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 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...

Riviersonderendkloof zipline adventure

by Ralph Pina | Nov 3, 2015 | Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve

High up in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site between Stellenbosch and Grabouw, eleven steel cables spiral and zigzag down the Riviersonderendkloof ("river-without-end gorge"), forming a series of catenary for a thrilling,...

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 bush and...