Kloof News Summer 2010
Monday, 15 March 2010
Note: get the image-rich version of this newsletter in PDF format here.
Rain, rain, rain it’s finally raining with us!!! After the last good rain of 30mm on the 8th of November in 2009, we’ve seen a total of 6mm only, until today the 10th of March when the heavens opened again and delivered a “whoopee” 7mm soft and gentle rain… well we are modest these days specially after all those floods in recent years it’s time for slow but steady growth, no greed, all in moderation. Hence the year of 2010 started just like that, after a very good December holiday season we’ve seen a slow down to near emptiness at some weekends. Did the world economic crisis finally reach South Africa and the Western Cape? Or did we just all spend too much on our credit cards and it became time to tighten the belt? In the meantime the long weekends filled up well in advance to other years and camping became the flavour of the day.
And then there were all those mountain fires, not a week goes by without a fire flaring up on a neighbouring farm here in the Koo Valley – 80% caused by fellow man, I have to add. Two weeks ago it got as close as 600m to our Eastern border, a close shave and just two days ago merely 7km down the road we managed to stop another one, this time started by lightning.
Grabbing the available time we progressed quite a bit with our new house and on the last day of 2009 Mareletta made sure we’d be waking up in our new bedroom by the 1st of 2010!!! Sand, dust and bat droppings did not damper her mission, nor did the fact that we would still make use of the “out-house” (compost toilet)and the bush shower originally build for
for my 4 assistant builders. In no time she had converted the building site into a hip living space: Rough walls, but a Kelim plus some big cushions and the comfy red couch from her city days; deserving a fashion shoot any time. Mind you, weeks prior, once our apricots were ready for picking, Mareletta had turned the makeshift kitchen into a jamming factory, cooking away on the old camping stove, lining every windowsill with delicious jars of apricot jam – yummy!!!The following weeks I dug, or let’s say chiselled away the “blouklip” (damn hard rock…), for sewer pipes and septic tank. A 3 hour session of digger loading did the initial work but refuse to go deeper on the hard stuff. Years ago I would have drawn two lines on a sheet of bumph, scribbled a couple of numbers and notes next to it then handed it over to the builder, now I was on both sides, plus squeezing the budget too. It had to be economical, logical and functional all at once. You can imagine the smile on my face when I saw the water rushing past the last inspection hole. Weeks of levelling out and checking the slope paid out. In a funny sense, a French-American WWOOFer covering the drainpipes and adding some artistic elements to the garden taps added the last touches! You can’t beat nature! Just as I discovered years ago, with any man made structure, nature has the last say! She’ll take it back any time and always no matter if we call it “concrete” or make it as sticky as tar, nature comes and breaks it all up into little pieces and eventually recycles it. Not that the house is already being broken up, NO! But as the breeding season started, the bats we had evicted last April, were back to roost and what better place than the open, yet sheltered, bathroom, together with a pair of breeding swallows as neighbours. The doves chose the yet to be closed fireplace in the lounge as the perfect nesting place, while Mr Rock Agama secured himself the kitchen’s chimney - every morning checking up on my progress. Any wonder MY wife wanted to move in too?!
Nemesia bodkinii Bolus alive an "kick'n"
In our last newsletter we’ve reported about that beautiful tiny little black flower which “surfaced” a year after the bush fire… I can happily convey that she’s back… or let me phrase it like this: In November the Montagu Eco Club visited Simonskloof for a “rock climbing expedition to the top of the 1000m high Boegoe Koppie” as it later was described in the local newspaper. I accompanied the group of 20 odd members (odd referring to numbers not character :o) on this, usually 1½ hour circular trail, to see if we could spot the little black flower this time, having checked unsuccessfully a month prior. And indeed we spotted two specimens in close vicinity of the original location, nicely sheltered by other fynbos, the highlight of the excursion.
Vanished in the Nuy River – a Border collie’s Odyssey
It was his last day of WWOOFing at Simonskloof. We’d spoken about the big wall climbing potential in our “back yard”. His afternoon was off and the weather was cool for a change, not usual for February, our hottest month of the year. We had had a couple of days where the mercury reached the 40° mark, but today was overcast, perfect for a quick stroll. So Ben and Frida the girl Border collie went over the Saddle to check out that
wall – nothing out of the ordinary, until it got dark and no Ben nor the dog were back at the house. Dinner was ready but I headed out once again on the search of a “lost” hiker. A half an hour later I met Ben a bit out of breath, but what was disturbing, there was no sign of Frida… She had shoot off when they were deep down in the Gorge he told me. After searching for a while Ben assumed she had made her way home, which they sometime do if hikers take a long rest. This time she wasn’t home. Together we went back below the Nose, the point where the Gecko Trail drops steep into the Nuy River Gorge and tried to call her – but no response.
We got back to the house only after 10pm and early the next day headed out into the Gorge again all the way to where Ben saw her last – He had “strolled” all the way up past the Perdekloof contributory the halfway point to Keerom dam - when kloofing. …And the Gauls call US crazy?! What had she sensed? What did she encounter? Where did she run? Did she fall? Did a snake bite her? It is after all Puffadder territory and high season in February… or did a Leopard take her? What am I going to tell Mareletta??? We searched for hours and eventually had to call it off and return to the house, 9 hours later. The next day we were over in Greyton to pick up a wood stove for our house and take a muchneeded breather, while a team of guests went kloofing the full length of the upper gorge. We’d given them some dog food in case they spot her – hoping. That vening, as we got back, there was a note on the dining room table: “We saw her at the waterfall. She’s alive and well, but bewildered and run off down the gorge…” After a quick talk I packed my backpack for a night out and headed down into the gorge to try to “cut-off” her escape route, out to Nuy Valley. What an eerie hike, it was full moon and I almost stepped on a Baboon spider (a Tarantula) the hairy critter wasn’t impressed. Kanda was vigilant too, many strange noises and smells, but the night out with the boss was exciting, after all we boys were on a mission.
The next morning we left our camp at 7 and headed up stream, again hoping to “bump” into her while she might make her way down stream following the scents of the previous searches. Shortly after nine we heard the first response on my whistling and calling. Moments after she came swimming towards us through one of the big rock pools not far from where the guys must have spotted her the day before. She was a bit skinny but fine and very happy to see us after 3 nights out in the wild. 4 hours later we were back at the house exhausted but very glad to have her back unharmed – so much for rescuing a guide dog, all was forgiven and she seems to listen better now when we call her back.
SIMONSKLOOF – The Movie!?
Hollywood here we come… well sort off, or have you seen “District 9”? If not, you better catch up; it’s really a superb take on how South Africa tackled the issue of relocations in the past and illegal aliens at present. But no they did not film it at Simonskloof nor do we shelter any “prawns” or other aliens here in the mountains. The connection to this brilliant locally produced movie is simpler; it’s the “B-camera”… What? OK, this was a far throw, but fact is that in November a film team assigned by the Cape Winelands Municipality came out here to film and photograph our Abseil and Mountain Biking adventure and they use the camera which shot the “B” scenes for District 9, cool hey? Vuyo and Derek from Montagu Tourism bureau had lots of fun doing the “acting”. Then last week we took another crew - Cameo Media - abseiling as well, this time for a promotional DVD about the “Hidden Gems” of the Western Cape. So watch this space and hopefully we’ll be able to put some movie clips on our website soon. It was definitely quite an experience taking Mr Blue and Mr Technical to the edge – literally and big thanks to Francois and Dion, our camping guests, the latter for doing the “acting” while abseiling for the first time, down alongside the 75m Waterfall.
