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Leopard’s Gorge, Kogelberg

Ralph — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:08:28 +0000

Here’s an easy yet spectacular walk for the family. The 7-and-a-bit km hike takes you through a 4oo m rise and fall in elevation, from the Palmiet River valley, through an old indigenous forest to glorious views above Betty’s Bay. Photos and a Google Earth track follow…

At the start of the hike you will pass the new eco-cottages that Cape Nature has erected (called Oudebosch) on the site of the old ‘bosdorp‘. These beautifully designed cottages, with their green roofs and solar energy systems would provide the ideal base for a weekend exploration of the reserve.

From the cottages it’s an easy walk up to Oude Bosch, a remnant indigenous forest at the top of the kloof. Ensure that you take the left fork soon after you exit the forest and you will see a view Betty’s Bay and Stony Point unfold through a gap in the mountains. From there it is a spectacular scenic walk across the top of the waterfall, then skirt the precipitous cliffs above Leopard’s Gorge, negotiate a steep zig-zag descent to end in Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, one of the gems of the Cape. Be sure to have left transport back to Kogelberg at the gardens, or stroll back along the coastal road – but this would be a longer walk than the one through the gorge.

My first experience of this place was 32 years ago almost to the day, courtesy of the army, as a conscript. Entrance to the junior leaders course required a 5-day forced march known as Vasbyt 5 (roughly translated as “Grit your teeth for 5″). Our unit’s version of Vasbyt 5 involved walking from Sir Lowry’s Pass, through the heart of the Kogelberg, across the Palmiet, through Leopard’s Gorge and back along coast to Steenbras in five days. Walking along the roads was not allowed and of course the instructors tried to make the march as unpleasant as possible, but the beauty of the mountains, the flora and seascapes was indelibly etched on my mind and Kogelberg is now one of my favourite places on the planet.

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Leopard's Gorge Trail profile

Hiking in Kogelberg The Kogelberg Biosphere and Nature Reserve is my playground. When...
Kayak Rooiels-Pringle Bay, Kogelberg Coast On this crisp morning, Deon and I launched at Rooiels...
Sea kayaking in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve On most weekends, Deon and I paddle and sail this...

On top of Slanghoek Pile

Ralph — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:54:19 +0000

Water on rock

Slanghoek Pile – the name is evocative. Of what I am not quite sure (slanghoek is Dutch/Afrikaans and translates roughly to “snake corner”). An MCSA outing, the hike there and back is 16.4 km in length and climbs and descends 1272 m. The walk up comprised two sections: the first was long with a gentle slope along the lower Bobbejaansrivier (“baboon river”) and the second a relentless climb to the top of the Pile.

The lower Bobbejaansrivier with its deep, cool potholes is etched in my memory. In 1975 a group of school kids – the school’s “Exploration Society” – spent a wonderful, sun-splashed day at the pools. I never forgot that place, but it took me a good 25 years to figure out where it was and return there. I have been back many times since.

Photos and a Google Earth 3D map follow… This time, however, we skirted those potholes and headed up to the waterfalls, then above the falls to the plateau and the upper river, before tackling the long climb over recovering veld and its loose stones to the Pile, where the views are endless. The local baboon troop had been very vocal as we snaked our way up the lower valley. The descent of the Pile was awkward, with the footing uneven and treacherous; it was like a far longer version of the infamous Kurktrekker in Jonkershoek.

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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.

In our group was one Franco, a 75 year-old Italian from Lake Garda who winters in Stellenbosch and often joins MCSA outings. I find it amazing that he is able to do these hikes which are fairly strenuous affairs, especially in the Cape summer heat. He credits a Mediterranean diet and lots of olive oil for his youthful vigour. No doubt genes also play a role. Anyway, now I have a role model.

Below the top waterfall

Approaching the Pile

Slanghoek Needle, Peak and cliffs - from Slanghoek Pile

Descending the Pile

Slanghoek Pile profile - courtesy of Kevin Koorzen

A slide show of photos taken in the Limietberg over the years follows:

Slanghoek Peak via Witte River The route to Slanghoek Peak curves south and east up...
VWS at Slanghoek fire Amazing photo isn’t it? See Andrew’s fantastic photos of VWS...
Franschhoek to Jonkershoek via Assegaaiboschkloof The mountain club’s plan was to walk from Franschhoek to...

