All of them fall within park areas and is thus taken care by SANPARKS.   I will start from the western side and travel in an easterly direction to reveal them to you.

WOODVILLE

This is an 800 year old tree that stands 31 m tall.  Follow the Seven Passes road from Hoekwil leading towards the mountains and the signage will indicate where to turn left.  The tree is just 80 m down the trail. 

There is a picnic spot with braai facilities and toilets at the start of the trail. 

Type:  Outeniqua Yellowwood

Entry fee:  yes

Permit:  self-issue type

Walking trail:  +- 2 km (easy) with water crossing

Coordinates:  S33°56.8232  E022°38’42.1944

DALENE MATTHEE

This one stands proudly next to the memorial of the famous forest writer Dalene Matthee at Krisjan-se-Nek.  It is estimated that this tree is about 880 years old with a height of 40 m.  This is also the tallest one of them all.

Type:  Outeniqua Yellowwood

Entry fee:  yes

Permit:  self-issue type

Walking trail:  3 km circular route (moderate)

Coordinates:  S33°57.003  E023°57.469

To know more follow the link to Dalene Matthee

KING EDWARD VII

This tree was first know as Templeman’s tree and later renamed to King Edward VII after the king visited the tree and was treated with lunch in the shade of it in 1924.   It is estimated to be around 650 years old. Follow the gravel road from Knysna via Avontuur to Uniondale to reach the tree.

Type: Outeniqua Yellowwood

Entry fee: yes

Permit: self-issue type

Walking trail: yes

Coordinates: S33°57.350  E023°09.247

TSITSIKAMMA

This tree can be reached directly from the N2.  Just past the village of Stormsrivier you will get the sign board where to turn off and park for this one.  There is a small cafeteria at the start of the trail selling some refreshments.  Follow the trail to the giant amongst the giants. The top reaches 36 m into the sky.

Type:  Outeniqua Yellowwood

Entry fee:  yes

Permit:  self-issue type

Walking trail:  on wooden boardwalk (500 m)

Coordinates:  S33°57.882  E023°53.968

Visiting the big trees is an ideal alternative activity for cloudy days in the Garden Route when the weather is not up to scratch. Please, respect them all, because there are not a lot of them left.

oOo

Time spent amongst trees are never wasted time (Katrina Mayer)

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Instead, I am taking you to a big tree in the forest aptly named “Big Tree”.  I left the home base a bit earlier to give myself time to stop in the heart of the Tsitsikamma.  The big trees of our native forests are not as big as the massive Red Woods that you find in the United States, but they stand tall to reach the rays of sunlight.  

 The Outeniqua Yellowwood tree is South Africa’s national tree which makes this particular big tree even more special.  Its age is estimated at 1 000 years.  Getting to the Big Tree is easy.  Driving in an easterly direction you will see the sign on your left-hand side just before the Total garage at Stormsrivier.  There is a big safe parking lot where you can leave your car and take a walk. After paying your entrance fee (R21) it is an easy 10-minute walk into the forest along a boardwalk to the tree. 

Walking along you will feel, see and smell the forest.  Some trees along the route are identified and marked for easy identification.  Also be on the lookout for some mushrooms that will bloom in the foliage.    Remember that you are in a national park and no picking and removing of any plant material is allowed.  At the end of the walkway this queen will show herself.  Thankfully she was spared the woodcutter’s axes during the turn of the century.

This tree stands 36,6 m tall and has a trunk circumference of 9 m and will take about 12 people to form a circle around her base.  From the tree there are two additional trails covering 2,6 km and 4,2 km for those who would like to get in touch with the forest a little bit more. 

– – – – – – – – – – –

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So, what is a turn table all about?

Or before we go there, why am I writing about a turn table of all things under the sun?  Because I think it is worthwhile to write about it as it is not something often seen in South Africa.  I discovered this one by accident in the beautiful town of Knysna, next to the waterfront at an almost forgotten spot next to a parking lot.    On your next visit in Knysna head over to this GPS location to see it:  S 34° 02.393 E 023° 02.654 .

According to Wikipedia a railway turntable is a device for turning railway rolling stock, usually locomotives, so that they can be moved back in the direction from which they came. This is especially true in areas with economic considerations or with a lack of sufficient space.

Sadly, this is one of the features that became defunct when the Outeniqua Choo Choo stopped to operate between George and Knysna due to flood damages to the railroad. 

I also think there are not many countries in the world where you still find a train turn table.  Do you know of one?  It will be nice to see where in the world you can still find these structure so leave a location in the comments section and let’s see if we can build a trial of turn tables around the world. 

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This is South Africa’s own lakes district.  There are various bird hides along the lakes system that you can, well, hide in, to watch some bird life along the lakes.  Find Gullilule and Malachite Bird hides for some splendid bird activity along the lakes. The chances are good that you will be the only person in the hide.  By far one of the best kept secrets still in the Garden Route!