In our last newsletter I bragged about National Geographic Traveler magazine visiting us. You’ll find us now in March 2010 issue for Belgium & Holland, in a brilliantly written article about the Western Cape of South Africa: “Simonskloof - volgens schrijver Aernout Zevenbergen de mooiste locatie in de Karoo.” :)
Gecko Trail – Stage II
The 18th September 2009 was one of those days I needed a brake… I needed to get out of here… a change of scenery! The mountain was calling more than ever and it was time to finally check out the 2nd section of our Gecko Trail, which was in its finishing stage.
Charles from Langdam had been hard at work creating an interesting new link to our Langeberg-Traverse. The trail starts at our red arrows near the chicken coop and follows the Buchu-Koppie trail past the Bushman Paintings and the little Rock Pools. Then it rises up to the Lone Tree plateau, through the Protea field towards the tower. Shortly before the tower it takes a turn to the East along Gordon’s track and passes below the 1646m Naudesberg. The route then keeps to an elevation of 1400m, through soft grasslands, with great chances of spotting a couple of grazing Rhebok. At Km 12 it drop down along breathtaking rock formation and later through beautiful peach orchards ending at Charlie’s lapa on Langdam Farm. Here you can cool off in a round pool or try the crazy zip-line across the dam. The total length of the 2nd section is 14.5km and takes 4 anything from 4 - 7 hours. The trail profile starts at 770m, and reaches1460m for its high point and finishes at 970m above sea level. You can either arrange your own transport back to Simonskloof or stay overnight in a cottage or camping, for more details visit their website: www.langdam.co.za or phone 023 614 3497. On the 24th of October members of the Meridian Hiking club did the inauguration hike and approved the route. Bookings can be made via Simonskloof.
BEE approved
For the second time in the last 3 years we were visited, rather involuntarily to say the least, by a swarm of bees. The farmhouse, a lightweight timber, corrugated iron and soft board structure, offered the perfect space in the hollow walls for a swarm to build their hive. As it would not be enough that Mareletta is highly allergic towards bee stings and got stung twice last year. No, the little much needed creatures chose the gap right next to the second entrance door – the previous time it was at the main door and back then, my dad being the beekeeper in the family, came to the rescue.
Prying open the corrugated sheets he boxed the swarm in his professional calm way. This time I was on my own and time was tight, guests were booked for the upcoming weekend. Once again I rushed to Charles at Langdam to borrow his spacey bee-suit and armed with a small angle grinder I opened the wall like a tin of sardines. There they were all nicely huddled together in the corner of the timber beams, quietly not wanting to give away their location… after a dowsing with a light water sprayer to prevent the bees from flying away I swooped them into a cardboard box and took the lot to Charles who had quickly fixed up a hive. Back at the house the escapees had reassembled in a bush. I brushed them up and reunited them with the first lot. The next day the swarm had abandoned the hive in search for a better place. By the weekend the veranda was still a bit smoky but all buzzing had receded, it was save again.
Le Coq au Vin
Cock in Wine… or how to wring a rooster’s neck. The benefit of WWOOFers (www.wwoof.org) not only is that we have some much needed helping hands. They also make you do long over due tasks when you would rather just ignore them once more and suffer the consequences like a self motivated early morning alarm clock, e.g. preparing the young roosters for the pot. Somehow we got “blessed” with a rather over supply of male chickens who have nothing else in their pee size brains than establishing who is the bigger cock in the coop and plucking the necks of the poor hens while trying to mount them. D-day arrived when Klemens, an Austrian WWOOFer, had a plan. It felt like a Tarantino movie… one by one we each entered the dark chicken coop, grabbed a young rooster sitting on the pole half drowsy from the beer they had that evening and in a swift move we had them feet up and twisted the neck, then chopped off the head and let it bleed and while the body was still warm the plucking started. What a mission, you feel like being tarred and feathered yourself. Finally the insides needed to be removed and
the few last of feathers got burned off before we placed them, sealed in a bag, in the freezer for later consumption. One thing for sure you’ll never look the same at ready filleted, nicely packaged chicken breasts on the shop shelves again. Especially when you realise that a proper farm chicken takes 3-4 times longer to reach that size if it ever does! And taste? Well I can’t tell you yet, we might need another WWOOFer from France and maybe a bottle of Burgundy too?!
Pumpkins XXL
Chickens not only can be become an unwanted alarm clock, they also have the tendency to interrupt your organic veggie supply. Hence the last year’s been a bit bleak in our self-sufficiency in the greenery department. As Mareletta has been sowing seeds the poultry army raided the patches and so it’s been initially the sprinkler that kept the feathery fellows at bay but when saving the garden from turning into a swampland, the scratching and scoffing continued. So much for fenceless permaculture, however one species did survive and before we knew it, the size of our Swiss pumpkins reached scary proportions:
We’ll better get ready for plenty of pumpkin -soup, - fritters, -pies etc :o) 10. March 2010 www.simonskloof.com
Kloof News Spring 2009
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Note: get the image-rich version of this newsletter in PDF format here.
Spring 2009
Gee-Wizz guys it’s seventeen months since our last newsletter, what’s happening to time and space?
All is relative they say?! It better be – ‘cause it’s the only excuse I have for keeping so quiet here at the end of the Koo valley! Well no, there’s a better one: WE got married :)))) on the 21st of June 2008 – Winter Solstice down here in sunny South Africa – what perfect day for a medieval style wedding! Not quite barefoot, but under the big old oak tree in a beautiful purple dress with a bouquet of white Arum Lilies in her arms just like Mareletta wish for. Yet all quite simply and easy going, the spirit was high and food and laughter was a plenty. The next day we were off on honeymoon to a “secret” place in the Knysna forest – where exactly I can’t tell you - it was so nice you might never want come to Simonskloof :). A week later, way to short of a break, back at Simonskloof, duties called me again whilst Mareletta headed to Cape Town for her “mid-weekly” work at Loud her company:
www.loudadvertising.co.za
New Residents
At the end of winter brother and sister border collies Frida & Kahlo, two of Kanda’s eight offspring born on my folk’s farm in Bonnievale joined the Simonskloof team. These lucky K9’s are getting the best of both worlds: Every week they commute with Mareletta to Durbanville to check out the “high-tech” neighbourhood and when back here on the farm Kahlo’s favourite job is to herd the chicken back into the coop and Frida learns to guide guest up the mountain.
