Dagboek: Week 3 | Voetspore RSA
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Dagboek: Week 3
Die Voetsporespan is op reis – tydens ‘n wêreldwye pandemie loop ons paaie weer deur Suid-Afrika! Die week het as volg verloop:
Die week gaan ons oor die Platorand. Daar is geen beter plek om so ‘n reis te begin as bo op Mariepskop nie. Dis ‘n steil roete op na bo, maar die beloning is ‘n uitstekende uitsig oor die Laeveld.
Ons is ook na die Klaserie waterval. Dis pragtig. Veral omdat Streicher dit ook vir ons met die hommeltuig kon afneem.
Op pad af draai ons af na die piekniekplek by die Blyderivier. Dis ‘n baie slegte paadjie, en 4×4 is nodig. Ook hier is die beloning groot. ‘n Pragtige plek met diep poele. As dit somer was het ons sekerlik gaan swem.
Vanaf die piekniekplek is dit soos die kraai vlieg minder as 10 kilometer na ons volgende bestemming – die Blyde Canyon Forever Resort. Pad langs is dit egter meer as 120 km. Tussen ons en die Resort is daar die Blyderivier Vallei, naas die Visrivier vallei die tweede grootste vallei in Afrika.
Ons is met die Abel Erasmus pas, deur die JG Strydom tonnels, oor die platorand. Dis een van die heel mooiste roetes in Suid Afrika.
Laat middag kom ons aan by die Blyde Canyon Forever Resort. Die bestuurder is Francois Scholtz. Ek en Gideon het dertig jaar gelede saam met hom gewerk by Scholtz Films. Dit is wonderlik om Francois na al die jare weer te sien.
Ons is na die uitkykpunt vanwaar mens die Drie Rondawels, landmerk in die streek, kon sien. Mariepskop is ook sommer net oorkant die vallei. Die sonsondergang is pragtig vanaf die uitkykpunt.
Die aand braai ons saam met Francois en sy personeel. Na drie maande van inperking is hulle uitgehonger vir geselskap.
Na sonop vertrek ons saam met Francois na die Belvedere kragstasie. Dis ‘n hidro elektriese kragstasie wat in 1911 gebou is by die samevloeiing van die Blyde en Belvedere riviere. Die kragstasie het aan Pelgrimsrus elektrisiteit verskaf. Die dorpie het ‘n paar jaar voor Londen straatligte gehad.
Die roete af na die kragstasie is baie steil. Dis ook toegegroei en die voertuie doen maar ‘n paar krapmerke op. Maar dis ‘n mooi roete.
Die kragstasie het gewerk tot in die 1970’s en is vir 20 jaar lank daarna nog in stand gehou. Vandag is dit gevandaliseer. Dit is so jammer dat die deel van die geskiedenis net so verlore gaan. Dit kon so ‘n mooi toeriste aantrekking gewees het. Selfs die staproete na die kragstasie word nie meer gebruik nie.
Na die kragstasie ry ons Pelgrimsrus toe. Onderweg kruis ons die Treurrivier. Hendrik Potgieter se Trekkers het vir hom hier gewag toe hy Delagoabaai (vandag Maputo) toe is. Hulle het gedink hy het gesterf. Toe noem hulle dit die Treurrivier. ‘n Paar dae later, toe hulle by die volgende rivier is, daag Potgieter wel op. Toe noem hulle dit die Blyderivier.
Pelgrimsrus is ‘n pragtige, historiese dorpie. Dis soos ‘n reuse opelug museum. Dis ‘n plek wat mens moet besoek as jy in die streek is.
Op pad terug Blyde Canyon toe reis ons met die Panorama roete. Met sononder kom ons by die oord aan, en toe trakteer Nina en Streicher ons ander vier manne op ‘n heerlike Vadersdag aandete.
Eerste besoek van die dag was aan Bourke ’s Luck of te wel die Potholes. Die kolkgate by die samevloeiing van die Blyde en Treurriviere is absoluut skouspelagtig.
Ons reis verder na Ohrigstad. Net voor die dorp draai ons regs, na die Echo Grotte. By die grotte ontvang Carla en Danie le Roux ons. Carla se oupa het die plaas Klipfonteinhoek gekoop waarop die grotte later ontdek is. Haar pa, ‘n tandarts, het dit gekommersialiseer en selfs ‘n hotel by die plek gebou. Dit was ook die boere van die kontrei se watergat.
Michael Mmopane is ‘n plaaslike gids. Hy het ons deur die grotte geneem. Dis is nogal skouspelagtig mooi. Eers die Madonna kamer. Daarna die olifant kamer. Al dieper die grotte in, totdat ons in ‘n stadium moes kruip. Dis nie ‘n plek vir mense met engtevrees nie.
Die stalaktiete en stalagmiete is uitsonderlik mooi. Ook interessant is die vlermuise. Maar dis nou winter, en hulle slaap. Dan is daar die boomwortels! Dis meer as 60 meter onder die grondoppervlakte, en die wortels kom deur die grotte en gaan nog dieper na onder.
