ralphpina.com

Here are the photos from the Rim of Africa Conservation Mega Trail. It was an epic.

Tomorrow I leave on what I expect will be one great adventure – the Rim of Africa Conservation Mega Trail. This will be Stage 1 from the Northern Cederberg to the mountains somewhere around Ceres – 11 days of wilderness walking. As the blurb says – “a walk of no ordinary proportion”. The vision of [...]

The Kogelberg Biosphere and Nature Reserve is my playground. When we’re not kayaking here, we are hiking its many routes. Kogelberg is the jewel in the crown of the Cape’s floral kingdom protected areas that make up the World Heritage Site.

Five k’s from my home in Stellenbosch is the rugged Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. The area boasts the highest rainfall in the Western Cape, and two major rivers rise at the valley head: the Berg and the Eerste rivers.

The Cape of Good Hope Trail starts at the main gate to the Cape Point section of the Table Mountain National Park, and ends there 33.5km and two days later.

Fernkloof is a gem of a botanical reserve above the coastal town of Hermanus. Barely 1800 ha in area, it harbours upwards of 1474 botanical species. There are many paths and spectacular lookouts for all manner of fitness levels. The sensory returns are high for relatively little physical effort.

With Clarissa, a fellow mega-hiker, and Patrick I once more headed for Helderberg’s Dome. This autumn Saturday was hot and windless. On previous occasions over the years I have not climbed all the way to the top of The Dome and I was determined do it this time. But then perhaps I was younger and [...]

Plettenberg Bay: 17 & 19 December 2006: The Robberg peninsula is a nature reserve and marine protected area at the southern extremity of Plettenberg Bay,

400kms, 17 days, 6 mountain ranges, many rivers, numerous veld types: 11 – 27 August 2006 The first time I saw the phrase “Eden to Addo” it spoke to me. Then when I saw it juxtaposed with “mega-hike” the synapses fired in my brain. The concept was so evocative I had to go.

7-12 July 2005 This post is a photo journey down the Whale Trail. It was the second time that I walked this wonderful trail.

Franschhoek: 29 June 2003 Here’s a very short walk for great returns.

Kogelberg Nature Reserve: December 2002 The Palmiet River winds through the core of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. The nature reserve protects the most pristine and diverse fynbos in the Cape Floral Kingdom. There are a number of hikes of varying length in the reserve, but a favourite is a walk up the river. It’s very [...]

17 …err… 18 – 21 July, 2002 Booking the Whale Trail is hard to do – it has become massively popular. So when I got a booking for the 17th, it looked perfect for the last 5 days of the school holidays. The dates would enable my daughters, wife, friends who are schoolteachers, etc. to [...]

“To Hell and back”: 12 to 13 May 2001 Well, not really. It was more like paradise. A perfect autumn weekend in the Cape mountains above Tulbagh and Porterville.

November 2000 Once again Peter and I headed off into the mountains above Algeria to find silence and isolation, accompanied by a lone Finnish traveller. But this time the weather stayed cool, and on the Sunday became even windy and rainy.

The Oorlogskloof River flows into the Doring River from the north, draining the Nieuwoudtville plateau. The 5-day Rock Pigeon Route winds through spectacular canyon-land and has been designed to take the hiker up chimneys, behind waterfalls and over great boulders. Negotiating these obstacles with a heavy pack can be quite strenuous. Water is scarce in [...]

11-12 December 1999 Our judgement impaired by a few beers and a bottle of red wine over dinner one night in the Strand, Ron, Peter and I resolved to try the Cederberg Traverse from Wuppertal to Algeria again – in the heat of December (a previous attempt was curtailed).

November 1999 This trail represented a reunion of sorts for those who had walked the Tsitsikamma Trail. Unfortunately, the whole group couldn’t make it, but Watty, Peter, Big Ron, Charlotte, Lorette and Nico did.

June 1999 The Cederberg is probably my favourite wilderness area.  Little can compare to the remoteness, the silence and timelessness of those mountains.  Ron and I resolved to tackle one of the classic wilderness routes – Algeria to Wuppertal, by  way of Crystal Pools. However, the threatening wild weather and our unfamiliarity with the route [...]

30 April to 5 May 1999 The night before the hike proper was spent in Kalander Hut, within the De Vasselot area of the Tsitsikamma National Park, on the bank of the Groot River. It was a dark night, punctuated by plenty of snoring and characterised by awkward introductions. However, the guys didn’t fail to [...]