WILDERNESS
Forests, beaches, lakes… The Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park has all of this and more. Here’s how to maximise your nature time on your next visit to this area.
The Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park has forests, beaches and lakes. And there’s lots to do: hike, paddle, build a sandcastle, go birdwatching or have a picnic!
Agrass strip as wide as a pavement separates my tent from the Touw River in the well-known Ebb & Flow rest camp. If that strip were any narrower, I’d be in danger of stumbling into the water. It’s early morning. Steam is rising from my coffee mug and from the surface of the river. A kingfisher is perched in the reeds and keeps a wary eye on its surroundings. An Egyptian goose family waddles into the shallows. On the opposite bank, indigenous trees cling to a steep cliff. The sea is only about a kilometre downstream; upstream, the river snakes its way deeper into the forest. Somewhere up there, the Serpentine River splits off the Touw and feeds Island Lake, Bo-Langvlei, Rondevlei and Swartvlei. These lakes are connected by narrow channels and stretch as far as Sedgefield. It’s easy to forget that Ebb & Flow is basically in the middle of a town. Parts of Wilderness and Hoekwil surround this section of the Garden Route National Park. Indeed, the rest camp is only 2 km from the N2, with a railway line cutting right through it. But here’s a thought: Maybe the town is in the park? The Wilderness section goes all the way from the mouth of the Touw River to the Swartvlei estuary about 23 km further east, and there’s a decent-sized conservation area surrounding the Seven Passes Road to the north. (The Garden Route NP also has Knysna and Tsitsikamma sections; for more information about the Knysna part of the park, see go! #132.) Yes, there’s more than enough wilderness to go around in Wilderness, thanks mostly to a long process that began in 1968 to get all the different properties, rivers and lakes declared a protected area. One of the final puzzle pieces was Rondevlei, which was added to the park in 1991, creating an uninterrupted chain from the Touw River to Swartvlei. SANParks is still busy rehabilitating and adding new properties to the conservation area, including historical forestry plantations in the mountainous region around the Seven Passes Road. With so many diverse areas to explore, you’ll probably need a trailer to bring everything you’ll need: an umbrella and a surfboard for the beach; a sunhat, swimming costume and kayak for the rivers; binoculars and a guide to watch birds; and your hiking boots, of course. If you can fit them in, also bring a fishing rod, a paraglider and a mountain bike. Or leave everything at home and just relax in your camping chair next to the river. It’s up to you!
Hiking trails
There are plenty of hiking trails in the Wilderness section: through forests, along rivers, around lakes and along the beach. There are four trails in and around Ebb & Flow. They’re all easy half-day hikes that take between 1 – 4 hours to complete. The Half Collared Kingfisher Trail (7,2 km; 3 hours) starts near the railway bridge over the Touw River in Waterside Road. The trail goes along the river through a forest to a pont where you have to haul yourself across the river. Then you follow a 2 km-long wooden walkway to a waterfall on private property. ( The waterfall was closed to the public at the time of going to print, but check at reception.) Hike back along the Bosduif loop on the western side of the Touw River gorge. This steep trail will test your legs, but you’ll be rewarded with a quieter route and great views. The Pied Kingfisher Trail (10 km; 4 hours) is popular with birdwatchers because you pass through different habitats: grassland, wetland and beach. Raptors like harriers and fish-eagles have been seen. The trail leaves the southern part of Ebb & Flow and goes around a section of the Serpentine River, then it follows the northern bank of the Touw River to its estuary and returns via the beach. There’s not a lot of shade on the trail so start early in the morning or walk it on a cool day. The Brown Hooded Kingfisher Trail (5 km; 3 hours) starts opposite the north-eastern corner of Island Lake and crosses the Duiwe River a few times before you reach a pool and a small waterfall where you can swim. On the Cape Dune Molerat Trail you have a choice between a 3 km or a 6 km circular route (2 – 3 hours). The sandy trail will lead you through fields of fynbos and proteas with views of Rondevlei, all the way to Swartvlei. Along the way you’ll pass the Rondevlei bird hide. You can also do a short 2 km hike at the Woodville Big Tree and there are several trails in the Goudveld section of the park: The Circles in a Forest loop (3 km or 9 km) starts and ends at the Krisjan-se-Nek picnic site, as does the 3,2 km Drupkelders Trail. At the Jubilee Creek picnic area there’s a 3,4 km-long trail that takes you along old mining routes from the 1880s. Along the way you’ll see mine shafts that were dug by hand as miners looked for gold. And there’s a pool to swim in at the end.
