Adventures in Gauteng

HIKING PIESANGKLOOF

TEXT: ZANI KOEN

On my quest to visit all the pet-friendly hiking trails in Gauteng this year, I have completed a couple of moderately difficult trails. After these, I felt it was now time to attempt the notoriously challenging Piesangkloof 8km hike.

THE VENUE

We made our way to Piesangkloof 4x4 Trails and Bush Camp on a clear and cool autumn morning. The Camp is located past Hartbeespoort Dam, just under an hour's drive from Pretoria. We were warmly greeted by Maritza, one of the owners, who gave us a thorough run-through of what to expect on the trail and answered any questions we had. She confirmed that our dogs were more than welcome to be off-leash at our own discretion. It is worthwhile to note that there is a possibility of encountering game and various wildlife on the trail (we saw none), so a good recall is advisable.

We parked our cars at the quaint and rustic bush camp. There are no restaurant or shop facilities here, but a picnic under the trees after your hike would be quite lovely.

THE TRAIL

It was time for our little gang of two humans and three Collies to set off on our adventure. We made our way through a beautiful, shaded gorge with little pools and streams here and there. The 3.6km trail option basically goes up and back in this gorge, which looks to be quite a relaxing experience, but that was not on the cards for our day. Shortly into our hike, we had to turn off onto the 8km trail and were immediately confronted with an intimidating uphill.

It was steep, and it was incessant. The 400m or so elevation gain is almost continuous, with minimal respite. The start of the climb, in particular, would be much trickier if you also have an on-leash dog to manage. Also, most of the trail, especially the hardest parts, is in the sun, so be sure to carry more than enough water.

Once we got to the top of the mountain, we got some time to enjoy the epic views while walking along the crest before the trail started to guide us toward our descent. The trail takes you back to the top of the gorge, where you make your way down to the Camp through glorious fairy forests and pools with clean spring water. But as luck would have it, we missed the route markers for this part of the trail, even though we were warned of that possibility before setting off. We had to complete our hike using the 4x4 trail, which was (presumably) much less scenic.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

As you traipse up the mountain, you are treated to the sight of lots of interesting rock formations and majestic views when you look back while taking a breather.

We were also lucky to be met by some vultures flying overhead on our way to the top. They were flying close enough that we could see them looking back at us. Maybe they were hanging around to see if our heavy breathing meant we would soon keel over to become a delicious vulture meal? Let's hope not.

On our hike's literal and figurative high point, we crested the mountain and were met with a breathtaking view to the southeast. The land was mostly covered with clouds below us, so it felt like we were standing in the heavens! From this vantage point, you can see for tens of kilometres. On an exceptionally clear day, it is said that you can even see the Dome in Johannesburg!

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you are the type of person that thrives off challenges, this trail is for you! You will be rewarded by beautiful scenery and that high you get from pushing your limits. Even people with moderate fitness levels would be able to complete this hike, provided they have a fair bit of determination. I, personally, am glad that I can tick this one off my list. It will take some convincing to get me to do it again, but never say never!