Kleinrivier Hiking trail -- 29th and 30th May 2021. Peter Giddy Guided Tours takes you on a special adventure
Saturday 29th May 2021. We leave my home at 7.00am. We have two vehicles -- My Kombi and a hired Quantum. On the trail today are Chris; Jeanne and Glynette; Janny; Ludivine; Hayley; Brittany; Zoleka; Marilise; Gillian K; Ayanda, Chris and Lilly; Billie and Kim. The roads are a bit messed up as there have been protests and buring tyres on the R75. PE to the turn off is 50k on Tarred Road. Then there is a 30k section of rough dirt road. The final 5km has 5 x gates to open.
The start of the Kleinrivier hike with Gillian K and Zoleka.
Once we have done the Registration and introductions we start our walk at 8.45am. The day is cool at about 18 degrees in the sun. Most of the walk is on rocky pathways under the shade of the cliffs and the trees. Unfortunately there is very little water in the stream so the pools are mainly empty. Port Elizabeth and the surrounding areas are suffering with a really severe drought.
This hike is about 10km and takes us, including rests, pics and swims about 5 hours. We leave Kleinrivier just before 2pm and are home by 3.30pm. The hike is fairly demanding as it is long and the pathways are rocky. Medium fitness is required. There are some hill climbs but nothing too long or tough.
Turn off to Kleinrivier. 5 x gates to open. Rough dirt road
The trail is rocky for most of the way
There are a few rocky climbs
And some tricky bits
Only one really steep / difficult climb
Dont be fooled. There are no such bridges on the trail This one leads to some cottages
The signpost leaves nothing to the imagination. This is the way to Kleinrivier.
The Kloof / Gorge we will be walking into
Take it carefully. A wrong step and you could do yourself some serious damage
The Devil Rock. EL Diablo
I do such a doff thing. Here I sit at the snack break. Nothing to eat. I had put my snack into a disused Feta Cheese container. And I put the container in my bag this morning. BUT. I took some Feta Cheese and not my snack. Fortunately some generouse hikers were happy to share.
Swimming in cold water -- still fun.
Rock climbing. It may seem tough but take your time and accept help and you will be fine
Chris and Ayanda. Her face lights up the hike
Do not become casual. A fall from any of the ledges could be serious and spoil the day for yourself and the rest of the walkers
El Diablo.
Snack break. After 2.15hours we stop for a welcome rest and break.
Woolseeds. Plants growing on the pathway.
Woolseeds. Looks like scattered leaves.
Tarantula Hawk-Wasp
I really enjoy this walk.
Kim joins us for the first time. Invited by Billie
Billie and Ayanda
Brittany and Hayley work together. Teachers.
Our group today.
Another tricky section.
Janny is careful climbing down. Behind her is Lilly who simply leaps from rock to rock
Gillian K; Zoleka and I start the hike.
Help each other and accept help when you are not confident
When your legs are tired you need to pay extra careful attention to your footing
A tarantula hawk is a spider wasp that preys on tarantulas. They are one of the largest wasps, using their sting to paralyze their prey before dragging it to a brood nest as living food; a single egg is laid on the prey, hatching to a larva which eats the still-living prey.
Sunday 30th May 2021.
Kleinrivier Hiking trail . I do this trail twice in two days. On the trail today is Eckart and Strelza; Ayanda; Lungi and Graham; Debbie and Sally; Neko; Ritva. We leave PE in the rain and arrive on a cool winters morning. During the walk we have a few light showers. The pools are almost completely empty as little rain has fallen this Year.
Today we walk as far as the cave where we have our snack break. We then return and visit the Secret Pool before the final 20 minutes back to the cars. We started at 8.45am and finished the hike around 1.45pm. 5 hours. Our walk was slow due to stopping to examine the trees and other plant life. Strelza shows me what a Cabbage (Kippersol) tree looks like. Also identifies the Bughu plant at the Amphitheater. Towards the end of the hike we are all pretty much exhausted but also elated at the sheer pleasure of this trail.
Walking next to the almost empty pools.
The Elephant Foot Tree. Not really a tree. Bottle Palm. From Mexico.
Cinnamon Vine- The ponytail palm, also known as Bottle Palm or Elephant Foot Tree, is a member of the agave family and is native to southeastern Mexico. In its native habitat it grows as a 30 tall tree and looks like an oddly branched palm. What makes ponytail palm stand out is its distended base which can reach four feet across.
In the cave where we stop for our snack break
Neko at the pool.
I jump in for a swim.
Eckart and Lungi
Neko and Ayanda
Graham and Strelza
Our Group Lungi; Sally; Ritva; Strelza; Debbie; Neko; Ayanda; Graham and Eckart.
Sally, Debbie and Ritva on an uphill.
Sally abseiling near to the pool .
Ritva makes it look easy
Debbie looks concerned
Careful now Neko
Neko uses two hands on the cliffside rope
Ritva is full of smiles
Debbie uses stick and rope to negotiate the cliff side
Sally stays warm with a beanie
The final 15 minutes to the cars
No idea why this is called a Do not bend me tree -- Buig my nie A South African indigenous, slow growing, hardwood tree
I have done this hike many times in the past year. Today for the first time I find this Bushman Face. And it looks out from the Bushman Cave. I hope that you can make it out as clearly as I do?
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.
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
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