We had had to cancel the week-day hike on this route earlier in the month due to the saturated Bain’s Kloof mountains, where our 2-hour ascent was a stream! So we were really hoping we would get the go-ahead for our weekend date. Fortunately our party of eight was given the go-ahead and the hike day dawned clear, but with single digit temperature and a chilly wind. (Photo) It took hours before we started to peel off beanies and jackets, but the cool temperature was invigorating, keeping energy levels high for the 400 m ascent to the Nek of Limietberg.
We made good time and found a comfortable spot out of the wind for tea as we descended to the northern side of the Nek with its new views. After that the path is less clear but the cairns kept us on track as we rounded Limietberg itself and headed in a roundabout way for Pic Blanc. Our lunch spot gave us a perfect view of Pic Blanc’s grassy slopes, but we had no intention of ascending it that day! (Photo)
The path, starting from Eerste Tol on Bain’s Kloof Pass, although wet underfoot in places, did not have the overhanging foliage of past years, due to the ravaging fire early last year. The route offered us its far-ranging, changing views, at first to the south, and as we cleared the Nek, the northern expanses. We were surrounded by various rock sculptures. It was a delight to see many buck spoor in the path’s sandy sections, and later we saw leopard scat. This leopard must have been so hungry that it swallowed the entire buck, hoofs and all, because they were embedded whole in the scat! (See photo). There were not many flowers out but the tiny, dainty crassulas along the gradual descent path were pleasing to the eye, and almost at the campsite it was a sure sign of Spring to see a little cluster of Babiana (Bobbejaantjie) (Photo)
After lunch the path gradually descends along the slopes of Pic Blanc in the direction of the Wolwe River, and then steeply before we arrive at the jeep track above the waterfall on that river. The waterfall was gushing, and where at other times of the year we would follow the path along the banks of the river to our cars at Tweede Tol, it was not possible this time. The two river crossings would be too deep and wide.
The route had taken us just over 6 hours to cover 13 km and 500m ascent.
There was an amusing moment during our drive back while still on Bain’s Kloof Pass. At one point two cars (of which ours was one) were passing each other, and, it not being a very wide pass, we keep clear of the white centre line to pass freely. At that point where the two cars were passing each other a supporting wall had been built on the river side over a steep drop (not just the usual individual rocks spaced along the pass). And at that moment, 2 young baboons clambering onto the wall had planned to cross the road, but stopped short when the car on their side (ours!) veered too close to the wall. They found that too close for comfort so they turned to jump off the wall out of harm’s way, saw the abyss and decided to cling to the wall by their fingernails! And there they hung ‘til we had passed! Like true rock climbers!
Photos: Mainly by Stephen Gibson