Stop at Dolphin’s Point and enjoy the view both ways.  First look to the East and enjoy the unspoiled beaches of, well Wilderness, and then look to the West and you will notice the icon bridge over the Kaaimans river mouth.  I wonder how many pictures were taken at this spot in the past and how many more will be taken in the future.

While at Dolphin’s Point remember to look out for migrating whales between June and November.  Although you might have seen them before it is always a special sight for me.

If you are in love with forests, then you need to take the route along the famous Seven Passes roads. And while you are on the Seven Passes road stop more or less halfway at a quant little eatery with the name of Totties near Rheenendal.  They serve generous helpings, but do not be in a hurry as good food requires time to prepare.  This is a bit further afield than Wilderness, but worth a visit.

The gravel roads around the lakes and even the Seven Passes road is excellent for some mountain biking.  Take note that there are some steep climbs on some section, but there need to be some challenges for the trained riders as well.    This is also a tick box route for many motor cyclists so keep an eye open for them as there are many blind curves and rises. The clip inserted below gives a sneak preview on the Seven Passes. 

Ride the Seven Passes

There are several big trees in the vicinity.  The Woodville Big Tree is worth a visit and a nice place to have a leisurely picnic.

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It is time for sun, sea and sand and happy holidays again.  Vleesbaai 4×4 route is the perfect destination for those windy and cloudy days when the weather does not want to play along for a beach visit.   

Early morning when you are first on the route you will encounter many fresh spoor ­– some very cat-like (I was thinking in the direction of a vaalbos kat), small antelope, mice and birds.  As they say the early bird catches the worm or is it spoor in this case? 

The interesting thing about this route is that it changes according to the time of day that you visit.  Early morning the sand can be firm and easy to drive, but during the day it can become a different play field altogether when the dunes heat up and the sand gets progressively softer as the day develops.  It also depends a lot on who drove before ……

If you are a first timer, listen to the advice – deflate your tyres – although it might seem ridiculously low to you – just do it.  I can guarantee you that it will make a huge  difference on your driving ability of the dunes.    And lastly, listen to some more sound advice (and warning) from Riekie.  Do not use alcohol when you are on the dunes as he will not hesitate to banish you.  Not only will you spoil your own day, but you will also spoil the day for other members in the group.

The highlight of the day is always the last obstacle, the “long dune”.  Most of the time on the route is spent here,  attempting and accomplishing the “long dune”.  And it is great fun. In general it takes more than one attempt to conquer this infamous obstacle.  This is also where the men reckon boys and men are separated from each other …   So, ladies let men play as they will always be boys in their hearts and their toys are their toys.

The route is rather popular with holiday makers and numbers are limited during peak season to preserve the sensitive dunes.  So, remember to book with Riekie and his team in time for your Vleesbaai experience.  And no sorry, no dogs are allowed on the dunes.

Some golden rules:       

Do not veer off the route – the dunes are monitored by Nature Conservation

Do not litter – always apply the trash in, trash out attitude

No pets allowed – there are some smaller wildlife in the dunes

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At first you will think this is all about bikes, but while browsing through the display you will notice there is much more than wheels to this living museum (if you want to call it that).  You will notice the passion, the history and a story behind each bike on display.

The Motorcycle Room is Colin Studen’s happy place.   He takes old and new bikes which were heading for the dumpster, regardless make and model, and turn it into a memory (like the one of a kind model, Copper).

It is his happy place and not only filled with his happy memories, but also happy memories of every boy, no matter the age, that visits the room.  When we visited on hubby’s birthday I kept an eye on the expressions of fellow visitors.  It was nice to see how faces lit up on recognition of some favourites and memories flooding back of their first 50s when they were still young and reckless, moons ago, and quite often you will hear a father saying to the boy at his side “when I was your age we ….”

This is not a place only for rare and spotless bikes that is showcased, but things close to your heart if you are a motor cycle enthusiast.  This is a room where the bikes get used, are loved and are restored with tender love.  This is a place where the bikes go out onto the road and the rider still have some fun with  it.  This is a room filled with passion.

And, as Colin says in his own words, if your old friend from yesteryear is not there at the moment, keep on coming back. You might just find him/her (I do not know what you call your motorbike) one day.  Colin is always on the look-out for that special find tucked away in an old barn, covered under dust and rust that he can turn into something special.

In one corner there is soft couches and a heap of magazines and books which you can browse through while having a cup of coffee – anything from a bike manual to some interesting magazines.  This space is a happy place.

The Motorcycle Room is a place of memories and old two-wheeled friends that you wish you never parted with, but sometimes unfortunately had to part with (as we know that life sometimes throws a lemon or two at you and you have to depart with good things in life).

Just go!  Tell your story or listen to someone else’s story.  You will always find a story at the Motorcyle Room.

Entrance fee on our visit:  R100 per person.

