Ralph Pina
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Stettynskloof to Du Toitskloof Traverse

by Ralph Pina | Oct 27, 2015 | hiking, Limietberg Nature Reserve

This MCSA hike is led regularly by August Carstens since he participated in a mountain bike event along this route. I can’t get my head around the biking concept because there is no discernible path to speak of in the upper Stettynskloof while thick riverine...

Cathedral and Banghoek peaks

by Ralph Pina | Oct 14, 2015 | hiking, Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

As Paul, the hike leader, had warned, the climb of the Cathedral (Second Ridge Peak) and Banghoek Peak would make for a “lang dag”. And so it proved to be. The MCSA party of fourteen covered 16.5 km and climbed a total of 1790 m over 10.5 hours. We...

Finding and losing the old Limietberg Trail

by Ralph Pina | Jun 7, 2015 | hiking, Limietberg Nature Reserve, trails

Many years ago I “introduced” my young daughters to overnight hiking on the old Limietberg Trail from Hawequas to the old trail hut near Bainskloof village (day 2 of the trail continued to Tweede Tol). A hot February day and a long trail conspired to turn...

Agter Tafelberg – Paarl traverse

by Ralph Pina | Aug 30, 2014 | hiking, Limietberg Nature Reserve

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...

Perdekop: racing the front

by Ralph Pina | Jun 14, 2014 | Haweqwa Nature Reserve, Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve

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...
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Welcome to RalphPina.com

Thank you for visiting my outdoor blog. RalphPina.com documents my experiences over many years of appreciating, and adventuring in, Nature. It celebrates visual beauty, advocates minimal impact, reflects on humans’ relationship with our ecosphere, spans the planet but focuses on the wild diversity of southern Africa. Photos, videos and GPS maps of hiking, cycling, kayaking, abseiling, canoeing and windsurfing..

Recent Posts

  • Schaaprivier Canyon
  • Botmaskop-Saaltjie Traverse
  • Springstygbeugel
  • Helderberg West Peak
  • Botanising trilogy
  • Grootkop
  • Aasvoëlkrans Hiking Trail
  • Perdeberg hike
  • Kasteelkop & Nek
  • Three Sisters hike
  • Up the Cascades
  • Erdvark Trail

Recent Comments

  • Ralph Pina on Cape of Good Hope Trail once again
  • Warren White on Cape of Good Hope Trail once again
  • Pam Wijnberg on Grootkop
  • Flip van Schalkwyk on Gantouw Pass
  • Joachim Schultz on Witels – what else?

Navigate

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Friends

  • A friend cycles around the world
  • Peter Groves
  • Santie Gouws Mountain Walking Guide

Good Causes

  • Fire Information System for SA
  • The Cape Leopard Trust

Hiking sites I like

  • Boots and Fins
  • Ian Webb's Great Hikes in the Western Cape
  • Jacques Niemand – interesting hikes
  • Maps – Hike the Cederberg
  • Mountain Club of SA Stellenbosch Section
  • Mountain Meanders

Mountain & Hiking guides

  • Santie Gouws Mountain Walking Guide

Parks

  • Cape Nature
  • SANParks

Archives

Recent Posts

  • Schaaprivier Canyon
  • Botmaskop-Saaltjie Traverse
  • Springstygbeugel
  • Helderberg West Peak
  • Botanising trilogy
  • Grootkop
  • Aasvoëlkrans Hiking Trail
  • Perdeberg hike
  • Kasteelkop & Nek
  • Three Sisters hike
  • Up the Cascades
  • Erdvark Trail
  • Rod’s Trail, Betty’s Bay
  • Spanning the red stone arches
  • Gamkaberg Plan B
  • Fonteintjiesberg
  • Swartberg Pass over the years
  • Cape of Good Hope Trail once again
  • Fairy Glen – Plateau – Kasteelkopnek trail
  • Smitswinkel – Simon’s Town recce
  • Paddling with wild horses
  • Rooielsberg peak
  • Karoo corridor MTB tour
  • A walk on the Wild Coast
  • A northern Kruger cultural safari

Recent Comments

  • Ralph Pina on Cape of Good Hope Trail once again
  • Warren White on Cape of Good Hope Trail once again
  • Pam Wijnberg on Grootkop
  • Flip van Schalkwyk on Gantouw Pass
  • Joachim Schultz on Witels – what else?
September 2026
MTWTFSS
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930 
« Jul    

Recent Posts

  • Schaaprivier Canyon
  • Botmaskop-Saaltjie Traverse
  • Springstygbeugel
  • Helderberg West Peak
  • Botanising trilogy

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License except where otherwise indicated for some photos. Kindly attribute by linking to this site or citing “www.ralphpina.com”.

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