Today's hike was the circular route from Cecilia Forest up to the high jeep track on the way to Eagle's Nest, then along to Cecilia Ravine and down again. Yesterday, a large rock fall in adjacent Skeleton Gorge started a fire, and we were treated to the sound of helicopter rotors and a spotter plane buzzing overhead as they drew water from the nearby reservoir and dumped thousands of litres of water in this totally inaccessible gorge. By 11am it seemed that the fire had been practically doused and the skies fell silent. The crews were no doubt enjoying a well-earned rest and refreshment break. However, by the time we descended the mountain, the fire had revived and was well under way again, so doubtless double duty was done.
The morning turned out to be much warmer than forecast, and the shady pines were perfectly placed as we clambered vertically up through the forest, having missed the more gentle incline of the actual track, as is our wont, and we had a good laugh at the sight of three bus-like Forestry vehicles taking firefighters up the jeep track ahead of us. Talk about missing the bus! We could have done with a lift.
The cooler overnight temperatures and moisture over the mountains has resulted in a proliferation of toadstools and mushrooms, edible and deadly, on the forest floor, and I did the requisite grovelling and contortionist moves to capture these incredibly beautiful specimens as best I could with my cellphone. The expensive camera doesn't go on hikes. Here they are for you to enjoy without the exercise!
We passed two other large groups of hikers
en route as this remains one of the more popular walking areas throughout the year. The Liesbeeck River was encouragingly fast-flowing, crystal clear and cool and we took the path of least resistance back to the cars - alongside the river. Having climbed 350m and hiked 5km, lunch was called for!
No comments:
Post a Comment