This was taken last year at the Pretoria Zoo. Kathy had to jump around and scream like a mad person to get this Kodiak Bear to look at us. Finally he did look up for about 2 seconds before going back to ignoring the world.
While driving over the Harties bridge I glanced over my shoulder at the breathtaking drop down to the river and spotted a waterfall flowing down the side of a mountain.
Is there any way to get down there I asked? Sure, said Louis, “Wanna go?”
That had to have been a rhetorical question cos he definitely knows me better than that. I would never turn down an adventure. We took the next left at the stop street and then a right to a boom gate that was barely visible from the road. A man sat on a chair dozing away under a tree and when seeing us rose and walked towards us. We paid the fee and glanced at the notice board which read Crocodile River.
”Are there any crocodiles in the river?” “I don’t think so,” came the amused reply.
"There were even little concrete tables conveniently situated close to each spot."
As we drove down the bumpy road to the river we noticed little picnic and braai spots nestled between the trees. There were even little concrete tables conveniently situated close to each spot. I really like the idea of also being able to park your car right by your spot. “They really did think of everything”
The trail was not an easy one. It was formed by curious hikers on a slope between the mountain and the edge of the river making it slippery with tree branches blocking the way and lose rocks in the path. In some places seepage down the mountain had formed puddles meaning you had to tread carefully to keep from sinking ankle deep in sludge. Eventually we got to a rocky section that signaled the end of the path and after climbing over a giant rock we came to the waterfall. It was gushing that day causing a mist to form around it but then the falling water quickly slowed into a flow that quieted into a large pond. From there the river flowed on merrily.
"My mind then flashed back to the ‘Gevaar’ sign at the beginning of the trail and suddenly I didn’t feel so safe anymore."
I looked at Louis who had his camera pointed above my head and when I looked up I saw the bridge that we had just been on and the large wall that held it up. There was a smooth rock surface that extended from the wall to the pond close to where I was standing. In my mind I saw what would happen if the floodgates were opened and the water from the Hartebeestpoort dam was let lose. My mind then flashed back to the ‘Gevaar’ sign at the beginning of the trail and suddenly I didn’t feel so safe anymore.
“Danger, Water levels are prone to rise quickly due to water being released through the floodgates.”
Boy was I glad to be out of there but with no regret to having had the adventure.
We were quite tired when we got back to the car and after a drink of juice we were on our way again, insistent that we would be back again for a longer visit and even a braai so that we could discover and enjoy more of what the Crocodile River had to offer.
How to get there:Travel over the bridge at Hartebeestpoortdam towards the Cultural Village. At the big intersection, turn right. Go over the Crocodile River. The entrance is immediately on your right. |
Free
Words by Kathy Beetge
Photos by Louis Beetge
This picture was taken early one morning in 2006. I dragged my wife out of bed at around 4:00 in the morning to get to Harties at about 5:30. It was extremely cold and extremely pretty. I highly recommend you do it sometime. Meanwhile here is another desktop.
Getting lost and meeting people that vanish is enough to make anybody freak out. Let's just say that Friday was quite an adventure.
As we drove into Gillooly's Farm, the sun was just starting to work it's mid morning magic and we looked forward to the 7km hike. Walking through Gillooly's I was disgusted by the amount of trash strewn about everywhere. Obviously a relic from the previous day's public holiday, as these premises are usually quite clean.
"Do we not have any pride left in our country or ourselves."
What is it with South Africans? Do we not have any pride left in our country or ourselves. What amazed me was the fact that there were beer bottles right next to an empty trash can. Sometimes I am ashamed to call myself South African.
I think it probably took us about 20 minutes to get to the top. This included time for taking pictures. If you are unfit, this is definitely not a trail that you want to start your hiking career with. We were obviously walking the trail from the wrong end, because all the trail markers were pointing at us. Logic told us that if we just kept following the trail markers backwards, everything would be alright and we would end up at the beginning of the trail. Logic was wrong. More on this later.
" ... The highways shone silver in the early morning light as they slithered their way to the city's bustle ..."
Once at the top, the view is VERY cool. With the 360 degree view, you can see Eastgate Shopping Center, Johannesburg Central and Sandton. The highways shone silver in the early morning light as they slithered their way to the city's bustle. I think on a clear day, you would even be able to see Pretoria, sorry Tshwane.