Die aand kuier ons saam met Carla en Danie, hulle kinders, haar ma, en nog ‘n paar mense uit die kontrei.
Dit was ‘n heerlike besoek. Ek ry nog altyd verby die afdraai bordjie na die grotte. Bly ons het die keer ingedraai.
Ons vertrek van die grotte en ry na Ohrigstad. Ons ry verby die Skoen, ‘n landmerk op die roete. In die dorp hou ons stil by Tiezers vir ‘n heerlike ontbyt van krummelpap, sous, boerewors en eier.
Ons ry oor Lydenburg en toe met die Steenkampberg pas. Sover ek weet is dit die hoogste teerpad in die ou Transvaal, of in Suid Afrika? Dalk kan iemand help?
Ons kom net na twaalf in Dullstroom aan.
By die Dullstroom dam ontvang Alwin van Niekerk ons. Ons ontmoet ook vir Craig McLachlan wat vir ons wys hoe om ‘n kunsvlieggie te knoop. Dis ‘n absolute kunswerk.
Later ontmoet ons vir Mahmood Vaid van The Blue Shop. Die winkel bestaan reeds meer as 100 jaar, en is deur sy oupa begin. Dis ‘n instelling op die dorp. Mahmood kom wys ook sommer vir ons hoe om te hengel.
Toe die son sak is ons na Vaid se winkel waar sy vrou, Fatima, ‘n paar jaar gelede ‘n restaurant oopgemaak het. In Fatima’s Kitchen word ons onthaal met die heerlikste samoesas en chillie bites, en daarna ‘n hoender breyani soos mens net uit ‘n Indiese kombuis kry.
Toe die son opkom is dit bitterlik koud. Dit lyk om die Dullstroomdam soos ‘n sneeu landskap van die ryp. Die temperatuur is ver onder vriespunt.
Ons gaan hengel. Die lyn van die forel stok sukkel om uit te gaan, want die water in die stok se ogies vries.
Teen nege uur kom twee gidse saam met ons vis vang. Alex Mphuthi en Mishack Letswelo is beide inwoners van Dullstroom. Alex werk as chef by Walkersons en Mishack by die Bird of Prey Centre. In hulle aftyd doen hulle gids werk by die damme.
Alex en Mishack is uitstekende hengelaars, en twee wonderlike mense. Hulle het die Voetsporespan mooi geleer om vis te vang met ‘n vlieg stok. Binne ‘n halfuur het Nina haar eerste vis gevang!
Na ‘n paar uur se hengel het ons gaan perdry. Ilanthé Labuschagne het ‘n paar Percheron en Nooitgedachter perde. Philip Hattingh en sy vrou Lallie het ook kom saamry. Ons is op teen die Steenkampsberg tot by die forte waar daar ‘n klompie grafte is van Engelse wat tydens die Anglo Boere-oorlog gesneuwel het. Van bo op die berg is daar is uitstekende uitsig op die dorp.
Na die perdry het Mahmood Vaid ons weer kom haal, en geneem na die Bergen Kaaswinkel. Dit is een van die winkels in die dorp wat nie kan wag dat die inperkingstaat gelig moet word, en die mense van Gauteng weer Dullstroom toe moet stroom nie.
Aandete was by die dam. Drie van Dullstroom se beste chefs het vir ons gekook. Adri van Wieringen van Adri’s Bistro, Tony Burdzik van The Mad Hatter Cafè en Bryan Wolmarans van Mrs Simpson’s Restaurant het ons trakteer. Intussen het Alwin van Niekerk vir ons musiek gemaak. Hy is ‘n uitstekende sanger en pianis. Gideon het laataand ingeval met sy bekfluitjie.
Dit was ‘n baie lekker laataand kuier.
Ons praat weer.
This week we want to go to the escarpment. There is no better place to start such a journey as on the top of Mariepskop. It is a steep route to the top, but the reward is an excellent view of the Lowveld.
We also visit the Klaserie waterfall. Beautiful. Especially because Streicher can film it with his drone.
On our descend we turn off to a picnic spot at the Blyde river. It is quite a rough path and we have to switch to 4×4. Yet, another great reward. A beautiful place with deep ponds. If it was summer, we would surely have dived in.
The distance from the picnic spot to our next destination – the Blyde Canyon Forever Resort, is less than 10 km as the crow flies, but more than 120 km by road. Between us and the Resort is the Blyde river valley. Besides the Fish river valley, the second largest valley in Africa.
We tunnel through the Abel Erasmus pass and JG Strydom tunnels over the escarpment. One of the most scenic routes in South Africa.
Late afternoon we arrive at the Blyde Canyon Forever Resort. The manager is Francois Scholtz. Francois, Gideon and I have worked at Scholtz Films thirty years ago. Wonderful to re-unite after all these years.
