Kammanassie through Baviaans
(All photos by Santie Gouws) There were 8 of us, 6 cyclists and 2 drivers of the support vehicles, Ralph’s old staatmaker Toyota Hilux and Magriet’s VW Tiguan. All of us, except Marion, Ralph’s wife, had done the trip before, so much was the anticipation of another...
Perdeberg Peak
Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve The hike to Perdeberg Peak (640 m ASL) from near the bridge across the Palmiet River is relatively easy, following a gradual gradient over some 11.8 km there and back. It rewards one with spectacular views: south-west over the Bot River...
Visgat reprise
Thirteen years after the last time down Visgat canyon, I had the privilege of another swim down this almost pristine gorge. The permit was arranged via the Cape Town branch of the MCSA by Paul Verhoeven at late notice. We dropped everything to descend it once more and...
Wild Coast hike
The 5-day, 61 km (69 km by my GPS) Wild Coast hike down the scenic Pondoland coast featuring overnight stays at local homesteads, is one of those must-do hikes. Besides moving through the unfolding spectacle of the shoreline you will gain some insight into a...
Hiking to Cape Point
Table Mountain National Park This 14.5 km hike from the Cape Point gate to the visitor centre at the point, <down the False Bay coast, has long been one of my favourites. It offers spectacular views of the southern peninsula and False Bay across to the Kogelberg...
Short walks in the Canadian Rockies
Jasper National Park I extended a recent business trip to North America to visit my daughter, Heather, in Edmonton. She and her husband, Dirk, treated me to a fantastic long weekend in the Canadian Rockies, in Jasper National Park. Winter had officially set in and...
Summiting Sneeuberg
Cederberg Wilderness Area It took me 32 years since my first hiking experience in the Cederberg to summit Sneeuberg - in my 60th year and on the occasion of the Mountain Club of SA's 125th anniversary camp. Paul Verhoeven organised and led the hike and although it was...
The Postberg Trail
West Coast National Park The Postberg Trail is pretty exclusive, only opening for the spring months of August and September and accommodating just 12 hikers per day. It is a two-day trail of some 26 kms in length but with negligible elevations. Bring your own tent and...
A short walk to Noordhoek Peak
Silvermine, Table Mountain National Park It has been many years since I walked the Silvermine plateau and the spectacular ridges and peaks above Noordhoek. On the spur of the moment I decided to exploit Marion's new-found interest in the outdoors to revisit Noordhoek...
Gentle adventures in the southern Cape
Our mid-winter tour of the Garden Route and Little Karoo ran the gamut of weather from crystal-clear, windless days to fierce storms, from balmy Karoo days to icy nights. We set off to take the roads less travelled and to stay at least two nights in a place to get a...
Recent Comments