The rocky trail wound along the ridge and led us past two marked bomb holes. In the picture, Mark is standing in one of the holes. Does anybody know where these holes come from? Who bombed what and when? Let me know in the comments if you have any clue.
"Can you hear that?" I asked Mark. I could hear someone talking somewhere. I walked closer to the edge of a rocky ridge. As I peered over, I could see a man in blue clothes standing with arms spread. He reminded me of the Jesus statue in Rio De Janeiro. I quietly backed off. I guess the top off a mountain is as good a place as any to worship your god and probably better than most.
The trail winds up and down quite a bit and climbing up a large hill, we came upon a grave. At least I think it was a grave. There was a circle of stones with a cross at one end. I guess it could've just been a get together place because there was no marker on the cross. No names to identify anybody. We sat down and drank the last of our cold drink.
" ... I was enjoying the absence of the usual city din."
"Geez, it's very quiet up here," Mark said.
"Ja, you wouldn't say we are in the middle of South Africa's largest city," I said.
It was very quiet. We couldn't hear birds chirping or insects buzzing. Just quiet. I guess some people would say eerie, but I was enjoying the absence of the usual city din.
Rested we decided to see where the rest of the trail led us. We hadn't seen a trail marker for some time. Lesser people would have admitted that they were lost. But not we. About a hundred meters from the cross / grave we saw a board put up by Joburg Water - No Trespassing. Dammit. Time to turn back and see if we can pick up the trail again.
"By the time we top the ridge, they are nowhere to be seen!"
A man, women and two Rottweilers came walking up the trail. Both the man and women quickly grab the dogs and put them on leashes.
"Do you guys know where this trail is going? There's a No Trespassing sign up front," I said.
"This is the right trail. It skirts the building up front. You just need to stick to the path. It's not that clearly marked, but you can still make it out, " the man said.
"Do you mind if we tag along behind you?" I asked.
"No problem. Just give us some space so we can let the dogs loose, " he said.
We tagged about 30 meters behind the couple. They went over a little ridge in the trail. By the time we top the ridge, they are nowhere to be seen!
Gone! We had a clear field of vision for about 200 meters in all directions and the couple with their dogs were nowhere to be found! If one of those two read this article, please tell me what happened to you. You freaked us out.
As you can see in the picture above, the trail wound up another hill. "Dude, I don't have the energy for another climb," I said. Mark agreed so we headed down hill through what looked like a marsh. What should we find at the bottom of this hill? A locked gate.
"Just call the guard that's sitting over there", Mark said.
"I don't think he will have the key. This gate must be locked by the town council."
We stood around debating this for about 10 minutes before the guard spotted us. He walked up to us and unlocked the gate. Boy did I feel like a moron. On the other side of the gate a sign informed us that we must ask the guard on duty for the key to enter.
After asking the guard for directions back to Gillooly's and receiving a confused look for our trouble, we started walking back.
And walked, and walked, and walked.
We came down from the mountain trail about two kilometers from Bruma Lake. As we walked past Bruma Flea Market, a scary man with long dreadlocks tried to trade us some weed for a picture.
"Wot you gonna do for me, mon?" he asked.
We both ignored him. By that time my mood was pretty foul and my throat was parched. We stopped at a BP Garage to buy some cold drinks and ice cream. I think it was the best Fanta Pineapple I had ever tasted.
Ten minutes later saw us back at Gillooly's and glad to be sitting in the shade of the car. What is the moral of this story? Get a trail map before you go on any hike.
How to get there:FROM N3 SOUTH |
Free
| For more information visit: |
Starting from this week, I will post one extra photo per week that I haven't used before and that I think is nice. Most of these photos will be my impressions of the place that I live and work, namely Johannesburg / Midrand/Pretoria. From time to time there will also be photos from elsewhere that I have visited.
You can use these photos as backgrounds for your desktop and as such I will supply them in 1024 size. When you click on the photo, it will open a new window which will take you to the Flickr page. Click on 'All Sizes' to download the large version of the photo.
I hope that you enjoy them. Drop me a line in the comments.