Painted lady & Cupreous blue
In may 2008 we had another interesting visitor, Silvia Mecenero of SABCA (Southern African Butterfly Conservation Assessment) who spent some days at Simonskloof to collect butterfly data for a nationwide research which resulted in 6 positive identifications:
1. Vanessa cardui
Painted lady - Sondagsrokkie
2. Eicochrysops messapus messapus
Cupreous blue - Koperbloutjie
3. Zizeeria knysna
African grass blue - Duwweltjie-bloutjie
4. Cacyreus dicksoni
Dickson's geranium bronze - Dickson-se-malvabloutjie
5. Stygionympha vigilans
Western hillside brown - Westelike-rantbruintjie
6. Cassionympha detecta
Cape brown - Kaapse-bosbruintjie
We’ll have the images on our soon to be updated website, in the meantime for more information you can visit:
www.butterflies.adu.org.za and
www.sabca.adu.org.za
Little Black Flower
In September 2008, Owen Barrow a visitor to Simonskloof spotted a little black flower along one of our hiking trails. It took me still a couple of walks up and down the trail to locate the tiny beauty myself and take a photograph. Then SANBI at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Cape Town identified the flower as a Nemesia bodkinii Bolus a very rare flower indeed.
First discovered in 1895, it flowers only after fires like a few other species. Its common Afrikaans name is leeubekkie. Luckily when taking samples for the Compton Herbarium I spotted eight more plants. A year later I’ve been visiting the exact spots again but so far no sign of them yet.
21 years - Kloofing the Nuy River
The year was 1988, we were just 18 when a good friend and I decided to bunk our studies for a month and head south into “deepest and darkest” Africa. I had family connections thanks to my granddad living here on Simonskloof, whom I haven’t seen since 1981, so it was time for another visit. This time through the “back door”, exploring the Nuy River Gorge on our way to the farm.
We bought maps at the survey general in Mowbray Cape Town and supplies, like food and Pep-store blankets as sleeping bags, just down the road in Worcester - so much for thinking Africa is warm even in the night. The plan was to hike the 20+ km in two days, we soon learned otherwise. But what an adventure, we felt like Crocodile Dundee and Camel Man battling thru jungles of high reeds, scrambling up rocky slopes, crossing the river worrying about snakes and crocs! But all we spotted were baboons, zebras - one of the original twelve is still roaming the gorge with seven donkeys - river crabs, and well… the spoor of a leopard or was it a rooikat, who visited our first nights camp to finish off a piece of rump we left out of the pack? On the second evening the end of the gorge was still nowhere in sight plus we had lost our map. But instead we were face to face with the most amazing scenery and a natural rock dam 3-4m high, closing the gorge from side to side. We bivouacked a second night, supplies low but morals at their highest level, it was pure adventure, the stuff we boys were craving for. The next day we scaled the dam wall and were promptly faced with the next obstacle. A little mountain lake about 80m long and flanked by 100m high rock faces on both sides lay in front of us. With near-by driftwood we build a raft and used one of the tarps to wrap the backpacks, then swam across the lake. Several hours of boulder hopping followed before we reached the top of the gorge and Keerom dam. From here it was another hour hike to granddads house. The welcome was fantastic and after a couple of days helping with the building of fences we were off to our next adventure, a hiking trail in the former Eastern Transvaal. Two years later I finished my studies and immigrated to South Africa but it took another 4 years for the next trip down into the Gorge and a further 6 years to make the Nuy River Gorge accessible to the wider public;
First the 3-day trip similar to the original route and the 2-day trip with an abseil entry into the gorge further up, close to the mountain lake. Finally we created the 1-day trip for those in a hurry, instant adventure just “add” water… and on that note:
National Geographic down the Nuy
In January this year I had the pleasure to guide Aernout Zevenbergen
www.aernoutzevenbergen.co.za a freelance journalist for National Geographic Traveller magazine on our “All in one day” Kloofing trip. His partner took quite a beating getting scratched to bits by the bushes and the rocks down there, but last I heard they are still together, proving it to be the perfect team (and partner) building exercise.
A month later Frans Lemmens
www.franslemmens.com an exceptional photographer got send out by NGT to capture the images for the article that was written for the Dutch and Belgium issues and might, if we are lucky, be printed in several other European issues due to the upcoming 2010 Football World Cup. We’ll see what that brings our way… it was certainly fun to pose as “model” and see what it all takes for “just” one good picture. Guess how he signed his book as a gift to us: “No words needed”.
Another Year, Another Flood
It started with only 50mm of rain on the 11th, then 99mm on the 12th and finally 11mm on 13th of November 2008. Not much you would think… then check this photo:
It was taken on the 3rd day. To get an even better idea of the amount of water going down: The over flow is ~30m wide and the water must have reached a height of 1.3m at its peak, that gives you ~40m3 per second thundering down the gorge. That’s over 300 times a full bathtub per second!!! Or 1’200’000 tubs per hour… So much for the numbers needless to say it uprooted ¾ of the trees in the gorge and with it took away the lower section of the Gecko Trail. A never-ending-fixing-story. On the farm it self we had hardly any damage. A week later we took a hike along the trail to assess the damage. It was mind-blowing to say the least, a new adventure of note. Of the two little private huts halfway down the trail only one was still standing and further down the water distribution system for the Nuy Valley was completely destroyed. A great part of the trail we’ve fixed or diverted to higher grounds. Then in March a brave group of hikers attempted the new route but needed some “assistance” from our Border Collie Rescue team. Three camped for the night at the river and made their way out the next day – all part of the adventure. A month later as similar scenario, again we mobilised the “tail wagers” who enjoyed the “late evening stroll”. Hence as you’ll be reading this we are still busy fixing the lower section of the trail and search for new routes, building rock cairns to mark the best river crossings. A renaming from Hiking Trail to Adventure Route or Trek might be in order. As per Wikipedia, the word trek means a long, hard journey, and is derived from the Dutch trekken (meaning to pull or haul). Pretty much to the point!
Our house at the end of the road
Finally in April 2009, the foundations were dug and Simon from up the road and his crew of four from Masipumulele got things moving.Five weeks later the floors, walls, windows and doorframes, as well as the roof trusses were up and this crew headed back to Cape Town, leaving only a digger-loader stuck in the middle of our road for the next two months. While Michael looked after the farm, dogs and the chicken, we flew north to Switzerland on a much-needed holiday, a second honeymoon so to speak. It was a first for Mareletta and my first visit after 10 years. Finally I could show her where I grew up and why I “tick” the way I do - Swiss clocks seem to have their quirks.
It was an eye opening experience for both of us everything way to precise and too much on time, hence we were glad to be back in South Africa after those 18 days backpacking around the Alps – after all home is where the heart is… here at Simonskloof! And the house was still far from finished. The next couple of months with the help of our WWOOFers we put on the roof, varnished and glazed the windows, fitted doors and now are busy with the plumbing and interior.
WWOOF / Volunteering
Without the help of our WWOOFers we’d never get so far! In the last 1½ years we had: Ed from the UK in May 2008 a master in mixing concrete, check out that drift!Valentine from Germany & Mark from the UK scraping paint of windows and walls at the old cottage. Matthew from Stellenbosch in September 2008 a grass cutter of note, Sam from the USA in November 2008 shovelling sand and racing with me down the Gecko “route”… and Dwain from Cape Town. Then in December Iyla & Nick also from the States, and Keiron the father of a previous WWOOFer from the UK, we’ll never forget how he “parked” our old Datsun into the river – it might have the same size engine but it isn’t a big bike! In February 2009 we had help on the Gecko Trail from Benedikta and Gudbjorg from Iceland.
