PETER GIDDY.: Fernkloof at Groendal hiking trail. Saturday 10th April 2021.

Fernkloof at Groendal hiking trail. Saturday 10th April 2021.

Saturday 10th April 2021.

I have a group of 30 walkers who will undertake the Fernkloof Hiking trail today. We leave from home at 7.40am. Meet at 6th Ave Newton Park and also along the way. We drive out in Convoy and meet at the Groendal Gate. There is a procedure to sign in and pay @ R66pp.

Rob Witte is experienced at these hikes and has agreed to lead the group today. We continue through the gate and down towards the start of the walk. There is a stream to be crossed in the cars but even the smallest of cars manages fine. There is plenty of parking here and we are soon packed up and ready to go. We start walking at 9.40am.

The trail is not difficult to find. The last time I was here you had to know what to look for. Today there is a lot more foliage. I think that there may have been a fire shortly before the previous hike that I did here which was in August 2018. We cross the small bridge and then almost immediately we get our feet wet. Some people try to avoid this but, as we will find out later on the trail, there is no point of trying to stay dry as we will have to wade through the stream which is flowing fairly strongly.

The trail takes us into the kloof which becomes quite narrow at times. It is almost impossible to lose your way as the kloof restricts you to the pathway. The hike is a 10km out and back. We take 2.5 hours to reach the turn / picnic point. So much fun and picture taking on the way up. At the turn point you are able to continue to the pools where many of the group had a swim. It is here where the Ferns of Fernkoof become visible.

The return walk on the same pathway takes us just 1.5 hours. People tend to walk at a faster pace with fewer interruptions. After the Group Pic we load up and are home by about 3pm.

The Fernkloof stream

At the water hole.

Spider.

Fernkloof sign at the start of the trail.

Beautiful cliffs surround the trail.

Starting off on our walk

Ayanda and Chris

The trail becomes narrow at times

Linda and Gerhard from Humansdorp

Brittany and Chris having fun

Spider

Aletheia Chris and Carin

Brittany; Sally; Hayley and Ingrid who did sky diving last weekend.

Brittany; Adel and Ronel

Seelan; Janny and Gillian

Vicki

Brenda

Babalo and Loretta

Adel

Ingrid

Peter

Ronel.

Flower on the moss

Streams and streams

Hole in the wall

Spider

We are on the Fernkloof trail

Wonderful pathways

Rob and Peter; Pat and Ronel; Janny; Gillian and Seelan; Sally and Debbie; Gerhard and Linda; Chris; Aletheia and Carin; Brittany; Brenda; Vicky; Ronel and Hayley; Candi; Nick; Morgan and Dayle; Ayanda and Chris; Loretta and Babalo; Adel; Ingrid; Belinda and Sandra;

Ron gives the rundown of the hike

We pay close attention.

Hidden Forest

Join Peter Giddy's hiking and tours group..... To enjoy the outdoors and to discover and explore places you have never seen or experienced. Meet people and make new friends. I understand that not everyone is at the same level of fitness and ability. So I accommodate everyone but providing hikes to suite the individual. No one is left behind.

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