Sunday, December 20, 2020

Kleinrivier Hiking trail -- Port Elizabeth -- December 2020.

   

Kleinrivier Hiking trail -- Port Elizabeth -- December 2020.   

For Guided Hikes and Walks.  Tours of the Southern Cape; Eastern Cape and other South African Gems.  

Contact Peter --- See details at the end of this Blog.  

Kleinrivier hiking trail with Peter Giddy Guided Tours.  

Saturday 19th December 2020

The Group for Kleinrivier Hiking trail:    Janice and Athol;  Robert and Boys;  Max; Daniel and friend Mark;   Janice and Kristin Giddy;   Jeanne;  Ronel;  Liz and daughter Tammy;   Gay;  Faye and nephew Gabriel (Gr 10);  Matt and Billie;   

We leave from Port Elizabeth at 9.00am.   Taking the R75 we turn off on the Cockscomb road to Kleinrivier.   A bad dirt road travel at 40 to 60kmph.   Then onto the farm road with 8 gates to open.  The boys get onto the back of Billie's Bakkie and do some of the work for us.   

We register with the farm Manager Deon (I had called Brad to make the booking) and start hiking at about 10.00am.   The sun is already warm.   Walk up to the end of the road and then over the bridge to the trail  

Past the tented village and continue on the trail.   Mainly under forest we are able to stay reasonably cool.   Plenty of river crossings;  rocky trail and pathways that need your attention.  Watchout for low branches.   I bumped my head at one time.    

After about half an hour we are at the first swimming pool and cross the weir.   We do not stop here -- climb up the slight incline and down the other side.   This is about the most climbing we have to do on this trail.    

We reach the first swimming pool and everyone is in.  The waterfall is flowing nicely.  Boys on the slide down.   And jumping into the water.   Fearless.   The water flowing off the fall is warm.   The pool is only chilly to get in.   Warms up as soon as you are wet.  

We continue up the Kloof crossing the stream,  edging along the pathways and always slightly uphill.   We reach the Dassie Cave and then the Rock art cave.   It is now 2.5hours into the walk and we turn back to make this a 5 hour hike.   

At the weir we stop for a snack and a second swim.   This pool is amazing.   The water is not flowing as strongly as the previous time I was here but it is still the best swim ever.   After a swim and laze we have a snack before heading back to the cars.   It is about 30 mintues from here.   

Everyone agrees that this is the best hike ever.   We will be back soon. 


Rocky pathways in the valley
Our group on the pathways
Liz and Tammy taking a break on the rocks
In the Rock art Cave.   Jeanne takes this pic
Ronel and Jeanne
Peter with a blue two oceans buff.   I forgot my hat at home. 
IN the waterfall pool.  
Starting out with Janice and Kristin Giddy
Dassie cave.  
Crossing the wier. 
Crossing the bridge at the start of the hike.  Janice and Kristin
Jeanne and Ronel
Matt and Billie
Gay
Boys -- Daniel;  Max and Mark.   Robert in the background
Tammy and mom -- Liz who is an Achillean
Janice and Athol. 
Faye and nephew Gabriel
Peter next to the pool
Looking down at Max as he cools off. 
Boys clambering on the rocks
Tammy; Faye;  Gabriel and Liz
Looking back down the valley (Kloof)
Climbing the hill with Matt and Billie
Matt in the Forest
Rocky cliff faces. 
Enjoying the break and the shade
Wonderful views next to us as well as above us. 
Janice and Gay

Gay and Janice in the waterfall. 
Gay and Janice having fun. 
Relaxing next to the pool.   Some people thought that this was the turn around point. Still a long way to go
The swims are the best part of the hike
Looking back from the rock faces
Edging on a narrow path
Gay and Billie
Liz and Tammy
Rock art cave. 

In the rock art cave
The Blue Sky is quite breathtaking. 
Liz on the abseiling
Faye checks her back
Janice came back for seconds at this pool
Janice really enjoys this walk
At the waterfall ... Our last swim.   
A snack break before we walk back to the vehicles
Checking signal.   Mostly no signal in this kloof. 
Cactus in bloom
Cactus. 
The kloof is narrow at times. 
Looking out of the Rock art cave. 
Looking up to the hills above.  

For guided tours; hikes and walks -- Contact Peter.   

Peter Giddy Guided Tours:  Specialising in Hikes and Walks

SA Guided Tours and Peter Giddy Guided Tours -- Shore Excursions -- Addo Elephant and other Wildlife Reserves -- Garden Route.  Flowers of Namaqualand -- 

0027 (0) 82 55 03 714    Whatsup
peter.giddy@gmail.com
Addo Elephant Park Day Visit and Night drive. 

  • Kragga Kamma Wildlife Reserve
  • Daniel Cheetah Project
  • Pumba; Shamwari; Amakhala; Kariega -- Day trips Private Reserves.
  • Three day tour of Mountain Zebra Park. Graaff Reinet, Nieu Bethesda and Addo. 
  • City Historical and Cultural Tours, 
  • Horse riding for both experienced and inexperienced riders
  • Hikes and Walks around Port Elizabeth (2 hour Nature and Coastal walks)
  • Garden Route Adventure Tours (Zip Lines; Segway  in the Forest; Adventure Quad Biking; Bridge Walks; Bungy Jump; Knysna Elephant Park; Monkey Land and Birds of Eden; Big Cats Sanctuary; Oudtshoorn Cango Caves and Ostrich farms)
  • Shore Excursions from Passengers ships
  • Transfers. Airport; Hotel and Wildlife Reserve.
  • Flowers of Namaqualand.  Seven days of adventure and exploring places and sights you never even knew existed.  History and natural beauty of the South West of South Africa
  • Karoo to Garden Route. Six days of fun and activities.  Prince Albert; Swartberg Pass; Die Hell; Oudtshoorn; Prince Alfred pass; Plett and Tsitsikamma. 

Website --   petergiddyguidedtours.wordpress.com

For tours and bookings.. email me at.    peter.giddy@gmail.com
Contact me on Whatsup....  0027 082 550 3174