Billy and Libby from the States in April carting rocks out of the mountain.Michael from Cape Town looked after the farm in May. A local couple Debby and Theo in June with their bio-diesel camper – making vetkoek whenever he could and helping with cleaning the reeds and insisted to leave only once the roof was on – thanks a mill! Graham also local, a great philosopher and expert in varnishing glazing strips and all the lintels, who also opened our first bouldering route during his off time. Then Will the singing yogi from down under and French man Thomas shifting sand and gravel to no end, a crepe master of note, in August. Last but not least Gareth from Cape Town varnishing doors and scraping walls. Many, many thanks to all of you!
25 Great places to pitch a tent in SA
And Simonskloof is one of them! Yes that’s what Hendrik Mentz of Weg/Go! Magazine had to say in the September 2009 issue: Not for the fainthearted (no electricity, long drops, paraffin donkey boiler…) you’ll never forget sleeping next to the crystal clear mountain stream… hike to view sites that take your breath away, listening to the serenading frog chorus and looking up at the inky night sky and a myriad dazzling stars, a place where you can again locate yourself in the universe. Nice guys, thanks!
10 Years – Simonskloof
Established in June 1999, we have arrived, we have survived and we are here to stay :) Hardly one weekend is not booked. Many weary souls find them selves again and leave recharged and happy. It’s been a bumpy journey, yet nothing to be missed, not the lows, not the highs, not the struggles, not the joys! A more detailed account on some of the Highlights maybe in our next issue, for now:
Thanks everyone you made us, THANKS SO MUCH!!! from all of us: Jurgen and Mareletta, Matata, Kanda, Frida, Kahlo, Guzzle!
“Love & peace be with you” as per our trip down memory lane on Mareletta’s birthday celebration, a shining flower of the summer of 69!
Kloof News - March 2007
Monday, 19 March 2007
Kloof News with pictures in PDF format: right-click.. save as... here.
The silly (holiday) season is over, another year has passed, even our first and last lunar eclipse for the year had a cover-up appearance a two weeks ago during our first good rain (8mm) and if one should belief the experts, then we are in for a rather dry year with La Niña reigning 2007, but lets see. For now we'll take a look back at the last 6 month… gee is it again that long ago!? Yeah time flies when you are busy and having fun, hence even out here at Simonskloof the world didn't stand still, never really does.
Fire on 7th October 2006
5½ years after our last mountain fire we were on its list again. From the info I received, the fire was started on the 5th of October, a controlled burn to get rid of black wattle branches from a private - working for water - program on our neighbouring farm on the Worcester side on the mountain. Well the controlled soon turned into an OUT OF control fire and made its way up the slope. The next day it had jumped the ridge into Paarde Kloof. On the 7th, one of the hottest October days I ever experienced, and thanks to gale force conditions it spread along Paarde Kloof and finally came down on us a 6km wide fire band hitting two of our neighbours at the same time…
Often I was asked what do you do when the fire come your way… well we headed for the fridge cracked open a couple of beers and sat on the bonnet of our little, rusty, 30 year old Datsun - who by the way had just passed the 400'000km mark – and kept cool, then thought about the next steps to take, got another beer and then with the help of a few neighbouring farmers who came to assist, started the back burn to welcome and kill the fire. As with life, once you take action to help yourself all forces gather behind you, plus a heap of luck and 3-4 hours later the fiery dragon puffed out his last breath and so we continued our beef fillet on the braai, after all I still had a couple of guests to look after and by now my whole family had arrived up here in the Valley.
The next day we took a stroll through the lunar landscape, feeling like Armstrong, making prints in the fine fresh ash. The damage was considerable: 400ha of Simonskloof lay in ash, the just completed Tower Trail burned to nothing, turning it into a “go-anywhere” hike and our main water supply was completely destroyed, leaving us dry for the next 3 days.
A week later I checked the Gecko Trail down towards the source of the fire and true as Bob there was still places where it had flamed up again, call that timing. The Highlight however came on my way back, when I discovered a very interesting looking rock formation: Fossilised Sea floor! A nice surprise yet not too unusual since the Langeberg was pushed up from the seabed millions of years ago which can still be seen in the extreme u-turns of layers at certain rock faces.
Kanda - The Puff adder slayer
At the beginning of November we got a new border collie puppy. Kanda, named after the brilliant central African musician, was born on the 9th of September on a farm near Williston in the middle of the Karoo, 300km north of here. His life on Simonskloof took a hectic start with regular visits to the Vet to remove the all those wild grass seeds out of his ears – an annual battle when the wild barley grass drops its seeds. But now the little barker is OK and has taken over the lead - at least so he thinks, when pestering Matata the border collie female and Guzzle the cat. Looking beyond all his teenage actions of jumping into every calm rock pool, not worrying if I'm busy checking the water level or cementing the catchment, barking at every tortoise and even snakes - more on that below – he's a loving little fellow… Kanda OUT!!!…
Finally his snout also has caught up with his long tong that used to hang out of his mouth when sleeping and so he's growing and growing. Then came mid January when little Kanda took up a fight with a puff adder which crossed his path while out on a walk with one of the WWOOFers and … Survived! Except for a bit of a swelling and four bleeding holes on his nose, the tough little guy got away without a scratch, needless to say that our hearts almost stopped… Well-done boy!!
WWOOFers - More then ever
WWOOFing has really taken off and hardly do we see a quiet moment now without a volunteer easing the work load, be it by renovating a cottage - more on that below, clearing the roads, watering our veggie & herb garden, building (fixing at the moment) hiking trails or just helping with the cleaning of the cottages. Here our latest WWOOFers from all over the globe:
Eilidh from the UK and Monika from Switzerland giving the garden a trimming in October, Lior from Israel in… well he never arrived. Then Loic from France in December – does our new shower wall remind anybody of the Louvre? Stacey from South Africa - looking forward to those pics!, Magdalena from Switzerland and Juan from France - a world citizen more likely - the Paint crew in January. Then Johannes from Germany and Ry from Wales, the latter while working on his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, clearing our roads from encroaching bushes last month.
Thanks to all! Without you we wouldn't have gotten that far!!!
Click here for more info on WWOOFing at Simonskloof.
First Aid Course @ Simonskloof
Check your first aid certificates; has it been more then 3 years? Then it's time to refresh your course again to stay on the ball. Or are you simply interested in doing the right thing when encountering an accident, be it at home, outdoors or while on your way to work and on the road. We are currently putting together a 3-day course with very experienced Paramedics of the Tygerberg Volunteer EMS. Interested? Drop us a line and we'll keep you posted.
Far Away Cottage – Renovated
It's finished… phew… and what a cloud of dust it turned out to be. In the last two January weeks 4 pairs of hands from 3 different countries scrubbed and scrubbed – with wire brushes!!! Then brushed and painted, falling of ladders - that was me… so mind the new spots in the main bedroom - and then scrubbed some more to get it all ready in time for the next guests. Later we finally replaced some 16 cracked window panes and polished up those rusty door knobs… hey check‘m now, all nicely in a varnished brushed metal look, ready for Visi Mag again J all that's needed still is some TLC on the landscape, the requested lavender bush near the bathtub, a coat of paint once the putty is dry and maybe next year we'll give it similar curtail boards as in the Orange cottage… but for now done! Come and enjoy!!!