Peace and tranquility is the first thing that we noticed about Nkwe. That was until we were almost overrun by the bulls!
Seriously though, this place is very peaceful. As we drove onto the premises, what struck me was the amount of trees. Even though it was dry, the park was still pretty in a stark winter sort of way.
Besides us, there was one other person there that day. A bird watcher who had been to Nkwe 18 years before and came back to reminisce and see how things had changed.
"You wonder how deep it is and how many people have disappeared forever in it's depths."
Walking down to the water hole is the first thing that you will want to do. Trust me. It's like a magnet. You almost can't help yourself. You wonder how deep it is and how many people have disappeared forever in it depths. Typical urban legend stuff.
Then you think back to your child hood and imagine how good it would have been to be able to play cowboys and indians in this place. If your kids still play those games (and I don't mean on the playstation), they will love this place.
Why is that? Why do people feel this irresistable need to jump from high places? Adrenaline, testosterone or stupidity? Maybe all of the above.
Although the weather didn't permit swimming, climbing the rocks kept me busy for a while.
Yes I know I am easily amused.
Having conquered the mountain, I decided that it was time to explore, so I chucked my camera bag over my shoulder, waved my dad farewell and set of on the treacherous journey to chart this territory for my avid readers.
This place really was very pretty. Maybe it was the quiet, or maybe it was the wind blowing though whatever leaves were left on the trees, but I was very content with life at that moment.
"... I see a huge dog running towards me. It had horns! "
My daydreaming was interrupted by a yell from my dad: 'Watch out for him!'
Horns I tell you!
Great, all we needed then was for fire to come out its nose and no-one would ever believe me again.
The bull changed direction and headed for the water with the rest of its evil brethren following. The little old lady that walked behind them, yelling and gesturing with a stick, did nothing for my shattered ego.
Feeling that my career as an avid explorer and tamer of new lands was rapidly coming to an end, I headed back towards where my dad sat.
As I walked through the trees I thought about how pretty this place would be in spring when everything started to bloom again. Definitely a place I would like to come back to. If not to explore, then just to have a braai with friends on the banks of the Pienaars River and to lie on my back under the trees and listen to the wind blowing through the leaves.
How to get there:On the N1 travelling north, take the Lynwood Drive offramp. Turn right at the robots. Keep travelling until you go over Hans Strydom Drive. From Hans Strydom Drive, travel approx. 13.6km. The entrance to Nkwe will be on the right hand side of the road. |
R20 per person for day visitors.
| For more information visit: |
Words and Pictures by Louis Beetge
Its hard for me not to be totally biased when writing about this park, after all it is where I fell in love and is probably my favourite quick escape from the bustle.
On a typical weekend the Botanical gardens is usually buzzing with families, couples, groups and individuals enjoying the many activities this park has to offer. From cycling to picnicking, taking your dog for a run or a cup of tea and a scone at the tea garden one can always find something that meets their interest here.
" ... one can always find something that meets their interest here."
On weekends pretty sailboats with rainbow coloured sails can be seen busy with a race. There is a sailing club on the dam and for a moderate fee you could learn how to sail your own little sailboat or rent one for the day.
" ... roses in exotic colours ranging from white to purple, manicured lawns and magical fountains."
A Shakespeare garden and even a herb garden are also fun attractions giving you a truly educational experience as you learn many interesting things.
" ... check the bulletin board for upcoming events like concerts in the park ..."
The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and there's safe parking just over the bridge, or in Thomas Bowler Road.
How to get there:From the N1 South towards Bloemfontein, take the Beyers Naude offramp and turn left. Turn left into Thomas Bowler Rd. The Botanical Gardens are on your right. You will see various entrances to this big park. To view a map: |
Free
| For more information visit: |
Words by Kathy Beetge
Photos by Louis Beetge
After spending the last couple of weeks hearing rave reviews about the interesting places that they had discovered and looking enviously at the beautiful photographs they had taken I decided that I was not gonna let another day's Adventure pass without me.
So I tagged along, much to the amusement of my traveling companions.
'...how peaceful could it be with all that traffic and chaos in that part of town?