More things to do
Hire a canoe (from R80 per hour) at the Tarentaal day visitors’ area in the southern section of the rest camp. Paddle downstream along the lagoon to the estuary, or go upstream, under the railway bridge, past the northern section of the camp and deeper into the gorge. Eventually you’ll reach a spot where the water is too shallow to paddle – leave the canoe there and hike the final part of the Half Collared Kingfisher Trail. You can also paddle down the Serpentine River to Island Lake about 5,5 km further. The river winds through dense reeds and you might see waterbirds like little
bittern and reed cormorant. Pack some snacks and have a picnic at Island Lake before you paddle back. ( You can’t reach the other two lakes, Bo-Langvlei and Rondevlei, because the channels are too narrow and both lakes are protected Ramsar sites where birds and fish are left to breed in peace.) It would be a shame to visit Wilderness and not spend time on the beach, which is about 25 km long and goes all the way to Sedgefield and beyond. Plant your umbrella at the main beach, which has Blue Flag status. Or head to Leentjiesklip Beach – park at the end of Sands Road and go down to build sandcastles with the kids. The further east you go, the higher the dunes become. After a while they tower over the beach like mountains. Park next to the Wilderness Beach Hotel (72 Sands Road), climb down the steps and head east along the beach for 3 km. Walk at dawn and the dunes will glow orange as the sun rises – great for photos. The cliffs from here go all the way to Gerickes Point near Sedgefield – an impressive sandstone peninsula that juts into the sea. Sneak a bottle of sparkling wine into your picnic basket and have a romantic date on this sandy outcrop with its 180-degree view of the sea. Make sure to plan your visit to coincide with low tide because the point is cut off from the mainland at high tide. A little adventure makes for a good date, but you don’t want to be rescued by the NSRI! To get to Gerickes Point, turn off the N2 at the Sedge Links golf course and follow the road to the sea. You can see the peninsula from the parking area – walk about 1,5 km along the beach to get there. If you like to fish, bring your rods and cast a line at Leentjiesklip Beach, Kleinkranz, Sandhoogte (before Buxton Close), Gerickes Point, Swartvlei and Island Lake. Get your angling permit from the post office in Milkwood Village. The species targeted include galjoen, Cape stumpnose and garrick. You’re allowed to collect bait on the beach. Mountain bikers can ride the 18,5 km Homtini Trail or do one of the three trails in the Farleigh forest north of the Seven Passes Road (8 km, 20 km or 22 km).
Dust off your binoculars
Ask residents and tourists why the park is special and the answer usually has something to do with the rich birdlife. When you set up camp at Ebb & Flow, you’ll see what they’re talking about. Turacos are as abundant as pigeons in the Company’s Garden in Cape Town and kingfishers often dive into the Touw River for a snack. If you want to work on your tick list, there are three bird hides in the park. The hides are well maintained and inside you’ll find a bird list and a visitors’ book with notes about where to look for certain species. The Gallinule Hide in Dumbleton Road is closest to Ebb & Flow – get the key at the Fairy Knowe Hotel. Wear waterproof shoes because the pathway to the hide is sometimes underwater when the river is in spate. The Malachite Hide is on the northern banks of Bo-Langvlei, about 7,5 km from the Ebb & Flow gate. The hide sits snugly in the reeds so you’ll be right among the red-knobbed coots. Bring your camera to take photos of reed cormorants drying their wings on the branches in front of the hide. Highlights to be seen here include little rush-warbler, African rail and malachite kingfisher. The Rondevlei Hide is the furthest away from Ebb & Flow and it’s the quietest of the lot. The spectacular sunsets alone make it worth a visit. The setting sun and reflections on the water turn the vlei into a golden pool surrounded by dark mountains. There are dead trees in front of the hide – look for white-breasted cormorant and African darter fighting over the best branch, and yellowbilled duck and Cape shoveler in the reeds.
Pack a picnic basket
If you’re only visiting the park for a day, or if you want to get the kids out of the campsite for a while, head to one of the picnic sites. Island Lake has shade awnings and braai facilities close to the water, ablution facilities and a big lawn with soccer goal posts. You can also bring your boat or fish from the banks. The Touw River estuary picnic site next to the N2 gets quite busy, probably because it offers good access to the beach. These two spots are only minutes away from Ebb & Flow. If you have more time, go to Krisjan-se-Nek in the Goudveld section of the park, under the trees next to the Dalene Matthee memorial. Further along you’ll find the Jubilee Creek picnic area, also under centuries-old trees, with a stream burbling nearby. If you’re driving the Seven Passes Road, the Woodville Big Tree is a nice spot to pull over.