In the above regard to magazines, we've just been featured in the February issue of “Manwees” an Afrikaans publication similar to MensHealth - all about men's healthy lifestyles, escapes and remedies in this stressed world of ours… well, theirs ... Enough bragging now, but a big thanks JD van Zyl for the writing-up.
All in One Day – Kloofing
Yeeha!... When last have you felt your every muscle, took a jump from boulder to boulder more leaps of faith then guarantied calculations, swam is icy waters while the sun burns down with 36° in the shade? When last trusted your live in a 9mm Polyamide rope, while hanging 10 stories above the ground? When last did you feel one with nature, yet so small and insignificant below 500m of twisted and bend rock walls, wading through mountain streams and scrambling up steep slopes? When last watched a Cobra take a gliding escape, or Baboons bark at you… Hmmmm? Well then it's high time for some serious Kloofing in the Nuy River Gorge. For the fit only! [Click here] for more info.
Leave No Trace
Years ago I managed to track down a good friend of mine, from way back in Switzerland, to Alaska where he now spends his time guiding climbers up Mt McKinley (Denali). On his website I came across the “Leave No Trace” logo, an outdoor / ethics / philosophy / movement that has become Americans standard for Outdoor activities be it hiking, climbing or camping etc. When reading though the 7 main guidelines the “Pack it in – Pack it out” sub line stood out and so was the “Dig a 20mm deep cat hole 60m away from fresh water, for human waste” Having spend my free time a good 25 years in the outdoors, it wasn't anything new to me, but what disturbed me was that far too few people seem to know about, never mind adhere to those ethics when using local trails and campsites, even in our Nature reserves. Hence we added the logo and a
Link to our website years ago to draw attention to LNT.
In the last year it grew even closer to home and after the December holiday season I had to discover that those ignorant humans had even found their way to Simonskloof... and hence little white toilet paper beacons appeared on the scene, behind trees, in the reeds, and sometimes as close as 1-2m near the long drops… cigarette butts and bottle tops, boerewors and sweet wrappers, and the odd tent peg, well the latter are collectors items and don't really bother me… But I guess it was only a matter of time and with magazines like the above, outdoor shops popping up like mushrooms in every new shop-ping mall and people wanting to escape the crowed cities and traffic jams, education on the base level had trouble to catch up. So let me mention it here for all those of you who didn't know - benefit of the doubt being a far better remedy then general condemnation.
PLEASE:
Dispose waste properly! Take home what you brought with. Squash those cans to reduce them in size, press the air out from the milk and coke bottles and replace top. Make use of the bush toilets. If you can't cope with a long-drop, then camping at Simonskloof isn't for you, sorry. When squatting in the bush to relieve yourself while on a hike, do as cats do and dig a whole (Add a little garden hand spade to your camping and hiking equipment) and bury your waste completely. Turn an old baking powder tin into your camping/hiking ashtray. Before leaving your campsite check for any waste. If separated into recyclable wasted and you are heading to another destination - not home just yet, you welcome to leave your refuse with us for recycling at the collection point near the parking.
Solar Power Rules
Finally after 17 months we did it! 960 litres of petrol or R5800.00 saved from being guzzled up by our 4kw generator, this now equals out the cost of our little solar power system!!! One and a half years later we did it Solar power rules, at least in my office, say no more J. As for the solar hot water system at the Orange cottage no major hiccups have been encountered either – saving us quite a bit of LPgas - except for my little wood fired contraption that seemed to have blown a plug out the wall when “de-pressurising” itself due to a operational fault - oops, sorry guys, I guess a proper manual is needed.
On that energising note, SEEEEE' YA from all of us @ Simonskloof Mountain Retreat
Simonskloof Videos
Friday, 01 December 2006
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. What about a video then - or several? Well, the webmaster has been to the Kloof again and taken some informal videos of "Simonskloof life". They can be viewed at his website. They are unedited and have been made available in Flash Video format. Their size ranges from 1.4 to about 5mb, so a DSL line is advantageous.
Feedback welcome.
Helmar
PS: the funny noise you hear at times is the autofocus adjusting, beautifully picked up by the microphone. Fuji F3 - made in China. Any questions? ;)
Kloof News Aug/Sep 2006
Thursday, 31 August 2006
Dear Friends of Simonskloof,
Water, water, water everywhere! From drought to flood and another flood. For the last two days we’ve been “kloof-locked” once again. Eight roaring drifts are cutting us off from the tar road and outside world. Not that it has rained that much in the last 24h, 60mm isn’t a record, but taking in account the total of 220mm in the last 25days, then the picture looks quite a bit different. Also knowing that the last three years had an annual average of 420mm rain puts everything into perspective. But well we – my three WWOOFers (Volunteers) and I are nice and toasty sitting around the fire place in the evening while the last two days were spent scraping paint off the inside of the windows and resealing them.
The mountains around us are dripping like a saturated sponge, the little dam spilling over like a river of note, yet orderly through the overflow, our drift is knee deep with the clearest of water I ever saw coming down from the spring – all seems double and triple rinsed. And in all of this Matata has only one thing in her mind: Let’s go walking in the rain.
In the Koo Valley itself every dam is filled to the brim higher even then in the 2003 flood that washed away bridge-heads down in Montagu. The same with Keerom Dam at the bottom end of Simonskloof, an occurrence only once every 7 years I was told. Finally the farmers will be having a smile on their faces looking forward to a fat harvest… would it not be for 10 new problem the rain brings with. Can one ever please them? Cheers!, I say, let's enjoy the wet and worry tomorrow when we’ll be working on the road again, piling rocks into the ditches and rebuilding the drifts to provide access for our guest.
Keeping with the Water, progress has been made in our Eco friendliness:
Our SOLAR Heater
After endless battles with our old gas geyser and the now chronic bad supply of LP-Gas here in the Western Cape we installed a 7 tube Solar heater on the roof of Orange Cottage, again supplied by Van Heerden Solar from Montagu (Ph: 082 574 0005) The unit is small and economic, hence as back-up and specially for those cold and over cast days, Jean and I got creative and designed a hot-water-booster. It’s a small stainless steel contraption looking like a pot, with an in- and out-let, that sits on top of the Dover Stove. So when you make a fire in the Dover you’ll heat the water in the same time. The Water is fed down from the solar tank, gets heated and rises up through convection back in the insulated solar tank for storage.
Still on the solar front, here a quick report on our Photovoltaic “power harvester”. Now eleven month later we had not one single bad dip of supply, sure there were overcast days and working till deep into the night, yet our little system stood up to its challenge, very impressive. The fuel saving up to date is a staggering 620 litre of petrol or an effective R3994.00 in money terms. It speaks for itself.
Whiskey with Wings
Death is a strange… Is it just a door to the next level, up or down, forward or back… Is it the final stange… Bad or good… Everyone of you will have his/hers own theories. Well, shortly after our last newsletter, where I announced the new arrival of little Whiskey in our Kloof. He took a sudden, unexpected and sad departure. Let me spare you the details and leave it at that, remembering the endless wagging of his tail, the innocent little but sharp bites and the openness to learn anything be it the catching of mice from Guzzle of the team play from Matata. Now it has been long enough and judging from Matata’s behaviour it’s time for some additional four legged company, anybody out there who knows of a Bordercollie breader? We are looking for the real thing back or brown with the classic white border and male he should be, the dog I mean, please let us know.