Taking action on rhino poaching

Ralph — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:32:35 +0000

As you know African rhino are under unprecedented, murderous assault. 448 rhino have been lost to poachers in South Africa alone during 2011 and SA National Parks has admitted that it is under siege and overpowered.

I photographed this rhino near Lower Sabie in 2006. The chances are good that it is no more.

Planetsave has provided perhaps the best overview of the situation that I have read, so no need to repeat the tragic story here.

Like most of you I am filled with impotent rage. We gnash our teeth virtually on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, we express our outrage in social media threads and around the braai, but all this does little to change the situation. Rather, it almost amplifies our impotence.

Clearly, the longer term project is to diminish demand by changing attitudes and fighting superstition in the East, but the urgent things to do now are to protect the remaining animals, hunt the poachers and hit the syndicate bosses, distributors and their co-conspirators in the bloody chain. This requires money; it’s a funding race.

As few of us are able to do something practical besides sign online petitions, the best practical action that we can take is to DONATE to organisations that are in a position to do something. But when you go into it, you are overwhelmed by the number of NGOs and conservation agencies clamouring for your attention – and of course the inevitable scams.

So I decided to do a little research myself and I share some of it here in the hope that it helps you make an easier decision about where to donate so that your money has the maximum effect.

As a local, I would either want to donate to a local conservation agency such as SA National Parks or Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, or to an NGO that has local knowledge, a local presence, credibility and the capability to invest the money in effective rhino conservation programmes.

So, let us take the conservation agencies first. SA National Parks is the custodian of most of our rhino. Its Kruger National Park has been hardest hit and it needs all the money and help it can get. Funds seem to be raised via the SANP Honorary Rangers association in concert with a Volkswagen dealer, Unitrans, who will donate R500 to the honorary rangers for every vehicle sold. The funds will be used to equip SANP rangers with vehicles and equipment to fight poaching. If you’re not planning to buy a new VW or Audi any day soon, then the best way to fund the SANP is to visit the national parks and pay the conservation fees with a smile. The latter is the best type of holiday too, especially the wilderness trails.

This rhino was poached in the Olifants Trail area of Kruger late in 2010

I would not donate to Ezemvelo KZN given their misguided attempt to raise community conservation funds by auctioning a rhino hunt (!). If a conservation agency can so lack imagination and judgement that it can sanction the killing of a rhino for sport at a time when the species is under threat, then they can’t be trusted with our money. One could argue that they can’t be trusted with our rhino either … It is particularly sad that a body which can be credited with bringing rhino back from the brink of extinction in the ’50s and ’60s is now so bereft of leadership. But, by all means, please visit their reserves!

The next option is to donate to an established conservation NGO in South Africa with a track record, a plan and the critical mass to make a difference. Three immediately come to mind: WWF-SA, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA). Each has a programme or initiative for rhino conservation to which you can donate:

All of them include elements of securing rhino through training and equipping of rangers and providing support to conservation agencies. The EWT has skilled field workers on the ground and focuses on fieldwork, research and engagement. WESSA supports, lobbies and educates, has been around since 1926 and is able to warn about rhino charity scams if you are not sure. WWF goes beyond equipping and training to work with the authorities to “improve forensic investigation of rhino crime scenes and improve the knowledge and skills of the people who prosecute rhino crimes. With TRAFFIC, WWF engages the Vietnamese and Chinese governments to address Asian demand for illegal rhino horn”.

If you are a US citizen, then the Florida-based International Rhino Foundation is an option. It focuses exclusively on rhino conservation and claims that 85% of funds go to field programmes in Africa and Asia. Fund leakage is always a concern with large NGOs, so that is good to know.

UK citizens can consider Save the Rhino International which also focuses exclusively on rhino, but specifically rhino conservation in the wild. It finds and supports long-term rhino conservation projects that are run by other NGOs or agencies, and has a cool feature which allows you to select a project in a particular country or region – for example: Operation ‘Stop Poaching Now’ Appeal – South Africa > Anti Poaching and Monitoring.

