This 3-day hike was like old times again – hiking with Peter Groves, my erstwhile hiking buddy who is out from the UK on holiday. Peter is also known as “Gaucho Pedro” after his escapades in Patagonia last year. The Hottentots Holland section of the Boland Trail is a circuit of some 40km through the heart of the rugged Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, which is a key component of the Cape Floral Region protected areas that now enjoy UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

The World Heritage Site citation is clear about what makes this place special:

“The Cape Floral Region has been recognised as one of the most special places for plants—in terms of diversity, density and number of endemic species—in the world. Covering less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora, this extraordinary assemblage of plant life and its associated fauna is represented by a series of eight protected areas covering an area of 553,000 ha. These protected areas also conserve the outstanding ecological, biological and evolutionary processes associated with the beautiful and distinctive Fynbos vegetation, unique to the Cape Floral Region.”

A Google Earth track, track profiles and photos follow.

Day 1: Nuweberg to Landdroskop

We had an eventful start. I knew that the huts at Landdroskop had been closed since March for repairs after apparent vandalism (can you credit it?), but CapeNature reservations staff had been adamant that Shamrock hut was open again. The staff at Nuweberg, the responsible CapeNature station and start of the hike, however were equally adamant that it was not. After some ‘phone calls and animated discussions, we were on our way. Although the gradient is relentlessly uphill, the average slope is only 8.9% and the hiker is rewarded with fine views of the Groenland mountains and the Grabouw plateau.

Prone Pedro at Shamrock hut

Shamrock hut was in good condition, although the repair contractors had left a fine mess around the hut which we endeavoured to clean up as best we could. Evidently, not everybody is impressed with World Heritage Site status.

Boland Trail Day 1 Profile: Nuweberg to Landdroskop

 Day 2: Landdroskop to Boesmanskloof

This is the longest day of the three at about 16.1 km (the maps say 17.6 km but my GPS was adamant). As the trail winds down from Landdroskop (“magistrate’s hill”) the Riviersonderend Gorge (“river without end”) opens up before you. Massive wildfires swept through these parts in 2009 but the veld is recovering beautifully, as you can see from the photos. All day the vistas are majestic. There are excellent swimming pools at regular intervals in the middle section from Boegoekloof to Noordekloof, where you can lie in the pools and drink the water simultaneously. The only potentially tiring bit is the climb up Noordekloof from about km 9 to Pofaddernek (“puff adder saddle”), which although not steep is steady and can be hot work in the afternoon sun.

Boegoekloof

The more adventurous can jump and swim down Suicide Gorge to exit near Nuweberg and we came across a group of young guys doing this as we skirted the top of the gorge. Be warned however: the jumps are very high and the water is cold.

From Pofaddernek the view east down Bobbejaankloof to Boesmanskloof is something to behold. Spend some time here. The stony path zig-zags down the hot aspect of a ridge where unfortunately some hikers have seen fit to cut short-cuts that have  eroded badly with time. The zig-zag section is known as Tandseer (“toothache”), which seems to be quite apt although I’m not sure why.

Bobbejaanskloof and Boesmanskloof

The Boesmanskloof hut is in good nick and beautifully situated for views across the Theewaterskloof (“tea waters gorge” – so named after the colour of the water in the mountain streams) dam.

Theewaterskloof dam

Boland Trail Day 2 Profile: Landdroskop to Boesmanskloof

Day 3: Boesmanskloof to Nuweberg

As is its wont in these parts, the weather changes rapidly and we woke to a strong northerly wind and the imminent threat of rain. As we had prepared and watched the long-range forecasts carefully, we were ready to start early and make it back to Nuweberg before the front proper hit. Fortunately, the walk back was in the lee of the mountains and it only really began spitting as we trudged into Nuweberg. Back in Stellenbosch it was already bucketing down.

Rain's coming

Boland Trail Day 3 Profile: Boesmanskloof to Nuweberg

Note that the vertical scale of the Day 3 profile differs markedly from the other days’ profiles – it is in fact very level with a steep climb at the very end.

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Peter’s account and his photos.

Related posts:

1. Hiking Oorlogskloof’s Rock Pigeon Trail Also known as “Wessel Reloaded” 5 days, 52.2 km (55.1...
2. Scherpenheuwel circuit, Franschhoek The Mountain Club’s plan was to head up to Perdekop...
3. Jonkershoek hiking Five k’s from my home in Stellenbosch is the rugged...

