Skeurkranz Hiking Trail
27 to 29 November 2009
by Jenny Olivier
Hikers : Aileen Pienaar, Eddie Grant, Daleen Supra, Toni & Bertha Lazarus, Malcolm Honeywell, Rina Scheepers, Cynthia Webber, Elaine Deyzel, Jenny Olivier.
The afternoon of Friday 27th November 2009 saw the arrival of the group at Skeurkranz base camp. A sociable evening followed around the braai, discussing the following day’s “long” route. Toni was eager to find the overnight shelter on Saturday where the backpackers would have spent the night, had it been a backpack weekend.
The weather on Saturday morning didn’t look good, with dark black clouds moving in. Torrential rain soon followed and we decided to wait until it had stopped before proceeding on the day’s hike. The camp caretaker was there early to greet us, and he roughly explained the route to Bertha, but indicated that seeing there was no map available to the overnight shelter, we just had to follow the white footprints.
 We eventually set out for our walk and it was wonderful to see the Limpopo bushveld so lush and green, indicating that a lot of rain had fallen in recent months. We diligently followed the white footprints as was indicated at the beginning of the trail, but soon found that we were on the Baboon trail (yellow markers), which, according to the map, is a very short trail, ideally suited for a Sunday morning hike. Nevertheless, it was still enjoyable. We stopped at a stream for our tea, by which time it was very hot and humid so the cool water was very welcome. A little further on we came to a lovely waterfall with a pool below, which looked so inviting, we spent time there swimming and cooling off. In order to make the day’s hike a little longer, and also in our continuous effort to search for the white footprints leading to the overnight shelter, it was agreed by all that we deviate from the path and make our way up a steep hill with it’s beautiful rock formations. Once at the top, we walked down another valley and spotted Malcolm, Elaine and Rina who had chosen to walk a little later than the rest of us. We linked up with them at the stream and had our lunch there, together with an extended rest, cooling off hot feet once again, before we all returned to base camp by mid afternoon. Alas, no overnight shelter was found.
 Sunday with renewed energy and determined to accomplish our mission, we set out on the Leopard trail, which ascended quite steeply to the top. Unfortunately Aileen was not feeling too well, and she and Eddie returned back to camp while the rest of us continued. We eventually came across white footprint markers leading to the old Boskloof route. Toni and Malcolm decided to take that route in search of the shelter, while us six women hiked on, and they agreed to catch up with us later. Since this was a much longer trail than the day before, and it being so hot, we were quickly running out of water. Luckily we came across some beautiful rock pools and a charming waterfall, where we had a great time swimming and having some lunch.
 After a while Malcolm and Toni arrived with disappointing news that they too could not find the overnight shelter which was intended for backpackers, in spite of walking approximately 2 kms on the Boskloof trail. On our walk back from the rock pools, we must have disturbed a wasp nest, and angry wasps unfortunately stung Rina and Malcolm. I was also stung on Friday afternoon just after we arrived at Skeurkranz. We then all returned, reaching basecamp quite late that afternoon. It was a huge rush to shower, pack and be on the road, since another big storm was fast approaching. As the last of us were leaving, the heavens opened up and it poured down.
Then there’s the episode of the three (blind) mice. On route home, most of us met at a pizza restaurant in Nylstroom where Bertha discovered that a mouse had given birth to three babies inside the lining of the jacket she was wearing! She noticed the mother back at Skeurkranz chalets, pacing frantically up and down in search of the jacket which Bertha had moved from its position on the bed. It appeared that the mouse had had the babies in the jacket pocket, and, there being a hole in the pocket, the babies obviously slipped through and into the jacket lining! Said jacket was cut open by Eddie and the three one-day old blind mice removed!
Despite not having found the elusive overnight shelter, it was nevertheless a wonderful hiking weekend and loads of fun was shared.
|
|