We had heard from a friend of a friend that there was a pretty little dam about a kilometer from Menlyn Shopping Centre. I know what you're thinking, I've been there countless times and have never heard of it. And besides, how peaceful could it be with all that traffic and chaos in that part of town.
I was very pleasantly surprised. We stopped at a corner cafe for some refreshment and I quickly picked up a magazine. My photographer of a husband can tend to linger at a good spot and I didn't want to be bored, so I decided to get myself something to keep me entertained.
The place was well kept and extremely serene. With the sound of a slow breeze through the leaves and birds chirping not a car could be heard despite the traffic we encountered on our way there.
'...perhaps it was the surroundings that gave them that extra bit of romance this day.'
The parks visitors on that Friday consisted of a woman and her two dogs that were taking her for a run and two young couples that looked very much in love. Or perhaps it was the surroundings that gave them that extra bit of romance this day. One couple sat on a blanket under a beautiful weeping willow, just enjoying each other's company. Another walked hand in hand and then took a seat on one of the many park benches strategically placed close to the waters edge.
'...an excellent spot for a picnic with a loved one...'
All in all it turned out to be a fantastic morning out and definitely an excellent spot for a picnic with a loved one, a family outing, a walk with the dog or even just a quiet stroll.
A little research done and I also found out that Struben Dam is part of the Morelleta Hiking Trail that starts at Faerie Glen Nature reserve and meanders through Pretoria on 11km of hiking trail. Needless to say Struben Dam is definitely worth a visit.
How to get there:Off the N1, turn towards Menlyn Shopping Centre into Atterbury. Left into Lois, Right into Ingersol, Left into Impy, Right into Ilkey. Left into Innes Street. You will see the Sanctuary and parking on your right. |
Free
| For more information visit: |
Words by Kathy Beetge
Pictures by Louis Beetge
A perfect mid-week break away that recharged my batteries and put a smile on my face. And it's only 10 minutes away if you stay in Midrand.
I looked up from my camera and saw the parrot watching me intently from atop the gazebo. A voice behind me said, “If you hold out your arm, she'll climb on. Don't worry, she doesn't bite. Her name is Bella.”
Bella is one of the many parrots at the Lory Park Animal and Owl Sanctuary and are looked after by volunteers Cheryl and Theresa. True to her reputation, Bella didn't bite anybody, even when she became annoyed with me for trying to get her off my arm.
You can meet these delightful ladies and their birds when you visit the Tea Garden on the premises. Just prepare yourself for the noise!
In case you were wondering: some of these birds do bite, as my wife Kathy can testify. After extensive pampering we are of the opinion that she'll live. Shame.
'...Lory Park has many attractions that will endear it to your heart.'
Apart from the birds, Lory Park has many attractions that will endear it to your heart. It is a perfect outing for parents with small kids. There are play racks to keep them busy while you drink your tea or coffee and many 'wow' factors to keep both them and you entertained for a morning. One of these is the cub petting.
Currently, there are two cubs that you can interact with, a lion and a tiger. Yes ladies and gentlemen, there are lions and tigers in Midrand!
'If you have never seen a fully grown Siberian Tiger up close, brace yourself.'
If you have never seen a fully grown Siberian Tiger up close, brace yourself. They are HUGE.
The zoo is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 4pm. Entrance is R30 for adults and R20 for children.
Although the zoo is small in surface area, this is precisely one of it's strengths. When you have children, you don't necessarily want to spend a whole day walking around. This zoo is a perfect morning getaway with enough thrills to keep your children talking about it for a long time to come.
'...enough thrills to keep your children talking...'
Lory Park Zoo also caters for kids parties and corporate functions. For bookings or more information speak to Matty on 082 960 6415.
How to get there:From JohannesburgN1 towards Pretoria. Take Allandale offramp at Midrand. Turn right over the highway. Third traffic light (incl. the traffic light on the highway) turn left onto the K101/Old Pretoria Road. Turn right at the fourth traffic light which is Dale Road. Turn right at the third road which is Kruger Road. Go straight down Kruger, pass a stop street and we are about 800m on the right hand side. From PretoriaN1 towards Johannesburg. Take New Road off ramp and turn left. At next traffic light turn right into Old Pretoria Road. Turn left into Dale at third traffic light. At the third road on the right, turn into Kruger Road. Go straight down Kruger, pass a stop street and we are about 800m on the right hand side. |
| For more information visit: http://www.loryparkzoo.co.za |
If you are looking for a day break-away from the big city, Rietvlei Nature Reserve will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a new week. 