Take the best part of a day to walk it. Along the way you will be rewarded with a view down the spectacular Assegaaiboschkloof towards Franschhoek, panoramic views of the Jonkershoek valley as you traverse the edge of the Dwarsberg plateau, and finally a grandstand seat as the Helderberg bowl and False Bay unfold way down below. A Google Earth Track, the trail profile and some photos follow.

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All along the contour

Second Waterfall

Bergriviersnek in the mist

Approaching Boegoekloof - Kurktrekker junction

MCSA above Diepgat - Strand and False Bay below

 More photos

Related posts:

1. Climbing Twin Peaks, Jonkershoek Climbing Jonkershoek’s Twin Peaks (“Die Pieke“) is one of the...
2. Franschhoek to Jonkershoek via Assegaaiboschkloof The mountain club’s plan was to walk from Franschhoek to...
3. Climbing Haelkop, Jonkershoek Another mountain club uitstappie to Haelkop peak (1390 m), one...

A Google Earth track and photos follow …

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Or download the Google Earth track and view in Google Earth (the track also includes the west coast trail)

Da Gama monument

Classic kombi camper

Rooikrantz ("red cliff")

Pirate of the Cape

On the edge

Lighthouse

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3. Kayak Rooiels-Pringle Bay, Kogelberg Coast On this crisp morning, Deon and I launched at Rooiels...

Robertsvlei and Berg River Dam panorama

3D Google Earth track and more photos follow …

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Or download the kmz file to view in Google Earth

Swiss Farm Excelsior

Centre Peak from Keerwedernek

Assegaaiboschkloof

Roberstvlei and Berg River entering dam

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Olifants Wilderness Trail, Kruger National Park

Young leopard near Orpen. It was stalking impala. The rams were snorting at it and mobbing it.

The African bush has been calling for a while, so we packed up and headed 2000 km north-east for Kruger and our favourite means of really experiencing the bush: wilderness walking trails. Our first trail was the Olifants Wilderness Trail, one of Kruger’s seven and one of two that we had not walked as yet. Olifants opened in November 1979, a little over a year after the first wilderness trail, Wolhuter - which is named after a legendary ranger – did.

Olifants trails camp is situated on a bluff on the southern bank of the Olifants River (see the Google Earth track below) a little over 8 kms from the Mozambique border and Limpopo National Park. The thatched huts – 4 for 8 guests – have recently been rebuilt and are a good deal larger than the originals, but the camp still commands great views of the river below and the Lebombo mountains to the east.

Over two days of bliss with trails rangers Aaron and Michael we walked two morning circuits into the bush south and west of the camp, covering 10.9 and 10.6 km respectively, and on the second evening strolled out to the Olifants and Letaba confluence, just before the new river becomes the Rio Elefantes that thunders into the gorge through the Lebombos. It was on the confluence walk that we witnessed the strange behaviour of a young elephant descending the far bank to the river – it was dragging its hind legs flat behind it while walking down on its forelegs, appearing to use the dragging legs as brakes down the steep slope. Maybe it’s not so unusual, but it was a first time for me.

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Or download the kmz file of the Olifants and Machampane Trails’ tracks

I have written elsewhere about the “wilderness trail experience”, so I won’t bore you again with what it means to us. However, three phenomena got me thinking about humans’ impacts on these wild places, whether the impacts are proximate and direct, or influenced by consumptive behaviour on the other side of the world.  Firstly, Olifants is renowned for its concentrations of crocodiles where its banks would be “carpeted” with crocs, according to Aaron, but you are hard-pressed to spot one these days. In recent years there has been a massive die-off and although research has revealed no definitive cause, it is widely speculated that pollution from upstream industrial and agricultural activities is behind it.

Poached rhino's foot

Secondly, Aaron guided us to the site of a recent rhino poaching incident (see Google Earth track). Judging by the state of its teeth, it was an animal in the prime of its life. An ugly, jagged hole in its skull reveals how the horn was hacked out. One hundred and twenty-six rhino have been massacred in Kruger so far this year (333 in 2010) to fuel the demand from China, and lately Vietnam where rhino horn is being touted as a cure for cancer. Since the deployment of troops in Kruger (which I have always thought of as a brilliant idea, as is deploying our navy to protect our fisheries) the killing has gone from 40 in March, through 30 and 15 in April and May respectively, to 2 in June. Of course, the ultimate solution involves destroying Asian demand in some way, but protecting the remnants of the species with everything that we have is the least we can do in the interim.

