Theewaterskloofdam as viewed from
Boesmanskloof. |
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The overcast skies was a sure
indication that an early start at 06h00 was justified. Ralph had
kept tabs on the weather report and we would be lucky to avoid the
rain. As we set out, a very slight drizzle had created an exquisite
rainbow in the sky. The path being on the leeward side of the
mountains, we were for the most part at least, sheltered from the
worst of it. It was a relatively easy, mildly undulating walk with
no steep climbs to speak of, at least not until the very end, just
before reaching Nuweberg. The morning sun glistened off the waters
of Theewaterskloof. The vast area before us, stretching all the way
back to Grabouw and Elgin, is home to deciduous fruit farming.
Whilst we were out in nature on a leisurely walk on the path not
unsurprisingly known as the Orchard Route, for the farmers working
the land, it was business as usual, despite the festive season being
upon us. The silence on the descent of Bobbejaanskloof the day
before was now replaced by the distant hum of machinery. I remember,
as kids, we used to drive with our parents to the fruit-sorting and
distribution warehouses of Elgin, buying boxes of apples and pears.
Those were the days. |
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A stream near Boesmanskloof Hut. |
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Boesmanskloof rainbow at dawn - the
wet weather approaches. |
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Looking back towards Boesmanskloof. |
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The path ahead on the Orchard Route. |
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View along the path as
Theewaterskloof shimmers in the early morning sunlight. |
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Deciduous fruit farms adjacent to
Theewaterskloof. |
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An extensive and excellent
report on the findings of surveys that were conducted on a
number of river systems in the Western Cape contains the following
description of the Cape Floral Kingdom: |
"The unique Cape Floral
Kingdom is one of the richest of the world's six plant Kingdoms. It
covers an area of slightly less than 90 000 square km from the
Cedarberg in the west to Port Elizabeth in the east and hosts about
9 000 plant species. Freshwater and marine environments in the
Kingdom are similarly unique with plants and animals adapted to
highly specialised environments. The principal vegetation in the
Cape Floral Kingdom is fynbos, which is the collective term for its
ericas, proteas, restios and geophytes. Fynbos is renowned for its
beauty and diversity and boasts 526 of the world’s 740 erica
species, 96 of the 160 gladiolus species and 69 of the 112 protea
species, of which 70% are endemic (species that occur nowhere else).
The Cape Peninsula itself has about 150 endemic plant species – the
highest endemism for any area of similar size in the world. The Cape
Peninsula National Park (incorporating Table Mountain) and Kogelberg
Nature Reserve (incorporating the Palmiet River) are hotspots within
the fynbos as they have an unusually large variety of plant
species". |
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View across towards Grabouw and
Elgin on the Orchard Route. |
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The Hottentots Holland Mountains
that separate the Overberg from the Cape Metropolitan Area. |
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Silhouetted against the light of
dawn above Theewaterskloof. |
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Deciduous fruit farms are big
business in the Western Cape. |
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View back along the Orchard Route
where the road heads up towards Franschhoek. |
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The Orchard Route towards Elgin and
Grabouw. In the distance, the Hottentots Holland Mountain range. |
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I was largely
unprepared for the last section of the walk as we ventured ever
closer to Nuweberg, when the R43 leading to Elgin and Grabouw came
into view. Ralph had hinted at the fact this involved a steep climb
however he might have possibly spared me the details for a number of
reasons. The path drops down steeply towards a weir which crosses
Riviersonderend via Vink's Bridge, reminding us somewhat of the
passarella we had encountered on our Patagonian adventure two years
before. The hillside on the opposite, bounded by firebreaks, was
completely bare, scarred by the harvest of pines. A service road
seemed to indicate a way out however a zig-zag path up the hillside
was the more likely possibility. In attempting to cross a section of
land littered with felled tree trunks, Ralph and I split up. Whilst
he managed to pick up a signposted path to Nuweberg, I found myself
stranded in no-man's land, with an option of taking the service road
which in all likelihood led towards the R43 or alternatively, going over the
top. It was a tough climb where the path eventually rounded a corner,
from which
the road leading up to the main gate of the Hottentots Holland
Nature Reserve was now clearly visible. By now Ralph had a
significant lead on me and reached the parking spot at the forestry
offices long before me. |
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Cape fynbos on the Orchard Route. |
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Not far to go to Nuweberg - in the
distance, the road up to SirLowry's Pass. |
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Just as we
drove along the dirt road and joined the road leading away from the
main gate of the forestry station, it began to rain, a timely
departure indeed. The Orchard Route path and the mountains behind it were
by now bearing the brunt of a significant downpour and we were
thankful that we had made an early start 6 hours before. |
The dirt road in the Hottentots
Holland from the main gate to Cape Nature offices - end of day 3. |
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