From the Outeniqua Pass, the view plus the direction of the hike.
South Africans tend to underrate the difficulty/strenuousness of their hikes or, other parts of the world overrate theirs. Whatever the case, over the years we have noticed what we would consider under usage of the trails. Therefore, the ratings remain moot. Phew! We hope we're not going to annoy anyone following that remark but the trails are generally quiet—suits us.
We set off on the Pass-to-Pass trail in the Outeniqua Mountains, something we wished to do when we saw these amazing mountains two years ago. The mountains overlook George; behind the city lies the ocean. They rise high, are bold and well-covered and are daunting. I have always been fascinated with the name. It seems to roll off the tongue and forms a musical sound.
That's about the last gentle thing we can say about this range. The path was damp and very slippery in places. I could count at least half-a-dozen falls between the two of us. The trail is unkempt or shows little usage as attested by the growth covering much of it. We were often in shoulder length grass, whacked quite frequently by various wild plants but rewarded with magnificent sights both near and far. The flora was colorful and easy on the eye. We crossed the Keur River four times, climbed three mountains and descended into three valleys or canyons to cross the river each time. It was a great experience. We rested at the old quarry during which time we breakfasted on our usual scrumptious feast. By 11:45am, it does not matter what one eats, it still tastes delicious.
We were tired as we commenced the return but soon gained our footing. The most exciting part of the hike, as well as the scariest, occurred when we came across a snake, puff-adder, which hissed as we approached to within about five feet. I can't remember whether I saw or heard the snake first. It happened very quickly. All I remember is halting, shouting for Jenni to turn and go. It's the first time a snake has hissed at us and in such a loud manner—for a moment it felt like a politician giving a responsible speech to an unappreciative audience. The rest of the hike was uneventful other than a few slips, slides and falls, tiring climbs and treacherous down-hills. The steepness of the mountains was acute. The distance was over 9 miles, the elevation gain unknown.
Not a good day for the editor as she contemplates another sharp incline following the descent below.
Snakes and ladders as we came across both.
Always colorful and attractive.
Should not have worn shorts.
An interesting memorial at the rock quarry.
Another pass for vehicles built in earlier days.
No wonder the editor was not such a happy girl. (Brave though.)
Lynn and Rudi Oudmeyer, recently of Knysna, Cape Province. Lynn and Jenni were good school friends. Lynn is
rather 'shy', hence, closed eyes.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
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