Aaron claims that whereas he usually saw about 15 rhino on the trail in the course of a month, he might only see 1 in a week now. In one particularly tragic month, they lost 9 rhino. But at least we saw ample dung evidence of white and black rhino on the walks. Everybody is a suspect and it appears that syndicates pose as tourists these days – which may explain the increased security around unattended vehicles at the rest camps.

On an evening game drive we came across a stick of soldiers – “Recces” according to Aaron, but I am not so sure. The effect of military operations on the trail is that all movement by trailists east of the access road in the interesting folds of the Lebombo, has been suspended. Twenty poachers have been shot and killed in Kruger apparently and later at Machampane the talk around the campfire was about how many local Shangaan know someone who has been shot and are keenly aware of the dangers of poaching. This could just be bush legend of course…

At the confluence of the Olifants & Letaba

While the sources of the previously described impacts emanate from outside the park, the exciting and rare sighting of sable near Machampane Camp as we drove back to Kruger reminded me of the effects of management on the greater Kruger ecosystem. A recent report on the 50-50 TV show explained how artificial waterholes and dams have allowed water-dependent species like impala, wildebeest and zebra to become somewhat ubiquitous at the expense of rarer species such as roan and sable. Kruger is consequently gradually decommissioning artificial waterholes in order to recreate a more diverse mosaic of habitat. I suppose this partially explains why I saw sable near Machampane because Limpopo NP does not have dams and boreholes. In future we hope to see sable and roan more frequently on the Kruger side.

Machampane Wilderness Camp, Limpopo National Park, Mozambique

After Olifants we headed for Machampane, which is located only 25 km due north of Olifants trails camp on a tributary of the Rio dos Elefantes, but which requires a drive of some 80km and a border-crossing at Giriyondo. This was our third visit to Machampane which is a special place for us because of its remoteness, silence and location on a deep pool. Unfortunately, it seems to be often used as an overnight stop for 4×4 travellers on the way to and from the Mozambique coast. Unfortunate – because it is a great destination in and of itself and you have to spend a few days there to get a sense of the place. Whereas the Kruger trails are long enough for you to get that I-could-get-used-to-this feeling but short enough to ensure that you will be back (the “perfect product” in my book), Machampane allows you to determine the length of your own stay.

A previous visit is described here. If you compare the length of the trail tracks previously with those above, you will see that our walks were relatively short this time – unfortunately.

Or go to the photo album

Some sources and reading on rhino poaching:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2075283,00.html

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/23/south-africas-rhino-slaughter-rages-on/

http://mg.co.za/article/2011-07-21-soldiers-lie-in-wait-for-kruger-rhino-poachers

Related posts:

1. Machampane Wilderness Trail Limpopo National Park, Mozambique: September 2007 Circles in the Bush...
2. The thing about African wilderness trails Walking on a wilderness trail is the only way to...
3. Nyalaland Wilderness Trail Northern Kruger Park: July 1999 The Nyalaland was our first...

Slanghoek from Slanghoek Peak

A fairly level and scenic walk from the car park at Eerste Tol on Bainskloof Pass of 12.5 km to a saddle below Slanghoek on Mountain Club property, known as Springstygbeugel¹, almost traverses the Limietberg range from west to east. The MCSA party of which I was part camped on the saddle on Saturday night. We tackled the ascent early the next morning in cool but sunny conditions, and later returned to the car park after a round trip of 29.7km (including a few detours). The hike goes through an elevation of about 1100m and rewards you with cool pools and stunning vistas. A Google Earth track of the hike and photos follow.

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If the 3D map and track above doesn’t work for you, download the kmz file and view in Google Earth.

From Slanghoek Peak we could see the smoke from the Du Toitskloof wildfire which the VWS crews had been fighting during the week, as well as a flare up below the peak. Soon after we left the peak an SMS calling a crew out to Slanghoek buzzed on my iphone. So I was almost “on the fireline”, but useless…  On some of the photos below the smoke and haze from the fires can clearly be seen.

Bainskloof and the Witte River are rich in historical stories. One such story² was related to us by a hiking club member who we met early on in the hike, a story about the “spookhuis”, Wolkerus, and how it came to be built by one Mr Hugo of Wellington, a jam magnate, and acquired notoriety in the ’70s (see waypoint for “Wolkerus” on the 3D map). The quote below comes from this excellent resource about Wolkerus:

Wolkerus 1941 2

Anyway, Mr Hugo developed this notion to build a house in the mountains of Bainskloof. He had this road built that you are walking on and built the house in the 1940’s, complete with swimming pool. Unsurprisingly his wife refused to go and live there. Mr Hugo died before he could move into his house and so the house stood empty for 8 years until it burnt down in a veld fire in 1949. Mr Hugo must have died a sad man.  I can clearly remember as a child the “spookhuis” (Ghost house) standing there hauntingly high up in the mountains. Only some walls and the gable ends were still standing at the time. You can imagine what spooky images were conjured up in a child’s mind. Sadly an escaped convict murdered two hikers there in 1978 and the ruins were demolished to the foundations, so all that is left is what you see today.