Situated just 18km out of Pretoria Central (Tshwane) and 38km from Oliver Tambo International Airport, the reserve houses three of the Big Five and offers a perfect day out with its clean picnic spots and varied landscapes.
Upon entering the reserve, we were greeted with a panoramic view of the Rietvlei Dam. The reserve forms part of the Rietvlei water catchment area and Rietvlei Dam supplies Tshwane with 15% of its water needs. It's 38 square kilometers is criss-crossed by 60 kilometers of tarred and proper dirt roads. Both these road types are in excellent condition and can be easily navigated with a small sedan. We did it in a Toyota Tazz with a dropped suspension!
After driving for about ten minutes, we saw our first game. An ostrich.
Big deal.
Five minutes later we were surrounded by 5 Rhinos, a herd of Zebra and quite a few Springbok. Two Eland could be spotted in the distance and the Red Hartebeest gave me one of my favourite pictures for the day. This was truly amazing considering the location of the Reserve. I mean we could've been home in the big city within 20 minutes!
"Rietvlei Nature Reserve has the capacity to house between 1500 – 2000 head of game..."
Rietvlei Nature Reserve has the capacity to house between 1500 – 2000 head of game, some of which are dangerous. According to the official literature, Rietvlei houses leopard, cheetah, hyena, aardwolf and african wild cat. Not to mention hippos and the herds of antelope and numerous small animals like monkeys, hares, weasels and mongoose. The only thing we saw that could be classified as dangerous were the Rhinos. For a couple of city slickers, that was pretty exciting though.
We decided to take a break from sitting in the car, and head for the Marais dam. The picnic spots here were clean and the atmosphere quiet. Trees on the shore provided plenty of shade and there are toilet and braai facilities for your convenience. Bird hides on the shore offer evidence of the ample bird life that is to be found in the reserve. 272 Confirmed species, according to the brochure.
Since we hadn't brought any food and the hippos weren't being very cooperative, we hit the road again. The 'Vlei Road' took us into a wetland or more specifically a peat wetland. For those of you who don't know what 'peat' is: Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetable matter. Hey, don't look at me like that. I had to Google it to find out.
Told you I was a city slicker.
"A short while later, my wife phones and tells me that if I don't come home straight away, I can very well marry the zebras and live in the bird hides..."
A short while later, my wife phoned and said that if I didn't come home straight away, I could very well marry the zebras and live in the bird hides, so I guess it was time for us to go. On the way out, we ran into a small herd of zebra so close to the road that we could touch them. This definitely called for more photographs. I frantically grabbed for my camera, pointed it at the perfectly posed zebra and...
'Beep – beep - beep'
My camera's self timer goes off. I forgot to take the thing of self timer! The zebras moved away and my dad went into a fit of laughter. I had a totally different sort of fit.
All in all, we didn't really want to leave and felt like a second trip would definitely be worthwhile. Driving home and being stuck in traffic I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the peace and quiet of the reserve and the chaotic Friday afternoon traffic.
If you need a break from big city life without having to drive hundreds of kilometers or spending your yearly vacation budget, Rietvlei Nature Reserve is well worth a visit.
How to get there:From the R21 take the IRENE RIETVLEI DAM off-ramp. Drive in an easterly direction, at the first 4-way stop street turn right towards Olifantsfontein and the St Georges Hotel. Drive for 1,5 km, crossing the Sesmylspruit. On the left is a sign indicating RIETVLEI NATURE RESERVE, turn left and follow the road up the hill to the main gate. (Drive past the stone entrance until you get to the offices and entrance gate). To download a map to the reserve: (Right Click and 'Save Target As...') |
Persons 12 years and older: R30
Children 6 - 12 years : R15
Pre-school children 0 - 6 years : free
Persons 60 years and older : R15
Season Tickets are also available.
| For more information visit: http://www.tshwane.gov.za/rietvlei_facilities.cfm |
