Hogsback must be one of the most beautiful areas in the Eastern Cape and one of my favorite destinations in the province yet it's been a good decade and a half since I've last been there. Every year the Damselfly and I threaten to go for a weekend but every time we end up going … Continue reading Hogsback – a fairy wonderland of forests and waterfalls
Tag: Eastern Cape
Forest, ferns, lilies and fog
I don't know why but when I think of Hogsback I either think of streams and waterfalls or forests, ferns, lilies and fog. I think I nailed the latter in this picture.
The hog will lead the way
One of the most famous trail markers in South Africa must be the hogs marking all the hiking trails around the village of Hogsback in the Eastern Cape. We slipped and slid around some of the trails in Hogsback over a wet weekend recently but as we say in Afrikaans, "Mooi bly maar mooi" meaning … Continue reading The hog will lead the way
Reading the travel book one page at a time – Tree lined lane
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page - St AugustineVery true words indeed. But I also believe that while travelling you need to go off the beaten track every now and then as well otherwise you will just keep seeing what everybody else sees. There really isn't … Continue reading Reading the travel book one page at a time – Tree lined lane
The (second) longest bridge in South Africa
My normal route through the Karoo Heartland of the Eastern Cape when heading up north is over Cradock and Steynsburg towards Venterstad and then a short left to the Gariep Dam before hitting the N1 for Bloemfontein. Before my last trip to Johannesburg I had a closer look at the Geocaching map to see if … Continue reading The (second) longest bridge in South Africa
Fields of flowers in the Karoo
It's dry in the Karoo. The word Karoo doesn't mean "Place of Thirst" for nothing. But the smallest amount of rain in the last winter of early spring means that there will be flowers. And flowers there were when I drove through the Karoo Heartland late in September. On the road north of Steynsburg I … Continue reading Fields of flowers in the Karoo
Things to do in Port Elizabeth this summer – Grab a backpack and take a hike
There is an Afrikaans folk song that goes, Dis heerlike Lente, die Winter's verby... (It's time for Spring now that Winter has passed - doesn't quite roll off the tongue the same in English though) which means Summer is fast approaching. Longer days, better weather and spending more time outdoors over weekends. Plus the holiday season … Continue reading Things to do in Port Elizabeth this summer – Grab a backpack and take a hike
Fields of Coral Aloe
Just as the "normal" Aloes in the Karoo Heartland is done flowering, it's the turn of the Coral Aloes. A drive through the southern Karoo Heartland (on the N10 just over the Olifantskop Pass from Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape two weeks ago had me stop a couple of times and grabbing for my camera … Continue reading Fields of Coral Aloe
When a game ranger goes above and beyond
A lot of people have the policy that if you want something done you have to do it yourself, especially if you don't really have anybody to delegate to. But even then you need somebody to push a rock out of the way for you every now and then. I had a funny "push a … Continue reading When a game ranger goes above and beyond
The road to Noodhulp
The road to Noodhulp (Afrikaans for First Aid) is not what you call the route somebody takes when they are cruising for a bruising and looking for trouble with a big oke. Not that kind of thing at all. I found the road to Noodhulp while en route to Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve … Continue reading The road to Noodhulp
Firefly the Travel Guy 