This year we once again offered the Herold Wine Farm as a base for our MCSA- South Cape weekend meet. On both Saturday and Sunday there would be different levels of hiking options for our members to choose from. It was a popular weekend last year and so we repeated it in a very similar way this year. Earlier in the year I originally advertised this meet with an additional option. That entailed hiking from Saasveld/ NMU campus over the mountain to Herold, with a return to George by a different route the following day. However, there were only a few takers for this over-nighter. I thus decided to go ahead with only offering day hikes from the farm, with all weekend takers staying at the farm for 2 nights. This was logistically much easier to organize.

After chasing members with their bookings and monies, I eventually had 17 hikers to fill the 4 cottages on the farm. You could call them “prop-vol”. Although the farm does not have an official campsite, we were allowed a few extras in tents. All in all, there were 23 members who booked this trip.

Friday, 6 September
Our members arrived, settled in, explored the surrounds, quacked with the farm ducks and introduced themselves to the owners Nico and Maureen. A bitter cold wind did welcome us.

We soon arranged to be cozy in the biggest cottage and by sunset a two good braai fires were glowing on the front stoep. While Christo’s fingers prodded and tapped the Roosterkoek dough, others laid out their unique communal offerings and yet others were only intent on the first few sniffs & sips of red wine. It all ended with a Prince & Queen of tasty tarts, as well as Bianke’s custard barrel to fill the last vestige of our tummies.

Saturday, 7 September
Luckily for us, we awoke without hangovers to a wonderful clear morning sky with good prospects of a wonderful day ahead. A few extra day hikers arrived, the groups assembled and almost immediately disappeared over “them hills” as we set off in our subgroups to enjoy a hiking day in the very special Outeniqua mountains. There were hikes for 3 different challenges: the ‘ultra toughies”, the “middle toughies’ as well as the “meandering toughies”. Details of the 3 different hikes are included, written by the 3 different meet leaders: Tony, Evie and Karin.

Saturday dinner
The dinner was of course the social highlight of the weekend stay. After a hard day’s push and pull on the mountain, to return to a fancy meal…. Well, what a pleasure! On their return, it seemed as if all hikers had not had enough of scrambling, so they rapidly scrambled for showers and dressed for the occasion.

A dinner “fit for hungry hiking Kings” was served by Maureen and Nico in the cellar restaurant. What an atmosphere! Festive tables, a friendly central fire, wine tasting & more, and shared bubbling conversations. Maureen had simplified the meal on offer to make it buffet style. Wow- what choices and flavours we were able to choose from. A perfect evening.

At the end of the evening meal the meet leader did the rounds to test the mood for the day ahead. With a cold overcast drizzly day forecast for Sunday most of the hikers decided they had had a wonderful day out, and for some a very long tough day, and thus liked the idea of opting for a lazy start and possibly heading home early.

Sunday, 8 September
Yr.no weather station was spot on – as we awoke to a rather uninviting morning. The meet leader tried once more to encourage at least a shorter fast aerobic walk in the mist & drizzle. There was only one sucker, as Evie and Bianke set off into the cold moist grey to find the “Red Men’ depicted on one of the Herold Wines. At a certain rock shelter Bianke decided she had at least found one of the Red Men. So next time perhaps we will find all the real Red Men.

Thanks to you all who participated with beanies, bare hands, sweaty feet, wonky knees, scratched calves, umbrellas, one bicycle, collapsed tent mattresses, much hilarity and obvious enjoyment.

From all the hikers and the meet leader a big thank you to our amazing hosts at Herold Wines. This was a memorable weekend of note. Maureen and Nico your brand of hospitality is truly special.

Weekend report ~ by Evie Bowen

Now follows the hike reports by each hike leader.

Cradock Peak West to East

From Montague Pass to Cradock Peak via Chasm
Returning via Skurwekop, Kransberg Saddle & Heartbreak Hill to Herold Wines

We set off from Montague Pass on a fine morning at 7 a.m. We soon arrived at the Cradock Pass saddle, and were bathed in orange light as the sun rose above the eastern horizon. This gave a photo opportunity for the group shot, looking NW towards Keurkop.

We were a party of ten, comprising (L to R) Gillian Forbes, Bianke Fouche, Werner
Frey, Christo Engels, Clive Louw, Henrietha Mey, Julia Norval, Lauren Norval, James
Norval and Tony Bowen (hike leader).

At the Cradock Pass saddle, we surveyed the off-path route ahead of us. The buttress is at a steep slope with cliff faces.

The cliffs can generally be avoided by constantly moving up and left, but on occasion some short rock scrambles are needed.

We take a short break once the ridge is reached.

The ridge then heads eastwards towards the top of Chasm.