I hope that this is of some help. Please give generously!

No related posts.

Blasting at Kraalbaai (windsurfing)

Ralph — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:24:45 +0000

This was a little less mellow than last time – the wind pomped. Middle-aged windsurfers go to Kraalbaai in the West Coast National Park for some mellow cruising while the family plays in the sheltered shallows. Personally, I feel that this place is one of the most beautiful in the Cape. It is also blessed with almost guaranteed fresh southerlies during summer. This HD video shows what it’s like to race across the lagoon’s warm and clear water from the point of view of the sailor. Some call it boring – but to me it epitomises freedom. I’m still experimenting with the GoPro, video formats and editing. I must say that the open web media standard, WebM, is way more efficient than wmv or mp4.

Watch for the wipeout at the end!

Yet another lousy day in Africa, I’m afraid…

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A Table Mountain circuit

Ralph — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:51:13 +0000

Bakoven from Kasteelspoort

In all the years of walking on the mountain I have never climbed Platteklip Gorge. At Peter’s suggestion we parked at Kloof Nek and tackled the 15.4 km circuit up Platteklip, through the valleys of Isolation and the Red Gods, to the reservoirs and down Kasteelspoort, and back along the Pipe Track. It was two days after Christmas and the mountain was topped by the table cloth (which made the steep Platteklip climb a whole lot easier). What struck me, however, was the high number of young people walking on the mountain and how representative they were of Cape Town’s cosmopolitan culture. Twenty years ago most hikers on any given day would have been members of the white middle-class; now there are kids from the townships, the Cape Flats, the suburbs, all obviously wanting to be on the mountain, all celebrating this wonderful place and all visibly enjoying a day out in nature. I can’t help but wonder whether the SA National Parks’ “people in parks” programme is actually working …

A Google Earth track of the walk and some photos follow..

Table Mountain cableway from the Pipe Track

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Platteklip Gorge (up) and Kasteelspoort (down) track profile

Peter at Woodhead reservoir

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The Boland Hiking Trail

Ralph — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:56:37 +0000

Aka The Return of Gaucho Pedro

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.

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Paddling in G Bay – video

Ralph — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:35:55 +0000

Here is a short video of yesterday’s lazy paddle around Gordon’s Bay. Windless, hot and very beautiful. I shot it using the new GoPro Hero2 camera, tried to edit it a little but need to learn a lot and also get better video editing tools … Anyway enjoy a view of what the Cape has to offer.

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Jonkershoek Panorama Route

Ralph — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:02:43 +0000

The Panorama Route is one of the Jonkershoek valley’s classic day trails. From the bridge (Witbrug) at the apex of the circular road, where you climb the left side of the valley, to where you descend to the Swartboskloof parking area, you will walk about 17.1 km, climb through 1665 m (maximum elevation is 1267m) and descend through1703 m.

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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Alternatively, download the kml track for viewing in Google Earth

All along the contour

Second Waterfall

Bergriviersnek in the mist

Approaching Boegoekloof - Kurktrekker junction

MCSA above Diepgat - Strand and False Bay below

More photos

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Cape Point’s east coast

Ralph — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:41:32 +0000

The 13 km walk down Cape Point’s east coast from the gate to the restaurant at the point is possibly the most scenically spectacular hike in the country. Besides the vistas across False Bay, the precipitous drops to the rocky coast below and the way the peninsula unfolds as one skirts Judas Peak or Die Boer, the weather can be very diverse too – wild and windy or tranquil and impossibly blue on any given day.

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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Scherpenheuwel circuit, Franschhoek

Ralph — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:48:01 +0000

The Mountain Club’s plan was to head up to Perdekop in the hope that, it being midwinter, there would be snow on the peak. Instead an unseasonal black south-easter raged, clouding in all the peaks around Franschhoek. So, plan B was activated. It amounted to a very pleasant 13.5km circuit of Scherpenheuwel, which is one of small peaks in the valley. Scherpenheuwel separates the town from Assegaaiboschkloof and the new Berg River Dam and offers some unusual views of the Franschhoek valley. An easy and pleasant walk.

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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