Are you a visitor to South Africa or the Eastern Cape? Are you planning to visit Port Elizabeth? Do you need a tour guide? I specialise in Tours of the Addo Elephant park and other game drives. I also take visitors for hikes and walks in the area according to your request.
Find me and my details on this website:
http://petergiddy.wix.com/portelizabethtours
peter.giddy@gmail.com
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| BLINDEKLOOF. (BLINDVALLEY). THIS IS THE HIKE THAT WE DID TODAY IN THE GROENDAL NATURE RESERVE. |
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| ROBIN BOOKS US ALL IN AT THE GROENDAL OFFICES. |
The hike starts off with a climb and you need to take a minute to look back across the valleys as the views are something. At the top of this hill we take a breather at the Leopard Tree. This is a Tierboom or Tar tree. The branches and shape is ideal for a leopard to relax in. After a short break we press on and down hill. A couple of us mention how the down hill makes us shaky as it takes it out on our legs and knees. After a sharp descent we continue to climb down until we finally reach the stream at the bottom. It is not clear of the name of the river but we know that it runs into the upper Swartkops River.
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| FLO ZOETMULDER MAKES HER WAY ACROSS THE STREAM. |
Once we are at the stream we begin the boulder and rock hopping section. This is never easy and especially if you are trying to keep your feet dry. Some of the hikers have proper Kloofing Sandals so they are fine in the water. I have an old pair of takkies and so I too walk straight into the stream. This is the best way as you don't have to try to balance on wobbly rocks and hop from one dry rock to another.
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| LUCY CROSSING THE STREAM WITH PAUL GIVING ASSISTANCE. |
Once my shoes and feet were wet I was much more comfortable with the hike. We cross the stream 13 times out and the same back. We finally reach our lunch stop. Lucy had urged us to bring swimming costumes so I immediately took off my clothes and was second into the water after Lyn Zoetmulder. I had a fantastic swim across the pool and over to the rocks on the other side. It was only Lyn; Flo and Bev who were brave enough to get into the water. In fact the water was really not that cold at all.
After the swim we have our lunch snack and I enjoy a short nap in the sun. Dassie style. The walk back is retracing our steps down stream and then up the hill back to the Leopard Tree. The last bit is back down to the offices at Groendal.
I have now finally walked the Lower Blindekloof. Not that tough -- In fact really quite easy if you are okay for a bit of a hill climb and are not too unsteady on your feet for the river crossings.
We are back home by 3pm and I am able to take Mia; Joshua and Daniel to swimming at Newton Park Pool. I have a slow 2000 meter swim while they are having lessons. Then it is Kumon maths before I can finally get home and put my feet up.
Are you a visitor to South Africa or the Eastern Cape? Are you planning to visit Port Elizabeth? Do you need a tour guide? I specialise in Tours of the Addo Elephant park and other game drives. I also take visitors for hikes and walks in the area according to your request.
Find me and my details on this website:
http://petergiddy.wix.com/portelizabethtours
peter.giddy@gmail.com
