Agter Tafelberg – Paarl traverse
Two things about this impromptu hike concerned me in retrospect. Firstly, I had a premonition the night before departure that it would end badly. Usually I do not experience premonitions, and never bad ones. Secondly, after strenuous bundu-bashing and scrambling with...
read moreCruising the Lycian Coast, Turkey
Unlike more accessible portions of Turkey's Turquoise Coast, Lycia is relatively undeveloped. The ancient sites of Lycia are centred on the Teke Peninsula that is bracketed by the gulfs of Fethiye and Antalya. Historical records of the ancient state of Lukka date back...
read morePerdekop: racing the front
Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, Franschhoek Every now and then Kevin gets the itch. On this day, in the full knowledge that a mommy of a cold front was on its way he talked me into a quick ascent of Perdekop, east of Franschhoek Pass. The hike up enjoyed brilliant blue...
read moreCederberg MTB Tour
164 km circuit in 3 days Colleague Johann Kistner organised this circuit of the Cederberg as a sort of team-building exercise. There was plenty of initial interest, but eventually the riders were pared down to 6, with Marion driving the backup vehicle - my trusty...
read moreFish River Canyon Trail
"...in the desert you can't remember your name / 'cos there ain't no one for to give you no pain ..." America's Horse With No Name seemed rather apt as I reviewed the Go Pro video clips from this hike. The Fish River Canyon is a remote, ancient and dramatically harsh...
read moreKaroo MTB Tour 2014
Ah man - those were idyllic days on the backroads of the Baviaanskloof, Karoo and Little Karoo. I left my legs on Rooiberg Pass and my mind somewhere between Bruintjieskraal and Montagu. But it almost didn't happen. Makadas Adventures' tour was to be a repeat of the...
read moreEikenhofkloof abseil, Groot Drakenstein
Eikenhofkloof is much more benign than Volstruiskloof. There are only about 7 shortish abseils down sloping walls rather than the precipitous, long drops down Volstruiskloof. So I would recommend that you do this one first if you are a novice. Paul Verhoeven led this...
read moreVolstruiskloof: 15 abseils later
Duiwelskloof (Devil's Ravine), Duiwelstand (Devil's Tooth), Groot Drakenstein (Great Dragonstone), Helshoogte (Hell's Heights), Banghoek (something like Scary Corner) - these mountain feature names suggest something about the nature of the mountainscape in which this...
read moreBainskloof rock-hopper
The Bainskloof Rock-hopper is an annual, fun, MCSA outing involving bouldering and swimming up or down the Witte River in Bainskloof, between Tweede Tol and Eerste Tol (Second Toll and First Toll). Yes folks, tolling is as old as road-building despite what the current...
read moreAlexandria Trail, Woody Cape
A round-trip drive of 1700 km is a long way to go for a weekend hike. It would have to be really special to justify the travel I argued, especially in the face of Marion's barely-concealed disapproval. Doubts loomed when Chris reported that his tendonitis could...
read moreA change of pace: fast fun at KBay
[HTML1] Time to get back on the water and try out the Mastehero mast mount for the GoPro that I ordered online from Slovenia. I was pretty impressed with it, although I think it is intended for more modern masts of a smaller diameter. Consequently, I had to mount it...
read moreEscaping to the Cederberg: Wolfberg and Tafelberg
It has been years since I last walked in the Cederberg. At one time we were regular visitors, not only hiking and spending weekends in CapeNature's Herberg cottages, but also participating in the Botanical Society's annual cedar rehabilitation efforts in the Driehoek...
read moreVictoria Peak in the snow
The best experiences are always born of spur-of-the-moment decisions. Kevin Koorzen and I were both suffering from cabin fever after weeks of winter had gripped the Cape spring but as the first sunny day revealed white peaks, we were "on". An early setback was being...
read moreBoesmanskloof: Hiking from Greyton to McGregor and back
There have been a few attempts over the last 150 or so years to build a road through Boesmanskloof between the towns of Greyton and McGregor (formerly Lady Grey). The road would link the Little Karoo with Cape Town via Robertson, McGregor, Houwhoek and Somerset West....
read moreSomerset-Sneeukop – a birthday surprise
This hike will long be remembered for the sweet surprise of a birthday cake at 1105 m ASL. Yolanda and Kevin hatched the plot and Kevin carried it up in his already very full pack. He even played dumb when I happened to mention that it was my birthday as we took...
read moreArangieskop hike – take two
Arangieskop Hiking Trail is a very fine trail, well laid out by somebody who was determined to show the diversity of views and flora to be found on a single mountainside. Make sure that your knees are in good nick and that your pack is light, because the climb is...
read moreSweni Wilderness Trail, Kruger NP
Almost 10 years to the day after the last occasion at Sweni with my wife and daughters, and late father-in-law, Marion and I returned to immerse ourselves in wild nature once more, with friends Paul and Debbie. As I have written many times elsewhere on this blog about...
read moreTable Mountain the easy way: Orange Kloof
The route up the jeep track that skirts Orange Kloof and the path up Disa Gorge is probably the easiest route up to the "back table" on Table Mountain, where the reservoirs are located. It passes through a restricted area and you will need a permit from SANParks or...
read moreHarkerville Coastal Hiking Trail
Harkerville Coastal Hiking Trail is variously described as "more spectacular than the Otter Trail" and "the best two-day trail in the country". I have always been somewhat sceptical about these claims, but I have to admit that after doing it, there is some substance...
read moreVideo: Botmaskop to Saaltjie hike
Kevin led an MCSA hike from Botmaskop along the watershed to Saaltjie, the north-eastern rim of the Jonkershoek valley. It was the reverse of a route previously hiked. A pleasant morning that left me with stiff flanks. It must be because of all the cycling ... [HTML1]...
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