GeoTeering - The Race
Ever heard of Geocaching? It’s a modern treasure hunt, a sport involving the Internet and GPS (Global Positioning System) plus you get to run around in the wild on the hunt for caches, which are containers from micro size like film tins over the classic 2 litre Tupperware to real storage spaces of an ammo box. This activity reaches all around the globe from New Zealand to Alaska, from China to Chile South Africa currently has over 1200 caches dotted all over the landscape, the very first was hidden on the 18th of January 2001 near Hout Bay, Cape Town. You’ll find them along hiking trails, in city parks, play grounds, by the road side, on top of mountain peaks and under park benches or near fence poles of which we seem to have the most in the world and mostly places under a rock…
3 of those are located right on Simonskloof, a further 3 in the Koo Valley and currently about 11 in and around Montagu. To take part of this game exciting you need a basic GPS, internet access and register on www.geocaching.com membership is for free. Now you can down load all the caches in the world and start “hunting”. Most caches will lead you to places you’ve never been before or thought that exist and often they’ll tell you about historic places and events that took place. Once you got the hang of it you can start hiding your own caches and let others find it. Or even tag an Item and send him on a world tour from cache to cache while you’ll keep track of it on-line.
There are many varieties to the Game and on the 16th of September we will stage the very first GeoTeering event at Simonskloof. A race, based on fun and skill more, then who’s first and who’s last. The names suggest already, it’s a mix of Orienteering and Geocaching. Camping will be for free and in the evening will have a braai and get together with plenty of exchange of experiences and stories. Newcomers to the game are very welcome!
The Nuy River Gorge - All in One Day
Due to high demand we’ve now added a One Day Kloofing Trip (Canyoneering) to our menu. The route is similar to our Classic and includes Bushwhacking (wilderness hiking :) through pristine Mountain Fynbos, Abseiling down a narrow contributory with occasional waterfalls and swimming in remote rock pools, boulder-hopping up river, lunch break in most scenic setting, more boulder-hopping and swimming and a final climbing out the Nuy River Gorge at Keerom Dam. NO HIGH JUMPS! Our focus is the remote- and wilderness of the Langeberg range. It’s the perfect Team building event.
Minimum size of Group is 4 or the rates will be adjusted accordingly. For the 2006/7 season the rate per person is R360.00 (Special equipment Guiding and Lunch all incl.) Just remember it’s for the fit only! For more info on our Kloofing trips please check our website.
WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms)
So far this year has seen some very interesting WWOOFers helping out at Simonskloof. Currently John from the UK and an Austrian couple Veronica and David are hands on support and gave our garden a major face lift, which included a state of the nature fence against our four legged, friendly but hungry mountain dwellers, the fence is mainly made from “alien” black wattle with a secure screen of chicken mesh, even Matata saw herself accidentally getting trapped in the new enclosure. Now it’s onto planting all the veggies for the coming season – can’t wait.
More of the Gecko Trail
A quick word on our Gecko Trail which has finally arrive at the Telkom tower South above Simonskloof,. As Jean came back from Uganda for a second time WWOOFing, we tackled the upper region with lot’s of enthusiasm and finished the 600m in just three days. Now we just need to finalise the negotiations with the Koo farmers to get their permissions to complete the trail’s connection to Arangieskop in the West. Can’t wait for this awesome epic of a trail open up this hidden natural beauty of the Langeberg.
New Rates – Some rise, some fall
With the rising cost of fuel and gas which effects everything else we were also forced to adjust our rates. However we were nice again and only lifted the basic cost of the cottages by 7% to R300.00 a night for two. Were as the additional persons are less and now only get charged R50.00 extra. Bedding and pets stay the same. At the Farm House nothing has changed, neither have the Kloofing rates. Then we’ve added a reduced midweek rate – not valid during holiday season though, sorry. A further special is the 5% off for MCSA (Mountain Club of South Africa) members at the cottages and 10% off when camping or hiking the Gecko Trail.
Rule of thumb for a long weekend: you've got to book 2-3 months in advance!
Yebo, that’s it for now, hope to see you soon to catch this fantastic hiking weather and see all the spring flowers. Our road might not be in the best shape but as long as you drive slowly, any car can make it. And hopefully the council will fix it soon.
Jurgen & all of the Simonskloof family
Pictures...
Simonskloof Bird List
Wednesday, 22 March 2006
It's been coming for a while, but now we have a Birds @ Simonskloof List available for download in PDF format. Enjoy!
{ Download PDF }
Kloof News
Tuesday, 28 February 2006
PDF Version for printing and reading on the loo
Dear Friends of Simonskloof
While I write this, Cape Town and most of the Western Cape is battling with power black-outs. This just after we had a LPGas supply crisis in November and a Fuel crisis in December. Energy the "juices" that keep us going are in short supply. Now people and businesses are rushing out to buy generators, candles, gas cookers etc to "survive" this crisis and keep life as normal as possible...
Would it not be for my little radio (solar powered :-) and regular phone calls from my dear friend Mareletta, who works right in the middle of "Crazy" Town, I would have no clue... Life out here is as nice and normal as it always is, except for the occasional hiccups, like bush fires, car trouble, rain water crisis, internet slow down and a pair of AWOL ostriches visiting this morning.
So of course I can't keep a smile off my face when I hear those stories of lack of crisp toast never mind fresh bread, no hair dryer, no TV, no red robots (traffic lights), no fast food, no electricity, simply no luxury... some of those were my exact words in our very first flyer for Simonskloof six years ago, when we came up with the unique points out here. Now it's everywhere and causes chaos – well, for a short while at least - until people calm down, "make a plan" and find alternatives to their life in the lap of luxury. Sure there are the ugly sides to it, too: hospitals without power, food that goes off and turns to poison, burglary alarms not functioning, TVs blowing tubes, electric gates not opening and so on. Yet it brings home a reality, the fact that we are far too complacent, "just plug in and switch on" is the attitude.
My granddad - who lived on Simonskloof for almost 20 years and told Eskom to get lost when they proposed to build a power line through the kloof and supply him with a free connection (never mind the monthly accounts...) - always said: "You are all just button pushers. Want to go up, push a button. Want to have a meal, push a button. Want light, push a button. Want to write, push buttons. Want to get from A to B, push buttons..." we lost touch and most of all the essence of live. Now as the system comes crashing down we stand agape with not a clue how to, where to.
Times like these are invitations to reflect, to rethink and become aware of our wasteful nature and taking for granted-ness. What better time now to take a look at alternative ways, alternative energy sources, like solar heating, photovoltaic panels, wind generators, but most of all economical usage and recycling of resources. As a friend of mine in Durban once said to me, when I searched for recycling methods for a sports event: "The best recycling is NOT to create waste!". The methods are endless – just google the web. Once you got into (more) conscious living and recycling, it's hard to stop and it becomes a way of life and even fun. Plus it make this earth a more healthy place to live and might just give her a couple of 100 more years to spin around the sun.
