Summer days in the Western Cape are best spent in its rivers and kloofs, and we are spoiled for choice from single to multi-day, and technical to easy options. What they all have in common is wonderful cool waters and gorgeous scenery.
CapeNature’s Rockhopper Trail follows the course of the Witte River in Bain’s Kloof from Eerste Tol to Tweede Tol, and with its gentle gradient offers an easy introduction to kloofing. There are no compulsory swims or jumps, but plenty of opportunity for optional ones. “Trail” is something of a misnomer, as there’s no trail or path; one simply picks a route over the rocks – so good proprioception and well-lubricated joints help!
Our group of 10 members opted to turn around before Tweede Tol and return to the start at Eerste Tol, to avoid car-shuttling logistics. Throughout the day we encountered big pools, hidden grottos, cool potholes, foot-nibbling fish and a seemingly endless supply of water, literally “wasting itself all over us”, as one member quipped. What a joy it was to be surrounded by the stuff and relieved of Day Zero worries for a few hours on a baking hot summer’s day.
Marian Oliver
Photos supplied by Marian Oliver
