I love it so much, because within a half hour of leaving home I can forget that I live in the city. It's quiet and peaceful and my heart feels full being outdoors.
Some useful information to remember if you're headed there is that there is an entrance fee to use the facilities i.e. even if you're not hiking and you're just going for a picnic you'll still need to pay an entrance fee of R20 per adult and R10 per child, unless you can present a Rhino card.
Secondly there are some great picnic and braai areas to use before or after your hike.
There are many trails to choose from but we usually end up going on the black trail which offers amazing views of the gorge, as well as a view of both the top and bottom of the waterfall. Next on my list is the white or blue trail (which Matt is hoping I forget about between now and when we go again).
Enjoy some pics from the hike:
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| Matthew makes fun of my shoes all the time, but I have yet to slip or trip in these bad boy Merrells |
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| Gorgeous views of the gorge. We were also lucky enough that day to see a hawk riding the thermals in their characteristic upward circular pattern. |
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| Everytime we pass this tiny stone house with its fireplace sitting on the edge of the cliff I tell Matt that I'm going to live there one day. |
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| What is normally the top of a cascading waterfall during the rainy season |
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| Rock Hyrax hiding spot and our break point |
I felt so proud of us nearing the end of our hike, until this tiny girl came past us running up the trail. Once we had completed the hike we were relaxing at one of the picnic tables only to see her run past us again on her way to another trail. Oh you crazy trailrunners you! One day that will be me.
Cool woodland creatures which you should be on the lookout for include the rock hyrax. Although we didn't see any this time, we have before. The trick is you have to be very, very quiet (not so easy for me).
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| This is normally the cascading waterfall. I will have to go back in summer to show you what it really looks like |
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| Halfway point selfies |
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| Seasonal wildflowers |
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| Fern forest |
And I know I'm going to sound like a Mom now but please pack the following for any hike because it's better to be prepared than sorry: lots of water, snacks, sunscreen and a lightweight jacket in case the weather turns. Please also leave any valuables in the car where possible. And lastly wear comfy shoes with lots of grip. We were lucky this time in that the trail was quite dry but I've been there before when it's muddy and it is slippery!
Till next time folks :-)
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