Simonskloof gone SOLAR
As Ghandi once said: "Be the change you want to see in the world", I'm pleased to tell you that since October last year Simonskloof has truly gone Solar. Where as in the past, these newsletters were written with a noisy petrol driven generator rattling in the shed, powering my laptop and office light, it's now done solely on solar power. My reduction of fuel in those last 5 months: A whopping 280 litres or in cash terms: R1680.00 (!) which is 30% of the cost of the system, never mind the reduced pollution and unused fuel! Plus, let me tell you that you don't need all that fancy equipment the big companies want to sell you. All we have is a 80 watt panel, a basic converter/controller, two 105Ah deep cycle batteries and a basic inverter to change the 12V into 220V (the latter was donated) other wise it would add another R1500.00 to the R5500.00 of my total cost... My conclusion: A+, I've never had any power shortage, even charged visitors cellphones, digital cameras and my battery drill. For an affordable supplier (in Montagu...) phone Ludwig van Heerden at 082 574 0005.
The Nuy River Gorge EXTREME (Kloofing/Canyoneering with a difference)
On the note of Dogs. End of January I took a quick recci trip through the Nuy River Gorge to prepare for an special "extreme" kloofing trip. Taking Matata along, who is not a keen swimmer at all, we had a fantastic time out in the wilderness, realising again how fortunate I am doing this for a living. On the 11th of February she came with again, joining a group of 6 kloofers for 3 days out in the wild, abseiling shear rock faces, scrambling steep slopes, bushwhacking through dense alien forest, bivouacking (sleeping out under the stars) next to the river, criss-crossing the gorge through waist-high water up sun and fynbos-covered mountain sides, chasing baboons, drinking water from crystal streams and swimming in murky waters. The culinary side did not spare taste nor innovation either so the group commended, the Cabernet (at perfect "room" temperature of course) wasn't missing either. Not to mention the freshly baked bread on the second morning... Every muscle ache and scratch worth while I was told, even Matata agreed walking stiff legged, yet her nose filled with thousands of scents.
Interested? Our next Extreme Kloofing Trip is "scheduled" for the Easter weekend 14.-17. April 2006, other Classic trips (2 days) are 10th of March, and 12th of May, weather permitting, but any date can be arranged, if you have a group of minimum 4 people.
WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms)
From Canada, Belgium, Italy, Scotland to Germany and Switzerland and of course South Africa, the volunteers have been plentiful and VERY helpful to say the least, coming from all corners of the globe it's cultural as much as work exchange. Work done included: Clearing of apricot orchard, burning shrubs, establishing a veggie garden (nice tomatoes!!!) building on the Gecko trail + guitar lessons: Thanks Jean (hope you enjoy your trip through Africa). Fixing the access road, burning shrubs, cooking and dietary "lessons": Thanks Caroline. She's a brilliant and innovative vegetarian chef, Japanese trained you find her in Brussels or at cbaerten (at) yahoo.co.uk. Hmmm, has anybody got contacts, ideas to get her to work in CT - she loves our country!!! Clearing the campsite, philosophical exchange (still smoking?): Thanks Heiner and friends. Cleaning of dam and garden, then piling fire wood: Thanks to the McGregor Volunteers :-) Bit's and pieces plus good company: Thanks Georgy and Annalette. Repairing the pergola, burying the water pipe, cleaning windows (sorry guys for the sometime dusty outlook...) fixing of caravan: Thanks Thomas. For our Swiss friends: Ever felt out of sync? Thomas conducts lovely workshops and therapy tours to the Canary islands and South Africa, get him at balance (at) gmx.ch. Cleaning, cleaning, fixing of furniture and stripping of granddad's cupboard, plus a Gnoggi making session: Thanks Louisa and Francesco. If you ever travel to Italy, check out www.cimbolello.it, it's a little paradise and the home of L. & F. in the mountains of Umbria, e-mail them at podere (at) cimbolello.it, they offer organic produce, accommodation and WWOOFing.
Are you interested to WWOOF at Simonskloof? Don't wait, but contact us, it's fun, it's life, it's got soul!
So much for now, about the progress on our Gecko trail more next time, for now all the best and please become more energy conscious, there is only so much yet plenty if we're look after it.
Jurgen & Matata and Guzzle
Kloofing 2006 season: Dates and prices
Tuesday, 16 August 2005
Below are the long awaited dates and prices for the coming Kloofing season. If you have any questions, I'd be delighted to hear from you. Looking forward to seeing you on the farm!
2006
March:Fri 10.03.06 - Sun 12.03.06 C
April:Fri 14.04.06 - Mon 17.04.06 E
C: 3 day - Classic
E: 4 day - (Easter-) Extreme
Rates:
2 ½ day - (60 hours) - Classic
R. 850.00 p.p.
Guiding, special gear, accommodation & meals all included
R. 210.00 p.p.
Optional Braai & 3rd Night at Retreat (with breakfast)
3 ½ day - (Easter-) Extreme
R. 980.00 p.p.
Guiding, special gear, accommodation & meals all included
R. 210.00 p.p.
Optional Braai & 3rd Night at Retreat (with breakfast)
Kloof News - June 2005
Sunday, 17 July 2005
Dear Simonskloof Visitors,
would I have invented time, I'd made it much slower... yet if you make use of every second by simply enjoying every breath you take, then time vaporises and becomes totally unimportant.
Hence the last six years flew past in an instant and are still as alive and present as ever. I speak of course of the 6th anniversary of Simonskloof. With every passing winter solstice - for us here in the southern hemisphere - our Mountain Retreat becomes one year more mature, more settled, more comforting, more known, more healing, more nurturing... well if that does ever in- or de-creases or simply just IS and it is YOU that visits or US that live it, who notice inner progress and evolve, mature.
Be it how you chose. We (Cats and dog including me) here are more content than ever, and very thankful for the last 6 years that were filled with joy, tears, sweat, reward, wonderment (grand dad was right after all), achievement and constant challenges. Never did I imagine what fruits this dream made-true would bear one day. So a big thank you to all of you that have spent time in this oasis be it by staying over night self-catered or full board, by hiking along the Gecko Trail, by having lunch or just a coffee on our veranda, by camping under the Oak trees or visited via cyberspace, browsing through our web-pages, phoning for availability, writing one of those superb articles, or interviewing me on radio, not to forget the encouraging and loving hugs. All that helps me to stay put and keep doing the work, build the paths, wash the linens, cook the meals, answer the enquiries, clean the cottages, chop the wood, fix the water pipes, listen to your stories and more then not tell mine, but most of all keep my smile and belief in this idea!
Many THANKS to all of you!!!
Winter Season in full swing
As you can guess from the above and the "late-ish" dispatch of this newsletter we been very busy, in fact it's been the most successful and busiest winter season ever. Visitors keep on flocking into the valley every weekend, and more and more during the week too, longing for a time away from the rat race and everyday life. The weather has been mild too... some might disagree, hence there is always enough firewood to stoke up the "Dover" to keep nice and cosy in the evening. During the days the mildness of the sun invites for exploration along the gurgling stream or along our many hiking trails.
