Leader: Carolee Thompson
Report: Penny Purchase Photos: Penny Purchase with a few from Margret, Ali, Michele, Craig
[CLICK ON PHOTOS TO VIEW FULLSIZE - or view pics in accompanying SIMPLEVIEWER Presentation]
This slack-packing trail was initiated by the enterprising lady, Renee Wolfwaardt, the founder of the Sungazer Pilgrimages based in the Eastern Free State. Our guide was local historian and hiker, Craig Frazer, of the Big Beard.
The Pink Tricycle Tearoom at Paul Roux.
We arrived at Paul Roux on a chilly May afternoon. Some of us stayed at Dunlin BandB and others at the new Lazy View BandB. We enjoyed rusks and coffee in front of the fire. Renee came and briefed us and gave us our packs with Sungazer passports, a colourful and informative Historical Trail brochure, 2 Sungazer buffs in yellow and a little bottle filled with medical supplies. This heightened our anticipation. Added to that there was pink Sungazer gin for sale which made Ali very happy. Well done, the ever cheerful and welcoming Renee.
Then we all had a hearty dinner at the extraordinary Pink Tricycle Tea Room attached to Dunlin, excited and lively, anticipating our historical trail. Adorning the dining room were bicycles hung from the ceiling, old street signs, S.A. vintage items and memorabilia, a fully dressed model bride in white and so so many potties on display!
1st Day of hike.
We gathered early outside the Pink Tricycle. Craig took us on a historical walking tour of the small village of Paul Roux. We saw well preserved sandstone houses (one originally an old post office, another a bank). The towering Dutch Reformed church had a stone imprint of cattle spoor, respecting the oxen that pulled the Voortrekker wagons that came past on the Great Trek in 1838! We saw the old Post Office tree where the post was left. It is a charming friendly town.
The Sand River and the township
Craig then led us over the bridge of the Sand River and pointed out where the clever Boer women hid their porcelain, silver and precious things in the banks to prevent them being destroyed by the British army's terrible "scorched earth" policy in the Anglo-Boer War.
A sandy track led us past the township called Fateng-Tse-Ntsho (the Sotho name for the Place of the Black Forest) where poplar trees were cut for matches in days gone by.
Long gravel road and big sky
We joined the gravel road and it was good to leave the urban areas and have the long road and big blue sky stretching ahead of us... all of 18 kms... but it was thankfully a level road and we saw the last of the cosmos flowering on the roadside, so pretty. It was a warm dry day. Friendly Ernst Wolfwaardt met us with his water wagon along the way to help us alleviate our thirst. Renee thinks of everything!
We were a little disappointed at not seeing the caves where the 5 Scheepers' sisters took shelter during the Anglo Boer war(one sister even gave birth to a baby girl in the cave) but it would have taken another hour off the route to visit it and the day's hiking was long anyway.
Arrival at Holhoek Game Farm and backpackers
The Sungazer emblem was on sandstone markers, so it is a self guided trail but we did appreciate Craig guiding us and chatting about life in the Free State. We came to the Holhoek gate and at the end of a winding 1.5 km sand road , a welcoming sight opened up to our weary bodies : a cluster of thatched buildings, a lapa, a braai area, all nestled on a grassy bank above a sparkling blue dam. The setting was so charming. This was the Holhoek Game Farm with its dormitory style backpackers' accommodation. We relaxed our weary feet and dusty bodies.
Sunset and drinks time
Once showered, we prepared for a feast of a braai. Our lone male, Loga, managed the braai fire. The wine bottles came out and wine was shared. We enjoyed watching the sunset over the dam, the long grass turning the most exquisite golden colour and the clouds reflected in the dam water. Idyllic. It was funny how the sunset became more beautiful the more wine we drank! A wonderful memory of the camaraderie of hikers, the beauty of our country… and the smell of meat braai-ing.
