One of the resident cats at the Tsitsikamma Backpackers in Storms River Village - on my bed!
Next morning - getting ready to leave the backpackers for the start of the trail at Nature’s Valley
The Tsitsikamma Backpackers
Peter P at the entrance to the backpackers
Looking from the Paul Sauer Bridge towards the Storms River Petroport…
…and down into the gorge
Peter P with his car packed to shuttle to Nature’s Valley
At Nature’s Valley - loading the packs to be portered…
…and getting a briefing on the trail
Starting the trail with a walk past the lagoon at Nature’s Valley…
...then a short walk along the beach…
…and the approach to Kalander Hut (the first night’s accommodation)
Sunset stroll…
…on the beach below the hut
Sunset
Kalander Hut
Braai fire
Leaving Kalander Hut behind on the second morning
The beach below
Robberg and Plettenberg Bay to the south-west
Nature’s Valley
Lookout point
A last view of Nature’s Valley
Looking down into Grootkloof
The first stretch of forest
A mushroom…
…and one of many big trees
Morning tea stop
Trail markers
Logs
The first of many signposts, with an alternative spelling of Bloukrans!
Peter P at the crossing under the N2
Alison at the lunch stop…
…next to a large pool
Uprooted tree
Jackie emerging from the ferns
MTO (Mountain to Ocean) Forestry is now the managing authority for the trail
A surprise view of the Bloukrans Bridge
Warning!
Approaching Bloukrans Hut (the second night’s accommodation)
View from Bloukrans Hut
Bloukrans Hut
Looking back up to the hut from one of the pools below
Sharon and Jackie…
…taking a dip
Peter P, Katja, Alan, Jackie, Sharon
Looking from the hut down to the waterfall below the pools
View from the lapa
Some more alternative spelling!
Braai…
…fire
Sundowners
The sun setting on Peak Formosa (the highest point of the Tsitsikamma Mountains)
A last glimpse of the Bloukrans Bridge after leaving the Bloukrans Hut
Looking eastwards across the Bloukrans River
Reflections…
…and a swim in the Waterwitelsgat Pool at the Bloukrans River crossing
View down into the Bloukrans Gorge
The one disappointing aspect of the trail was the number of aliens – pines here
Margaret, Rodney, Marelé, Sam, Alan – taking a break
On our way again…
Sunshine filtering through the trees
Ferns
Rodney and Peter P
Grenadier’s Cap
Dead trees – victims of the 2005 fire
Keurbos Hut (the third night’s accommodation)
After supper chat around the fire
Getting ready to leave Keurbos Hut on the next morning
Crossing the Lottering River
Sandy
Of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as an everlasting, but not sure which genus it belongs to (Syncarpha, Helichrysum, Edmondia or Phaenocoma)
Another view of Peak Formosa…
…from Rushes Pass
Frank…
…and Peter P at the top of Rushes Pass
They were right!
Descending carefully…
…to the Elandsbos River
Clear instructions regarding the bridge over the Elandsbos River
Peter P obeying
Pool next to the bridge
Frank crossing the bridge
More…
…dead trees
Some different-coloured mushrooms
In Heuningbos
“Monkey ropes”
Emerging from the forest
Alan
Heuningbos Hut (the fourth night’s accommodation)
Closer view of the hut
The large pool just before the hut
Of the family Iridaceae (Iris family), and probably a member of the genus Watsonia
Glenda, Silvana, Glynis
Peter P having a swim
A misty scene early on the next morning
More mist
Looking back towards Heuningbos
Coming down Splendid Pass
In Mostertsbos
Hollow tree trunk
Peter P crossing the Witteklip River
One of the escape routes…
Vegetation re-sprouting in the area burnt this year around Storms River Peak
Ascending to Nademaalsnek through the burnt bush
View eastwards from Nademaalsnek
Taking a breather at Nademaalsnek
Looking westwards from the nek
The beacon on the summit of Storms River Peak
View westwards from the beacon
Storms River Village, as seen from the beacon
Zoom view of the Tsitsikamma Backpackers from the summit of Storms River Peak
Looking eastwards from the beacon
A last look back at the burnt summit
Peter P looking for a pool to wash off the charcoal from the burnt bush!
Here it is…
Bernie, Glynis, Silvana
More mushrooms
Fallen trees
Streptocarpus rexii
The view northwards from…
…Sleepkloof Hut (the last night’s accommodation)
Yet another mushroom!
A storm threatened, but never materialised
About to leave Sleepkloof Hut on the last morning
Group photo
Peter P and myself went back to the village, to fetch Silvana’s car…
Arriving in the village…
,,,and walking past the Tsitsikamma Village Inn
The Paul Sauer Bridge over the Storms River Gorge
A spider-web on the lawn at the backpackers
The sea at Storms River Mouth
Glynis, Silvana, Peter P – awaiting refreshments at Storms River Mouth
A silhouette of Peak Formosa and its neighbours
Storms River Peak, seen from the Inn…
…and the backpackers
Red sky the next morning…
…shepherd’s warning…
…of the bad weather on its way from Cape Town – thankfully after the hike was finished!