Gecko Trail - Section 1
Around March and April we've been putting many days of effort into the maintenance of our Gecko trail. Cobus and I chopped open many -due to the mild last winter- overgrown sections and placed several wooden arrow signs along the route and build many more rock cairns to aid the hikers. It's a fantastic experience and can be combined with an overnight stay at
Nuy Valley Guest Farm near Worcester or phone 023 342 7025 and if you arrive early enough, taste their excellent wines at newly opened family wine cellar:
Conradie Vineyards or phone 023 342 1258
The next day you head into the Nuy River Gorge and follow the Gecko Trail to Simonskloof where you overnight in one of the cottages or camp. The following day you return down to Nuy or arrange your own transport.
Gecko Trail - Section 2
With the arrival of the milder weather, We've begun chopping and raking in the bush again... The second section of the Gecko Trail is slowly growing and making its way up towards the Telkom tower.
If there are any volunteers out there, that love to join us having fun piling up Celtic looking rock cairns and clearing a trail through protea and mountain fynbos while being watched by dassies or black eagles high above, please don't hesitate and contact us.
WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms)
Our long term Wwoofer Cobus left us mid of April after exactly 6 months of joint effort and harmonious working together. He joined his newly wed wife overseas; I bet she was pleased to have him back :-)
During his stay he studied a different type of Yoga and art of living in tune with one's surroundings - yet that's blandly put. He almost turned me into a vegetarian, but old habits die hard I guess, if we don't allow it... still I have to tell you, his lentils-rice-barley mix was divine and I truly miss it. Well on that note, if you would like to experience life on a farm in the mountains off the electricity grid, help with the daily work load (see above), but also have time to your self for reflection and retreating or studying, check out the WWOOFing section on our website and contact us.
Flora and Fauna
I guess you can sense that I'm not much of a plant or animal "devotee" - I simply love life and just being, yet I have to tell you, without being able to specify the individual plants, that the fynbos is flowering again. Beginning of June it were the Erica and Buchu to mention a few. Now you'll spot many others :-) including different protea and beautiful "straw-flowers"... I guess there I'll have to put in some effort and get a better book to identify the beauties! The same goes with the birds, we got that old friend, a Cape Rock Thrush with his family, that comes every morning to collect some left over pellets of dog food, then flies off, over to the shed and knocks the hard pellet on the roof to crack it, fun to watch.
What has been new and rather unusual are the visits of a pair of Fish Eagle with their wonderful call, right up into our kloof. Those encounters make you feel really privileged and special.
Solar Power
In addition to our solar powered telephone connection that was installed over 3 years ago, I've now widened our use of alternative energy - still small scale but growing: After a good three weeks without a radio, last one drowned in the sink... I've now got this most amazing radio called Freeplay Ranger. It is powered by a little solar panel on top and for overcast days or night time listening you can crank it up and with only 2 minutes of turning a handle at the back it will play over 2hours! Now that is something! The radio is designed by a local company called: Freeplay,
check it out
On that happy alternative note, all the best and see you soon hiking boots and all.
That's it from us....for now
Jurgen & Matata, Guzzle and Master Joda
Kloof News - February 2005
Tuesday, 01 February 2005
4 months have flown past since our last letter. Many things have changed, many remained the same. But the most hectic change has been the departure of yet another resident from Simonskloof: Spotty, our border collie, moved on to a different world. After a month of battling the aftermath of a rare type of tick bite fever, he left as we were on the road to the vet to strengthen his medicine... Animals seem to adjust quickly and in no time Matata took over some his habits and most of his "duties" - except the early-warning barks when visitors arrive... but the running in front of the Bakkie got her really fit :-)
Wwoofing
We've got a long term wwoofer or shall I call him a new resident? Cobus arrived in the valley mid October looking for a place to retreat and study. Very soon he discovered the benefit of physical work and became my right hand helping out with every-day farm ork, building the rock wall at our drift, and painting the second cottage. By January I was more then happy to leave him in charge and head off for a much-needed break into the desert of Namibia. Returning well recharged, the booking chart was filled too, what a perfect start for 2005.
Stone Masonry
With the flood in October came the need to reconstruct our drift and set it in "ever lasting" rock and cement. Dad came up from Bonnievale with tools and all and while he enjoyed himself as the chief stonemason, Cobus and I became glorified mortar mixers, as well as hunter-gatherers for rocks and sand which we collected along the path and in the fields... two weeks later there she stood, our own "Wall of China", solid as can be, making the drift safe again to cross and to outlive us by far.
The Herb Garden
Cobus' next task was to tackle our totally overgrown Herb Garden... Established in 2000 by Jan and Martin, it had suffered from my lack of watering and everything else thrived except "useful" herbs. Needless to say it is unrecognisable; all the love and care he put into can now be tasted in Cobus's mint-fennel-honeybush tea or in our dishes, using fresh rocket, spinach, gooseberries or thyme and rosemary... delicious to say the least. Even the porcupines took they fair share in the beginning, but now leaving us the second harvest.
Orange Cottage
No, no we don't have a third cottage... this is now the final name for our 2nd cottage, formerly known, rather bumpy: "Not so far away cottage". This came about after we coated it with the second layer of "Clay Strata" and finished the undersides of the roof, added the reed to the pergola, and finally painted the window frames in a matching "battleship grey". Inside we've turned the two single beds into 4 bunk bed comfortably accommodating 6 people. Ideal for a small group doing the Gecko Trail, or for a quiet weekend for two rat race escapees looking for some solitary time.
Kloofing
This years kloofing season started off with a self-guided trip by an enthusiastic Capetonian team just in time, after we had cleared a path through the last stretch of black wattle jungle at the top of the gorge, making the exit less of a battle for the finish line. Shortly after I've taken a couple of foreign groups through having each time the perfect weather conditions, not too hot under the sun and not too cold in the water. Memorable adventures indeed.
Master Joda
With dad and the load of cement for the drift, came along little Joda. Born on the banks of the Breede River this little master in the making brought with him a new wind - the Force is definitely with him. And so from day one he headed for higher grounds first, up every one's shoulders, then up the old vine to the top of the roof, now regularly up the higher branches of the pappla tree, eyeing out the birds. Guzzle, at first not very impressed with him, soon took the task of mentoring Joda in the fine art of cat fighting, and mice hunting.
Gecko Trail
The second stage is still a bit slow going, but once the weather is cooling down again we'll be hacking our path further up toward the Telkom tower, and begin heading east connecting with Arangieskop. Any keen TRAIL BUILDERS wanting to give us some helping hands, please get into contact. AND since yesterday www.geckotrail.co.za is alive! Here you'll find all the
info and maps of the trail with just one click!
Simonskloof.com
While I am in cyberspace, here's some more: Our main website received a face lift once again and not just that, no Helmar - find him at http://www.helmar.org - went out of his way and redesigned our website inside and out... Go and check out his fantastic job!!! And please do not hesitate to contact him or refer his talents to anybody that needs a good, solid, no nonsense, functional and effective website, he's your man!
The Book
In closing, here are some give-aways. Paul Leger, the author of the famous Guide to Budget Getaways, has just come out with his 4th issue of the book, and of course we are featured again. To get this fantastic ball rolling, we will be giving away 5 copies of the book to the next 5 bookings for one of our cottages. So SMS your... No, no... just simply mention the line "I WANT THAT BOOK!" with your booking et voilà, you can be one of the 5 lucky ones.
That's it for now. See 'ya soon - with or without the book.
Jurgen, Cobus, Matata, Guzzle and little master Joda