We go to the lookout point where we can see the Three Rondavels which is the landmark of this region. Mariepskop is also on the other side of the valley. The sunset is exceptional from this spot.
That evening we have a barbeque with Francois and his staff. After three months of lockdown everybody was keen for company.
After sunrise Francois takes us to the Belvedere power station. It is a hydro-electric power station built in 1911 at the confluence of the Blyde and Belvedere rivers. This power station produced electricity to Pelgrimsrus. This little town’s streets were illuminated a few years before even Londen had streetlights.
The route to the power station is very steep. It is also densely overgrown, and the vehicles get a few scratches. But the route is beautiful.
The power station was in operation till the 1970’s and maintained for another 20 years. Since then it has been vandalised. Such a pity that a part of our history goes lost forever. It could have been such an excellent tourist attraction. Even the walking trail to the power station is not in use anymore.
After the power station we go to Pilgrimsrest. On route we cross the Treur river. It is here where Hendrik Potgieter’s trekkers waited for him to return from Delagoa bay (currently Maputo). They thought him to be dead and named it Treur river. A few days later at another river he turned up and they consequently named it Blyde river.
Pilgrimsrest is a quaint, historical town. Almost like a large open-air museum. Definitely a place to visit when you are in this region.
On our way back to the Blyde Canyon we take the Panorama route. At sunset we arrive at the resort and Nina and Streicher treat us and the other four men to a delicious Father’s Day supper.
Our first visit of the day is to Bourke ’s Luck or otherwise the Potholes. The abysses at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers are absolutely spectacular.
We continue to Ohrigstad. Before reaching town, we take a right turn to the Echo Caves where we are met by Carla and Danie le Roux. Carla’s grandfather bought the farm Klipfonteinhoek where the caves were later discovered. Her father, a dentist, commercialised it and even erected a hotel. It was also the farmers’ local watering hole.
Michael Mmopane is a local guide. He takes us through the caves. Spectacularly beautiful. First the Madonna room. Then the elephant room. Further, deeper into the caves we even have to go on all fours. Not a place for the claustrophobic.
The stalactites and stalagmites are exceptionally beautiful. The bats are also interesting, but because of winter they are currently hibernating. The tree roots here penetrate the caves at an astonishing level of 60 metres underground and continue even deeper.
That evening we are visited by Carla and Danie, their children, her mother and a few other locals. The company is good.
I have always passed the turn off to the caves but are glad that we did otherwise this time.
We depart from the caves to Ohrigstad and pass The Shoe, a landmark on route. In town we stop at Tiezers for a delicious breakfast of krummelpap, gravy, sausage and egg.
We travel to Lydenburg via the Steenkamp mountain pass. To my knowledge it is the highest tar road in the former Transvaal, or even South Africa? Can anybody maybe assist with the correct information?
We arrive in Dullstroom shortly after twelve.
At the Dullstroom dam we are met by Alwin van Niekerk. We are also introduced to Craig McLachlan who demonstrates how to tie an artificial fly. An absolute piece of art.
Later we meet up with Mahmood Vaid from The Blue Shop. This shop has been started by his father and has been in business for more than 100 years. A well-known establishment in town. Mahmood comes to show us how to angle.
After sunset we go to Vaid’s shop where his wife, Fatima, opened a restaurant a few years ago. In Fatima’s Kitchen we are entertained with delicious samoosas and chilly bites and a proper home cooked Indian chicken breyani.
At sunrise it is bitterly cold. The frost in the area around the Dullstroom dam looks like a snow landscape. The temperature is below freezing point.
It is time for fly fishing. Difficult to cast since the eyeholes on the rod has been frozen solid.
At nine’o clock two guides join us. Alex Mphuthi and Mishack Letswelo are both residents from Dullstroom. Alex works as a chef at Walkersons and Mishack at the Bird of Prey Centre. In their spare time they act as guides at the dams.
Alex and Mishack are both excellent anglers and two amazing people. They teach the Voetspore team how to do fly fishing. Within the first half hour Nina catches her first fish!
After a few hours of angling we go horse riding. Ilanthé Labuschagne owns a few Percheron and Nooitgedachter horses. Philip Hattingh and his wife Lallie join us. We ride up the Steenkamps mountain to the forts and a number of English soldier graves who were killed during the Anglo Boer War. One has an excellent view of the town from the top of the mountain.
Mahmood Vaid fetches us after horse riding and takes us to the Bergen Cheese Shop. One of many shops who anxiously awaits the end of lockdown and for people from Gauteng to visit Dullstroom in their numbers once again.
We have dinner at the dam. Three of Dullstroom’s top chefs cook for us. Adri van Wieringen from Adri’s Bistro, Tony Burdzik from The Mad Hatter Cafè and Bryan Wolmarans from Mr. Simpson’s Restaurant. Alwin van Niekerk entertains us with a musical performance. He is a very good singer and pianist. Gideon later tunes in with his harmonica.
A very enjoyable late night get together.
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Dagboek: Week 2 Dagboek: Week 4