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..

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The Swartberg Trail

by Ralph Pina | May 7, 2016 | hiking, Swartberg Nature Reserve, trails

The Swartberge - the black mountains - are literally black now. A recent fire, the second in quick succession, has charred them. The other wildfire a few years ago destroyed the third hiking hut so that the trail has had to be adapted to use only two huts over three...

Baviaans2Coast MTB tour

by Ralph Pina | Apr 9, 2016 | Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve, cycling

6-day mountain bike tour through the Baviaanskloof, across the back of the Kouga Mountains, across the Langkloof, down Prince Alfred's Pass to Wittedrif This time we decided to plan a more compact private tour, which still included the incredible Baviaanskloof but...

The Whale Trail – take three

by Ralph Pina | Jan 30, 2016 | conservation, De Hoop Nature Reserve, hiking, trails

Almost fourteen years after the first time, we elected to sample the slackpacking option for this trail. Slackpacking involves paying R520 per crate/coolbox for transport from hut to hut. It makes for very good meals, meals that can do the "huts" justice. "Huts" and...

Witels – what else?

by Ralph Pina | Jan 9, 2016 | kloofing

Having "done the Witels" back in 2009, I had little intention of doing it again, but then she-who-shall-remain-nameless talked me into another MCSA mission from 25 to 30 December. Anyway, when Christmas Day dawned it had already transpired that...