Where:  Thesen Island, Knysna

Time budget:  I think more or less 1.5 hour will be enough

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This is not what Sedgefield is about.  Take your time, because you are in a slow town.  A town does not choose to be a slow town randomly; you need to meet certain criteria as set out by the Cittaslow movement in Italy, before you can adopt the name “slow town”.

Sedgefield earned this name in 2010 and was the first town (and thus far the only town) in South Africa to be awarded with that title.  South African now joins the list of slow towns of the world.  These towns can be found in some unexpected countries like Japan and South Korea in the East to Denmark and Finland in the North and USA and Canada in the West and even Down Under boasts with three slow towns.

A very apt symbol was chosen as the slow town emblem – the angulated tortoise.  In front of the tourism office you will find a mosaic tortoise, a project which was implemented by an NGO to develop job creation and skills training for unemployed local people.  These mosaic art works gives Sedgefield a unique identity.  When you stroll through town and The Island (a suburb of Sedgefield) you will stumble across some of these mosaic features.

Take your time (like a tortoise) and explore Sedgefield!

→→→→→

DID YOU KNOW?

Sedgefield has a Tortoise Rescue Squad of Island Conservancy volunteers. A building contractor can contact one of them at Sedgefield Island Conservancy on Tel: 044-343 2448 48 hours before clearing a plot for development so that a team can be assembled to comb the area and remove any residing tortoises to a safe location. They can also be contacted about any tortoise needing help.

→→→→→

Be not afraid to go slow, be afraid to stand still

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And as you can expect the Country Café also has its own secret cheesecake recipe, made by a local lad from Hoekwil.

Locals and visitors come here on a Sunday morning to meet friends and have coffee and some of the famous cheesecake and while enjoying your treat the owner will come around to chit-chat, proudly inform you how many slices they have sold thus far.

The café owner meticulously keeps track of each cheesecake slice that is sold in the shop as he earnestly tries to improve on his previous year’s total.  So, guys and girls, grandma and grandpa, go, go, go, to the Hoekwil Country Café to help him sell some more cheesecake for a new record.

And like any true country café there are all kinds of sweets in old fashioned glass jars and stone ground flour in paper bags on the shelves.  This reminds me of my childhood when I was sent to the Indian shop and could buy something for myself with the change  – a marshmallow mouse or an orange “appelkosie” were my preferred choices!

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During the daily flying displays you interact with amongst others Barney the owl and other rehabilitated feathered friends which cannot be released into the wild again for various reasons.  After all, the very knowledgeable Dennis only uses birds with permanent injuries as ambassadors.  And boy oh boy they behave like head boys!  Not one step – or should I say feather – out of place.

The trained birds are tame and well adapted to visitors.  Therefore, during the flying display you are given a glove and the opportunity to invite the bird to land on your hand.  In other words, opportunities by the dozen to take that perfect picture in natural surroundings or try and try and try again if you do not succeed with the first attempt – like me!

Above all, Dennis and the centre is on call 24/7 to assist with injured raptors that are in distress.  Please visit the website @ www.radicalraptors.co.za for more detailed information. 

You can also follow them on Facebook under Radical Raptors.

DAILY SHOW TIMES: 11am, 1pm, 3pm   

(except on Mondays when the facility is closed)

—–oOo—–

 Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings

 —– Salvador Dali

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Take the easy walk to the point along the beach and marvel at all the patterns that the wind has carved over years in to the sand dunes.  If you have an artistic eye there are really a couple of spots along the walk where you can spend a while taking really great pictures!  Every time I go there  I see some new patterns in mother nature that I have not noticed before – even a dragon if you use your imagination …….…

Also keep an eye open for the endangered Black Oyster Catchers at the waters edge with their startling red beaks.  Years ago when our children were small this was a favourite spot to have a picnic after the short beach drive, but after beach driving has been banned altogether in South Africa (due to irresponsible people not adhering to the basic rules) the numbers of Black Oyster Catchers has also increased dramatically.  Another species saved from vanishing off the face of the earth.

And if there are no birds be on the look out for colourful starfish and shells that litter the beach at certain times of the year.  You will certainly make some interesting finds, but please do not take them home.  Starfish are strictly saltwater creatures and will not survive in fresh water.

I am happy to share and show MY world, post by post with you!

—oOo—

INTERESTING FACTS ON STARFISH:

Sea stars (starfish) can change sex back and forth from male to female as needed. There are several species of animal that can change sex if needed, such as when there is an abundance of females but no males during breeding season. Sea stars are one such creature, but what makes them even more amazing is they can switch sex back and forth if necessary. If a sea star starts life as a female but needs to switch to being male, it can still switch back to female again if the need arises.

Sea stars do not have blood in their bodies. Instead, they have a water vascular system where they pump sea water through its sift plate or majoporite into their tube feet. Their tube feet are full of sea water and give strength to them. They then use their tube feet to move and to hold their prey.

They have an eye (anae spot) and the end of each of their arms which is a very simple eye that looks like a red spot. The eye can sense dark and light but not a lot of detail.

—oOo—

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