Day 3: Heuningbos hut to Sleepkloof hut
More people spent the previous evening sleeping outside, as there were rumours of snoring in the hut. I woke up to find almost no one outside. Some heard baboons calling to each other during the night, and that was enough for the ones sleeping outside. I didn't even wake up from the baboon’s racket!
The day started peaceful and quiet. The mist started to play around Fynbos peak, creating a great photo opportunity. I capitalized on it!
The mist playing around Fynbos peak with rocks in the foreground adding texture to the photo.
The day was almost completely overcast. It made the hiking up Splendid pass a bit easier, preventing the sun from releasing its heat on us. Splendid pass wasn't that splendid, being infested with alien pine trees. Unfortunately, many parts of South Africa’s reserves are overtaken with pine trees. I always wonder what the area would look like without these alien species?
I focused on capturing detail, rather than the wider landscape photos. I was lucky enough to look over to my right and see another hairy worm, wriggling between some pink coloured flowers. I wanted to capture the worm surrounded by the flowers, placing it in context of its natural habitat. Blurring the flowers and using it to frame the worm worked well, in my opinion
Another hairy guy! But this time it is framed by pink flowers.
While resting next to an almost dormant pool, I started to notice some frogs. What an amazing home they have, surrounded by ferns and overshadowed by massive forest giants! I grabbed my Olympus camera and took a few macro shots of the frogs. If you move very slowly (and if you are lucky), you can get great photos of these forest dwellers.
I like the frog with the flower to the left, which adds interest to the photo.
After being entertained by hairy worms and slippery frogs, we started climbing towards Nademaalsnek. This time I knew that the evening’s hut will only be at the bottom of the next valley. It wouldn't make the same mistake as the previous day.
A slight drizzle started to wet the ground and my camera. I packed my camera away and took in the surroundings. One of the downsides of photography is that you could focus so much on getting a photo, that you miss being in the moment. I enjoyed taking in the smells and sounds of nature, leaving my sense of sight inside my camera bag.
The climb was quite strenuous, and the hunger started to overwhelm us, so we decided to have lunch before reaching Nademaalsnek. It was a good decision - hungry hikers aren't friendly hikers. We even took a nap, just there in the trail. Pure bliss!
This photo was taken just after lunch, while looking back into the valley that we hiked up earlier. Note the alien pine trees.
With stomachs filled and weary legs rested after a nap, we reached the top of the climb with a hop, skip, and jump. The excitement of discovering what the next valley held, could be felt in the air. And as the clouds started to lift, an Erica filled ridge was revealed. It probably was the most beautiful fynbos I saw on the entire trail. The fynbos almost came up to my shoulder; a bit of height would have helped me to capture the colourful scene laid out before me. I heard of a photographer who uses an aluminium ladder to gain some height - maybe I should carry one next time?
The fynbos treating us to an amazing display of colour and texture.
The day’s trail ended in a two kilometer long stretch of exquisite indigenous forest. The kind where you expect a fairy to flutter by around the next corner, or a dwarf to peep from a hollow tree. The forest was thick, and the light struggled to break through its blanket. I started to notice various shapes and contrasting colours, creating the perfect opportunity for figurative photos.
This moss-covered tree stump caught my eye, and it was perfect for a figurative photo.
We reached Sleepkloof hut in good time. There were showers, but I enjoyed bathing in the pools so much the previous days, that I was keen for another “natural” bath. And, would you believe it, it was my first swim for the day!
As sunset approached, thick clouds started to fill the valley. I was hoping for another one of the Tsitsikamma’s splendid sunsets, but the clouds remained. Every now and then I could see golden clouds peeking through a hole, and I wondered what it must look like above the clouds. Instead of wide-angled shots, I zoomed in on the distant peaks hoping for golden clouds to appear. Every now and then I got a lucky shot.
Zooming in on the distant, golden peaks. It seemed as if the mountains were on fire.
Day 4: Sleepkloof hut to Stormsriver Village
We woke to find the forest bathed in marvelous morning light, and with clouds rolling over the far-off mountains. A zoomed-in shot captured a lonely tree, keeping watch over the valley below. This was our last day of the hike and everyone walked very slowly, as if we didn't want to go back to civilization. My camera's battery was almost flat, but I set off, hoping it will last to the finish line.
The forest bathed in morning light, with clouds rolling over the far-off mountains.
Most of the last day's route was on jeep track inside the forest. Therefore, I stuck with my strategy of looking for detail or figurative shapes to capture. It was as if a new world opened up to me, once I focused on detail. It just goes to show that many times in life we miss beauty when we focus on the large and grandiose. Often beauty lies in the detail, but you have to search for it.
This shadow of leaves on a moss- covered rock still mesmerizes me to this day.
By focusing on detail opens another world, like this butterfly’s leafy landing spot.
My camera’s battery lasted until I spotted a beautiful spider’s web and then it died, just as our hike was coming to an end.
The last photo I took before my camera’s battery ran out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Tsitsikamma hiking trail and it was so good to do a multi-day hike again. The new year has to include more of these experiences. I hope to return to complete the full six days of the Tsitsikamma, an enchanted forest hidden between fynbos filled mountains, spiderwebs glowing in the morning light, hairy worms wiggling by, and butterflies soaring amongst fluttering leaves.
I would love to hear your comments about this blog post. Have you done this hiking route and what were your thoughts on it?
