Cape hikes & photos (old version)

I have transferred this hiking blog to : Cape Hikes

Please do visit the new blog for more Cape hiking accounts and photos and feel free to contact me with any hiking questions and I will do my best to answer!

Labels: Cape Hikes

A few of my pics from a 17 day, 400km mega adventure! We started in the Eden district near Knysna and ended in Addo National Park in the Eastern Cape, 7 mountain ranges later.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larahusted/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larahusted2/

I also wrote an article that was published in The Star, you can read it here: http://www.ioltravel.co.za/article/view/3553203 - minus the photos :(

Labels: Eastern Cape Hike, Eden to Addo Mega Hike

I spent much of yesterday afternoon watching Table Mountain disappear behind a curtain of thick smoke. The pictures below are taken from our flat's balcony in Tamboerskloof - the fourth is 10 minutes after the first - that's how quickly the fire was spreading. The flames were fanned by gale-force winds which aided its devastation and hampered dousing efforts.

 

 

Now my curiosity got the better of me and I walked up Kloof Nek Rd to see what photos I could get with my new Canon 350D. After that I joined a whole stack of people watching the choppers collect water from the reservoir in Gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does
anyone know a better way to add photos in blogger. It drives me mad... text is
all over the place and I can't seem to arrange the pics where I want them....
suggestions?

Just a quick pic... Walked up the Helderberg on Sunday. Stellenbosch lies on the left and Somerset West on the right. One minute you're in the city - the next in the clouds! Route was up Disa Gorge, then Porcupine Ridge and back down the other side.

On an uncharacteristically cold and misty February weekend - Phil, Maria and myself stood huddled around a fire in the Nuweberg forester's cabin near Grabouw - the starting point of our 2 day hike. The weather was very unsettled and a Cape coldfront is not to be taken lightly, but after leaving our next of kin contact numbers with the park officials, they allowed us on our way.

The start of the Landroskop hike - Phil and Maria setting off into the misty mountains (pretty ericas in the foreground)

As it has been a hot, dry summer for us in the Cape, and with water restrictions in full swing - we thouroughly enjoyed the coolness and mist. In fact we couldn't have wished for better weather under the circumstances. Although the dense mist prevented us from enjoying the views the route offers, it made what passed our ankles seem that much brighter. The Ericas, Brunias and many Geophytes were in full colour and looked spectacular.


In the confusion of the mist we almost walked right past our stone hut which was to be home for the night. Inside we met another party of hikers who had been a little less prepared for the bad weather than we were. In the centre of the hut was a large open fireplace - and from the rafters above hung everything that they had brought with them - sleepingbags, backpacks, clothes, boots - everything!


On day 2 we descended down a mountain into a valley where the mist passed over above us, and in the clearing we were suddenly aware of being totally surrounded by King Proteas in full flower. As a born and bred Eastern Caper (and any of you who know us know we're pretty proud of the fact) it has taken a while for me to even appreciate fynbos - whereas the true Cape Townian loves the stuff. After this hike I could understand why.

While driving home from work on Friday, I had an great feeling of contentment. I commute between Somerset West and Stellenbosch and to drive through the winelands every day is truly a treat – a brilliant way to ease in and out of the working day. The reason this Friday was even better than most? Well it was a warm, still, autumn afternoon, it was the start of a long weekend, and at dawn tomorrow I would be heading out to the Cederberg for a 3 day hike.

me, maria and a whole lot of rock

The Cederberg is known for its stark landscapes, beautiful colours and weird rock formations. Once you exceed the day-hikers route, there are few people and little water. This was my first visit to the area and initially I was glad to have two experienced hikers with me. But that thought lasted only as long as the 3 hour drive to our starting point. As I was marched up what is known as “The Cracks” sandwiched between Maria – endurance addict whose last hike was a 6 day solo affair (this girl knows how to take care of herself!)and Shawn, whose previous expedition was to kayak from Tanzania to South Africa – I was beginning to have serious doubts! As a means of escape, I tried to distract myself from these thoughts by filling my mind rather with imaginings of what the passing rock shapes resembled - as one might do with clouds. It seems however that my hiking buddies were way ahead of me on this one too. When I exclaimed “Rhino”, Maria said she thought it looked more like a baboon, with wine goblet in hand and 2 offspring seated beside him, looking out over his territory… beaten at my own game!


Tea break - with arch in the distance

For those who know the Cederberg, our route took us from Sandrif to the Arch, across Martian lands (my own title) and to Wolwedag cave where we were to spend our first night. We’d walked most of the day and it was already dusk when we abandoned our attempt to find a less well-known cave (clearly) and headed on for the more popular (and easy-to-find) Wolwedag. Unfortumately 15 unwelcoming faces greeted us when we crashed through some bushes and landed in their circle. It seems we had disturbed a men’s wilderness retreat (for the record they had all come up the easy route). We were politely told that it might be a bit awkward if we stayed. We agreed and left them to find themselves while we found ourselves a place to sleep. A small overhang across the way proved adequate. Maria and I did, well nothing, while Shawn and his headlamp went off to find us water to cook supper. He came back with some very brown and gritty bottles, but its amazing how good food on a hike tastes and how things like chewing your last bit of coffee don’t really seem to bother you.

Next morning we tackled Tafelberg. This is the second highest of the Cederberg mountains and so worth the climb! About 2 thirds of the way up we bumped into 2 rock climbers who pointed out a 5-star cave just a little further. They warned us of the ‘wamboozles’ (their own title) there – large rat-like creatures that run across your sleeping bag at night – and they were on their way again. We considered wamboozles only a small price to pay when we saw what would be home for the night. An icy wind was blowing, but the cave had even been neatly packed with rocks along one side, forming a protective wall. No wonder the wamboozles liked it here.

watch your step

We downed our packs, and carried on up the mountain. The feeling of having walked all that way, to be standing on top of this mountain was awesome. What made the afternoon even better was that all below us was a misty, chilly wind, but up on our flat-topped mountain the sun was shining and we were surprisingly sheltered from the wind swirling below.

Now I’ve mentioned that Maria knows how to take care of herself…When Shawn and I sat down to our provitas, cheese and tuna, Maria whipped out baby tomatoes, a cucumber, rice, lentils, chips and even olives! As an amateur hiker, I was impressed, but Shawn was totally speechless. He insisted on this photo to prove that he had eaten a provita, with all of the above, on the top of Tafelberg…

tafelberg cuisine

Lunch and warm sun induced indolence and we each went off to ‘explore’. But ‘maagies vol, oogies toe’. Two hours later I woke up, only to find the others elsewhere and snoozing in the afternoon sun. I’m tempted to say that this was the high point of the hike (excuse the pun), but it was really only so when put together with the rest of it. To be so far away from the city and people, relaxing on a mountain in the sun, pleasantly weary from walking…bliss.

On this our second evening, we sat and watched the sun sink somewhere below us. Shawn cooked up another feast and then we waited for the wamboozles to show themselves. They did and were rather cute, so we all felt comforted and slept with relative ease.

On descending the mountain the following morning we lost the route and trail blazed through some prickly fynbos. Luckily for us, a fire had passed through recently so it was passable, but in a few years time the vegetation would be dense and beautiful, with tiny proteas already shooting. The vegetation wasn’t as spectacular as in other parts of the Cape, but the rocks and their formations held their own intrigue. The rest of the hike was along a jeep track and pretty easy going. From our cave to the starting point was in the end a quick 3 hour trot. And then we were suddenly back on wheels and tar heading towards the city, and I already dreaming of my next chance to come back. Space is addictive.

The team: Shawn, Maria & myself