to go with it too. 

Im most certainly going to push for an overnight at the Arch on our next visit in the flower season.  You have inspired us with your images too.  Hopefully next time we go, there will be less clouds for us to do some night photopraphy of the stars too.

Herewith their version of this hiking trail...

Hi there once again.
Well, I don't know where to begin!
We arrived at Cederberg Oasis on Friday afternoon after a stop at Sanddrif to collect our permits for the Wolfberg and Stadsaal.

Stadsaal is amazing and a great into into weathered rock formations but the best was yet to come!

The hike to the Cracks and Arch went well though our backpacks presented a bit of a problem getting through narrow spaces but we made it. What an adventure! At the top of the cracks we debated whether to camp there in the soft sand and hike to the arch in the morning but eventually headed off to the arch arriving at around 3 pm when all the day hikers had long gone.

Our evening at the Arch was amazing - there had been quite a lot of rain and the night was cool. Both the sunset and sunrise was unlike anything ever experienced, the plateau below the arch was grey in the early light and both Gareth and I agreed it had a sort of Martian vibe - almost sci fi and alien.

I think of all the places on earth that have had an impact on me, this must be one of the top 3.  

At sunrise Gareth scampered below to take pics and I wrapped myself in my sleeping bag and watched the dawn. The memories will never fade. I almost backed out of number 3 crack and I would have missed out on so much! Thanks for all your help and advice !!
Thank you so so much
Ingrid Hardman


Well done to Ingrid and Gareth for surviving a night out in the cold on the alient planet called Earth :)
~Ed.

Cederberg Wolfberg Cracks Hiking Pictures

 The Easter weekend stumbled upon us and it was a tough decision of 'where to go' or 'what to do'.

My advice, if you want to visit this area, book Cederberg Accommodation or Citrusdal Accommodation far in advance.  Citrusdal info takes you to 22 km away and further from all the main attactions of the Cederberg.  Cederberg Accommodation puts you in the heart of all the action... its up to you.

 This time around, we found self catering cottage at Keurbos about 50km from where we wanted to stay.  The advantage of this was, we were forced to enjoy the majority of the cederberg valley from Clanwilliam, pass Algeria, right up to the heart of the Cederberg. The cost was R350 per night for a cottage that sleeps 5, with electricity.

A very detailed description of the Wolfberg Cracks and Wolfberg Arch Hike can be found in all the posts connecting to this link.

You need a permit to hike this route, and on the permit is the code to get into the gate.  I take no responsibility for information shared on this blog, but I do hope it will help you to enjoy this hike as much as we have always done.  Take plenty of water and always something warm for the unpredictable cold wind at the top.

Once you have parked your car (see the carpark below), the clearly marked path will take you to the top.  This massive square rock is your halfway landmark to the top.

Once you start to reach the rockface at the top, aim for the gap in the centre of this image.  Here you will find a sign to point you to your next stop.  At the sign is a 2m scramble onto a ledge where most people give each other a hand to get onto the ledge.  The ledge will then take you to the right of this image, where you need to immediately climb upward (easy walk) again back in the direction of the middle of this image.

This is me ontop of the ledge heading in the direction of the photographer.  If you look carefully far into the crack by the fallen rocks (of this image), you will see there is a person standing ontop of the rocks.  These people have already completed the route and are heading down already.

While walking along this ledge there is one section (the size of A4) of rock that is very narrow, where you need to cross the path to continue your way up.  views are spectacular all the way...

After surviving the narrow A4 size ledge, continue to head up the mountian in the direction of this big hole in the rock.  Here you have to again scramble over the rocks as seen in front of me.

Thankfully, as seen above, I managed to get over those rocks and into a section that resembles a rockfall and an amphitheatre.

Aim for left side of the rock in the middle of the image.  Look carefully and you will notice Zita sitting there enjoying her lunch and even more carefully and you will see the white arrow painted on the rock behind her.

Some clever hikers before us painted a white arrow in the direction that you need to follow. Best you put your torch on in here, the very narrow passage has about 5 meters of complete darkness and many boulders to negotiate.

Once you have got yourself through that dark narrow passage, you will reach a sandy patch.  This is where you will find the beautiful wolfberg cracks.

 Dont make the mistake that everyone makes when they get here - and just rush through.  Stop and enjoy!
When you are ready to move on, follow the loooong passage on the left behind me.

This passage continues up the mountain and gets narrower to the end. There comes a point where you need to again scramble over a 2m high rock, so its best you go with someone to give each other a hand.

The final obstacle of this walk is where you need to reverse your body into a hole and wiggle your way under a fallen rock, to get back onto the now very walkable path.

Once you reach the top, again, stop and enjoy the view. 

The way back down is to head about 50m outside of the cracks and then turn left.  Follow the path back down.

From here, give yourself about 1h30min to get back down.

A romantic full moon greeted us as we drove out of the Sandrift area...

Route co-ordinates can be obtained if you contact me.

Alternative Route to get to the Cederberg (and much easier than the other one which I wrote about in my other posts) is the following:

Take the N7 to Citrusdal.
Pass Citrusdal about 25km and then turn right onto the Algeria road.

This road will take you through the Nieuwoudts pass... stunning and easy driving.

 At the bottom of the pass you will see a sign that shows you the direction of the Cederberg.

 This is where you will also pass the Algeria resort, but continue with the road in the direction of the Uitkykpas.

Once you have reached the top of the Uitkykpass, you will be about 20km from the Wolfberg Cracks.

Keep your eyes open for a view of the Wolfberg Cracks in the mountain on your left, which is about in the middle of the image of the sheep above.

Remember to stop at the Sandrift Farm to get your permits during office hours.


Enjoy!

Cape Point Free Guided Walks

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

Blog Header Image Karoo National Park

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

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.