1. According to Coen Calitz, writing in the MCSA Stellenbosch Section’s newsletter no. 262, spring 2010, Springstygbeugel is so named because farm labourers from Worcester who used the route to visit friends and family in Wellington, required a stirrup (“stiebeugel”) suspended on a leather thong (“riem”) to swing across a particular crack. Furthermore, to reach the thong, they had to jump (“spring”). Hence, “springstygbeugel” …
2. From the booklet Bainskloof en ander bergstories, compiled by Winnie Rust.

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5 days, 52.2 km (55.1 km according to my GPS recording), 18 hrs 27 min moving time at a moving average speed of 3 km/h

Yet another tunnel

We all agreed afterwards that Oorlogskloof is probably the best hike in South Africa – mainly because of the care and attention-to-detail that went into designing the route to ensure a variety of experiences in a diversity of landscapes. “We” were Kelson and Elena, Scarborough-based South Americans with extensive trekking experience both in Africa and in South America, Paul (Trailmaster Watty) who has hiked widely in South Africa especially in the Drakensberg, and myself. Between us we have done our fair share of trails and we came to this conclusion after thoughtful discussion.

Why “Wessel Reloaded”? Well, it was my second hike in Oorlogskloof (the first time was a decade ago with erstwhile hiking partner, Peter, who wrote an amusing account called “The scourge of Wessel“) and secondly, we assume that the reserve manager, Wessel Pretorius, had a major hand in designing the trail. He must know the place like the back of his hand, judging by the nooks and crannies, chimneys and cracks that the path takes one up, down, to and through. If Wessel is indeed the trail designer, then you both curse and admire him as you puff and sweat your way through the obstacles – challenges that Paul dubbed “wesselismes” in his pidgin-Afrikaans.

So – it’s not your average trail. Neither is it one that should be attempted by hiking novices, unless they’re young or fit (ja, I realise the former does not guarantee the latter these days). Water can be a problem in the summer months. October this year was perfect as the veld had bloomed and there was more than enough water at most of the watering points indicated on the trail’s excellent maps.

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The Rock Pigeon route features four camps comprising five dome tents each. Each tent comes with three foam mattresses – so that saves you from carrying tents and mats and also makes for uncommonly comfortable hiking  accommodation. The degree of difficulty and daily distances gradually escalate, peaking on days 3 and 4 – by which time you have hopefully acclimatised and grown into your pack – and eaten through some of the weight.

Day 1: Groot Tuin to Brakwater – 4 km (4.53 km according to my GPS, although we blundered about

Rock art

a bit at Groot Tuin after taking a wrong turn). It took us 2-and-a-quarter hours and the section gives you just a little foretaste of the obstacles to come. A highlight for me was the verdant wild olive and yellowwood grove in Saaikloof.

Day 2: Brakwater to Driefontein – 8.5 km (10.1 km according to me, although I don’t think Wessel will be inclined to move his cute clay km-markers). The going gets tougher, taking you up to the canyon rim, down to the Oorlogskloof River – which had plenty of water – and up to Driefontein camp on the rim via a rock tunnel behind a waterfall. The waterfall in question was a mere dribble this time, probably because the poplars along the stream up at Driefontein have spread and are sucking the water up before it plunges over the precipice.

Day 3: Driefontein to Doltuin – 12 km (13.5 km according to my GPS). Down to the river again, the crossing of which could be a challenge in winter, judging by the jury-rigged “bridge”. Then up the opposite slope in the morning sun, past a poignant little cemetery containing unmarked graves – what looks like two adults and a child. Not much is known about the people that settled here for a while, except that some sought refuge and eked out a living in the depression years (1929 -1934). The infamous chimney up to the plateau now boasts shiny chains instead of ropes and it somehow looks different to what I remember. The walk along the boundary of the reserve across sandstone flats and plains of protea stands can be hot work – and it was. Doltuin, near the head of a side kloof, appears like an oasis with its stone dam. Last time I only heard the wild donkeys; this time we saw them. They look fat and well.