Feast of a braai
We tucked into the braaied meat and the generous spread of beautifully prepared salads and braai broodjie, grateful for the warm dining area as the temperatures were dropping. Then Margret's gluhwein went down a treat. We climbed into our sleeping bags, all the time investigating each other's snoring habits. The end of a tough but enjoyable day's hiking.
2nd Day of hike.
Up early again to prepare our breakfast from the trays of quiches and muffins. The Free Staters will be known for their generous portions. There was no electricity but gas for our coffee. It was Mother's Day so some of us were the recipients of calls from faraway children. Craig came at 8 a.m. to be our guide for our hike to the rocks, the caves, the hills, the waterfalls and the dinosaur fossils. He escorted us to the rocky outcrop behind the backpackers. A small herd of giraffe watched us curiously. Then a bit of adventure - there was a series of ladders with wooden slats, rather wobbly, and chains to pull ourselves up this huge rockface. Suddenly we were at the top of this huge boulder. We were entranced by the stunning views across the grasslands and hills and caves down to the plains. This is Africa! Some of those, not keen on heights, chose to walk below the rocks on the plain where they saw game aplenty.
It was a wonderful morning of hiking and exploration. The waterfall cave was deep and wide and had picnic tables and chairs! Civilized! Ali took a shower under the waterfall, shrieking with delight at the cold spray on her warm body.
Caves and rock scambling
Many Boer women and children hid in the series of caves here during the Anglo- Boer War, including P.W. Botha's mother. The tribes which the Zulus attacked also took shelter here, building huts concealed into the caves, 200 years ago. The San people too used these caves as living spaces, aeons before these tribes. But the oldest inhabitants by far were the dinosaurs. Craig led us to see a recent discovery at Holhoek farm, fossilized dinosaur eggs and dinosaur vertebrae embedded in the rock face. We were in absolute awe. So much history of animal and human settlement. It was a memorable morning of rock scrambling and cave exploring and history.
Cave dwellers 32 - 36,
Dinosaurs 37 - 40.
Cave and rocks 41 - 45
Back at Holhoek, we fell upon the left over food like vultures, quiches, bread and salads. We bid farewell to Craig with a collection, in thanks for his informative guiding.
Afternoon Hike to Uniondale Game Farm
Our last walk was an 8 km hike along gravel roads to Uniondale Game Farm, our legs telling us that they had already done a hike and plenty of rock scrambling! What luxury awaited us! Chalets with soft duvets on comfortable beds, TV and a kitchenette in each room with its modern decor. It beats backpacking with snorers in the dormitory. We explored the surrounds of this modern guest house and watched the sunset. More luxury was to come - sherry on the house before a roaring fire and a 4 course gourmet dinner to die for, in the modern airy dining room. We could buy wine here too. There was a quietly festive air as we happily gave way to this indulgence after 2 days of energetic hiking. A fitting way to end our historical trail... from dinosaurs to a dinner of contemporary cuisine.
3rd Day of hike.
After a comfortable sleep and a leisurely awakening, the spoiling continued with a fabulous hot served breakfast. Bags were packed and into the Kombi we climbed. We were first driven to another venue on Uniondale farm. It was a shelter where dinosaur footprints were embedded in a huge flat sheet of sandstone rock. These dinosaurs were huge meat eaters, medium sized therapods, that roamed the area in the Jurassic period 185 million years ago. Awestruck, we flew back in time once again.
Farewells and home from Paul Roux to KZN
We were driven to Dunlin BandB in Paul Roux. Farewells and thanks all round. We climbed into our separate cars, which had been left safely at Dunlin. We drove home via Van Reenen's Pass, stopping to visit the tiny stone church at the top. On the return journey, with full minds and bodies and tummies, we reflected on the awesome experience of the Sungazer Historical Trail. I fully recommend it. If two 70 year olds can do it, so can you!
Thank you to our leader Carolee and the fellow hikers Margret, Ali, Kate, Loga, Christine, Este, Michele, Jay and Rose for the fun and camaraderie on the trail.
From the Sungazer Pilgimage website, a fitting explanation.
Memories
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