The Old Toll circuit in the Groot Swartberg starts at the old tollhouse and rises up to the crest of the Swartberg Pass before turning eastwards and rising up to a peak. It then heads down to the Die Hel road and back to the tollhouse. It is a pleasant route on a well-marked path and took up about five hours.
The meet was actually supposed to happen on 8 June but the weather bombed out completely. We then postponed a week but the Park authorities closed the trail, presumably because of snow. So third time lucky and the hike went ahead on 22 June.
We met at the Tollhouse for a 9am start. The weather was sunny but cold with a fair breeze which freshened somewhat as we reached the road at the top of the pass. Once we got on the ridge the wind really started howling and the temperature seemed to plummet.
We stopped for tea behind some boulders and then carried on the just below a summit. Here it was sheltered and warm as we waited for some of the keener members to actually summit. From this point the path goes a long way down to near the road to Die Hel.
By time we stopped for lunch is was pleasantly warm and quite still. We completed the circuit in a reasonable time. Everyone enjoyed the hike.
Greg and Cheryl Devine, Brian and Jude Coburn, Gillian Forbes, Janet Moore, Erica Davies, Janine Smith, Retha Meintjies, Sanet van Meersbergen, Wickus de Beer and Lisa Mulligan
Meet Leaders ~ Greg and Cheryl Devine