Arrie and the gang

Day 4: Doltuin to Pramkoppie – 17 km (16.5 km). Things get spectacular as you approach and skirt the escarpment edge above Knersvlakte. I highly recommend taking the 2.6 km detour to Arrie se Punt, the highest point on the trail at 915 m. Arrie and his troop were in vocal attendance the whole time and seemed to be curious rather than miffed at our encroachment on their territory. Wessel also ensures that you will negotiate ten (10) rock arches on this long day. The fairly steep descent around Pramkoppie reveals a cool, welcoming camp under wild olive near a stream. Pramkoppie was probably named by some long-deprived trekboer, because the resemblance is but passing.

Day 5: Pramkoppie to Groot Tuin – 10.7 km (10.5 km). Unlike the last time, when we slogged it back to Groot Tuin across the hot plateau, we took the Klein Heiveld Trail east along Rietvlei River’s kloof rim. At one point Groot Tuin is visible across dead ground, only 2.5 km away as the crow flies, but we know that Wessel still has another 6 km in mind. And when we get to Spelonkop (clearly something to do with spelunking) those extra k’s become eventful as Wessel takes us through crawlways and cracks that have us sucking our guts in, squeezing and leopard-crawling. In the euphemistic language of the brochure “the section that follows is quite taxing”. Indeed.

And so we got back to the vehicle, tired and smelly, but fulfilled. Our only regret was that the excellent Smidswinkel restaurant in Nieuwoudtville was closed – it being Sunday. Go figure. The dream of their tasty bobotie and ice-cold Windhoek lager, that had kept us going evaporated in the midday heat.

More photos from Kelson

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2. Oorlogskloof hiking trail The Oorlogskloof River flows into the Doring River from the...
3. Sea kayaking and hiking around Robberg Plettenberg Bay: 17 & 19 December 2006: The Robberg peninsula...

Swartkop to Hangklip and beyond

We took the Old Mule Trail up to Blockhouse Gap where two old blockhouses, apparently built at the beginning of World War I to guard the eastern approach through the nek to the naval ammunitions magazines that scar the high valley above Simonstown, slowly weather away. From there a breathtaking walk along the Swartkop Ridges, up to Swartkop peak (678 m) and south to the spur north of Smitswinkel Bay afforded stunning vistas of the Cape Peninsula as well as across False Bay to Hangklip and beyond to Gansbaai. We left a second vehicle near the Cape Point gate and reached it about six hours and 11.4 km later. Photos and a Google Earth track follow …

As you can see from the photos, it was one of those azure days, illuminated by diamond light, that only the Cape can conjure up…

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Kelson above Jonkershoek valley

At the beginning of the week that I finally became a member of the Mountain Club of SA, some of the Patagonian trekkers and I headed for Victoria Peak, the highest peak in the Jonkershoek mountains. It was a warm day with high cloud and haze and no wind. Pretty perfect. Our route followed the eastern contour path to Bergriviersnek, across Dwarsberg plateau to the peak (where we saw three klipspringers warily tracking our progress), up to the peak, and then continued along the Panorama route and down Die Kurktrekker (the Corkscrew). 18.6 km through 1200m elevation up and down, 8 hours – the sort of hike that you feel in your legs for the next two days at least.

Patrick Shone, the reserve manager, subsequently told me about an endemic protea that occurs only on the shale, grassed dome that is Victoria Peak. I believe that we saw some – survivors of last year’s devastating fires.

A Google Earth track and some more photos follow below…

Klipspringers on the way to Dwarsberg

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Alternatively, download the kml track for viewing in Google Earth

Related posts:

1. Climbing Victoria Peak At 1589m Victoria Peak is the highest summit in the...
2. Slanghoek Peak via Witte River The route to Slanghoek Peak curves south and east up...
3. Climbing Haelkop, Jonkershoek Another mountain club uitstappie to Haelkop peak (1390 m), one...

Photos of the Haelkop hike

3D map of the Haelkop hike
Or download the kmz file for viewing in Google Earth

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Another 3D map from Google Maps

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Google terrain map of the Haelkop hike

Related posts:

1. Climbing Twin Peaks, Jonkershoek Climbing Jonkershoek’s Twin Peaks (“Die Pieke“) is one of the...
2. Climbing Victoria Peak At 1589m Victoria Peak is the highest summit in the...
3. Franschhoek to Jonkershoek via Assegaaiboschkloof The mountain club’s plan was to walk from Franschhoek to...