The views to both north and south from the ridge are inspiring. Here a deep cleft is encountered.

We arrive at Chasm. The route up the other side follows the “grassy” slope between cliffs.

Getting to the Chasm saddle requires descending a south facing gulley.

The gulley is shown as a yellow dashed line. The east facing cliffs should be avoided.

The Chasm saddle is heavily bushed. We all take care not to disturb this remote unspoiled eco-system.

The long slope upwards ends above the trail path leading to Cradock Peak.

After a short break at the peak, we begin the descent down the steep NE facing slope.

Looking northwards over Herold Wines.

On Skurwekop, with Kransberg ahead.

At the Kransberg saddle, we pick up the trail path back to Herold Wines via Heartbreak Hill.

This section has been known by this name to countless hikers since the early days of the original Outeniqua Trail but has been incorrectly signposted as Dizzy Heights. Hopefully this oversight will soon be corrected.

Statistics: 13km, 9 ¼ hrs, 1300m elevation gain.

Thanks to those that joined this memorable hike ~ Tony Bowen.

Herold wine Farm to Kransberg Saddle
Via Heartbreak Hill (Dizzy Heights)

We undertook this hike as a ‘there & back” (see map below) starting from the Herold Wine Farm to connect (on the northern Outeniqua side) onto the original Outeniqua trail. This section formerly was a part of Day 1 on the original Outeniqua 7-day Trail path. Now of course the existing Outeniqua Backpacking Trail starts from Biervlei and sadly has lost this exciting mountainous section. Luckily this path (which was becoming very overgrown) has in the last 2-3 years become an important connection for some of the MUT Peak Challenges. These are organized by the George Trail Runners (GTR). In this way, this interesting connecting path is now regularly maintained and cleared by GTR at their own cost.

Hikers: (L to R) Jeremy Lister-James, Alex de la Rouviere, Som & Pierre Kruise*, Peter Pyke, Jacolise Joubert, Joan Louwrens, Evie Bowen (leader), Jude Coburn & Nelia Parma (*day hikers)

As a party of 10 hikers, we set off along the forested farm track and soon reached the Afgunst Dam, where we had a perfect view onto the north facing ridgeline of Cradock Peak.

Picking up the Flanagan’s Rock path higher up, we turned left where we headed to the east, to wander into the un-spoilt hidden Outeniqua valley situated on the northern side of Melville Peak and Kransberg. No human interventions – apart of course indirectly from the many pines and hakea trees that find a footing in any southern slopes.

On route, Peter with his hacking saw did his very best to deal with many of these alien trees growing near the path.

We soon entered indigenous forest growth and crossed our first stream. From here we started on the inspiring section now called Dizzy heights by the trail runners. The old name was Heartbreak Hill as is shown on the original Outeniqua trail map. Both names are very apt!


It sure was a dizzy section with numerous ups & downs, while the path itself forever disappeared behind the next little rise.

The views were inspiring – especially grand was the view, looking up and up to Cradock Peak towering way above us.

Eventually Kransberg saddle appeared ahead. It served as both our lunchtime destination and turnaround point.

We craned our necks looking up to Cradock Peak and Skurwekop for any hikers. Yet, there was no sign of Tony’s party who were expected as dots on the horizon. Even Jeremy with binocs was unable to pick up any movement.

The saddle is a great spot in which to enjoy the colourful rare Pagoda flower, Mimetes pauciflorus. This tall plant with orange flowers is only known on the moist south facing slopes of Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges.

On the return route we broke up into smaller parties. Our fit Jacolise, I guess did a semi trail run back to the farm. Alex and Jeremy, who were intent on a freezing dip at Afgunst Dam also set off ahead. While the rest meandered along enjoying the perfect day and the views on offer. Back at the dam, we did catch-up with Alex. She did, it seemed, brave the freezing water.

Thank you to all who joined me on this very rewarding day hike. Some of the photographs included here were those sent to our WhatsApp group – many thanks to all of you who shared your pictures.

A few statistics: Distance 14.8 km; Height gain almost 500m; Hike duration 7 hours.
~ Report by Evie Bowen.

Herold Wine Farm to North Station & back
Via Flannagan’s Rock

Participants: Sandy Louw, Susan Pyke, Gonny Houtsma and Karin van Niekerk (leader).
We hiked from Herold farm to Flanagan’s rock for morning tea.

Carrying on along the contour path below Cradock peak, we hiked through lovely fynbos in flower to reach North Station on the Montagu Pass Road.

Montagu Pass Road looking towards Herold and in the distance the Swartberg – as viewed from above.

At North Sation we continued along the Montagu Pass Road to reach the Herold Wine Farm. Thus, completing the circular hike.

~Report by Karin van Niekerk