February 2021. Sunday 7th and 14th ..... Mountain Zebra Park day visit

February 2021.    Sunday 7th and 14th .....  Mountain Zebra Park day visit

Sunday 7th February 2021

We arrange a day visit to the Mountain Zebra Park at Cradock.   Cradock is 250km from Port Elizabeth.   We leave at 6am and after a short visit to the Wimpy at Cradock we register at the park at 9.30am.   In the group today.    Alida and Corrie;   Faye;  Mark;  Gillian Katts;   Hebe and Lynn.   We drive through the park looking for both animals and the maginificent views.    The weather was kind to us as it remained overcast for most of the day.   We stopped for a picnic lunch.  Continued to see a wide variety of animals.    The unique Mountain Zebra with the narrow stripes on the back and wide stripes on the backside.   Kudu;  Blesbok;  Springbok;  Wildebeest;  Ground Squirrel;  Blue crane;  Heron and a variety of birds including raptors. It was a 12 hour day.   Long but quite amazing.    

Entrance to the Reserve

Map that they supply shows the various animals as well as the routes to take

Rocky landscapes

There are lions in this reserve.   Enought lookout points to be able to stretch your legs

Views to take your breath away

View Point with Gillian Katts;  Hebe and Lynn Fox;  Alida and Corrie;  Mark and Faye.  

Picnic and swimpool area

Mountain Zebra.   Stripes on the backside.  Thinner stripes on the body.  Stop before going under the chest.  

Blesbok.  

Springbok. 

Black Wildebeest

Ground Squirrels. 

Plenty of water on the plains. 

Swimpool area. 

The second trip that I do is with Janny; Gillian and Seelan;  Gay; Sheila; Margie and Sally

We leave from my home at 6.00am on Sunday 14th (Valentines Day) Feb 2021.   A great deal is discussed in the vehicle during the two and half hour drive to Cradock.   

On the road I see what I think is birds on the tar.  It turns out to be a family of Meerkat which I almost run over but they scatter just in time.  

We see the memorial to the Cradock Four (Not three -- Not five).   The last time I visited the memorial it was looking run down and sadly vandalised. The four men were anti apartheid activists.  Matthew Goniwe;  Fort Calata; Sparrow Mkhoto and Sicelo Mhlauli.  In 1985:  They were arrested, killed and bodies burned by the security police.   

This article was in a Newspaper dated 18.2.2021:

Uncut grass, corroding concrete and material pieces with names of the monument’s honourees scattered on the ground describe the eyesore that the Cradock Four Garden of Remembrance has become.

Saddened by the dilapidated site meant to honour the town’s four fallen heroes, the Fort Calata Foundation has lambasted the government for neglecting the memorial, despite more than R40m pumped into it.

On the way out we pass the Olive Schreiner museum which Janny tells me she has visited.  Every time I have been there it has been locked up.  Olive Schreiner -- 1855 to 1920 -- lived in Cradock and in Matjiesfontein where we often stop for our Wildflower tour last night.  She wrote the book:  The Story of an African Farm -- A feminist -- Olive was ahead of her time and became famous and wealthy through her writings.

We enjoy a welcome stop at the Wimpy for a Coffee (Thank you Gay).   Unfortunately coffee is hot and sticky.  So to spill in the car is not a good idea.  Always take a Lid for a Take away cup. 

The drive through the park is around 75km or more.   We spend 5 hours in the reserve.   We consider ourselvess to be fortunate with our sightings.   Although we are not lucky enough to find the Lions nor the Buffalo.  

This is an excellent add on to the Addo Elephant Park as we find a huge variety of animals which cannot be seen in Addo.  In this reserve there are no Elephant.  

Our drive home is easy.  Not too many trucks.   No stops.  Daggaboer Padstal is closed Sunday afternoon.     

At the reception Janny buys a Hat.   Gillian already has a Panama hat.  

The Mountain Zebra are so clearly different from the Plains Zebra

A picture of Plains (Burchells) Zebras seen in Addo Elephant Park

Our picnic area.  Disturbed by Ants and then by Monkeys.   What a spread.   Thank you for all your contributions.  Especially Sheila who brought the Pecan Pie.  Delicious.  

Gillian and Seelan

Looking across the valley

Gillian finds some PE Rocks

A windmill.  In working condition.  

Our group on Sunday 14th.   Margie;  Seelan;  Gillian;  Sally;  Gay; Sheila and Janny. 

I think that there are around 20 x lions in this reserve.  There are also Cheetah and Hyena. 

The rocky outcrops make Mountain Zebra a special place

Janny and Sheila share a story

Lookout point.  Look out for bugs and ants. 

Margie and Sally keeping watch on the invasion of monkeys

Sheila -- Pecan Pie

Towards the end of our drive we find a group of 5 x femal Kudu

Sally enjoying the views 

Sightings

• Meerkats running from the car
• Variety of raptors
• Zebras up close
• Pronking Springbok
• Herd of Eland
• Ground Squirrel
• Blue Crane and Secretary bird
• Steenbok?
• Black wildebeest,  Blessbok,  Kudu

Quite a day

Sheila Thysse --  Caramel Pecan Nut Pie – Discovered at the Mountain Zebra Park.

• Pastry
• ·         300g or two cups of flour
• ·         3 level teaspoons of castor sugar
• ·         210g butter or Stork margarine to bake.

Mix well together and set aside 1/3^rd.
Line a big tart dish.  Sides as well
 

Topping

• ·         1 x tin condensed milk
• ·         2 x table spoons syrup
• ·         2 table spoons vanilla essence  (Not tea spoons)
• ·         3 x handful of chopped pecan nuts.
• ·         125g butter or Stork Margarine to bake

Stir until thick

Melt the topping ingredients.  Do not boil.   Allow to cool slightly

Add the pecan nuts.

Pour over the pastry.   Grate the remaining pastry over the filling.

Bake at 180 C for 30 minutes until brown.

 

Sheila says:

I put the Pecans into the Pot with all the rest. 

Let it melt and then stir as it boils to thicken it.  

Not quite what the Recipe says.

I use about 3 x handfuls of pecan nuts.  

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