We needed a cleansing hike. That is, we needed to clear our heads from the buzzing of noises - work, studies, life, money, problems, capitalism and all of its beautiful nonsense. So, what better way to do this than walk in nature to a beautiful waterfall that few people will ever see?

This is not the usual hike, or the usual waterfall. There is no one for miles, you stay in and on a working farm in a rural area where your home is one of only a few in the area. The waterfall is restricted to people who have access to the farm.

During mid-weeks, no one is on the farm. We had the hiking route to ourselves - just what we needed.

The hike begins with a long stretch through various orchards and groves, particularly pecan tree orchards. This was stunning, one of the most beautiful ways to begin a hike I would argue. And also a first for me!

The area is stunning, with local indigenous plants growing on the sides and slopes of the mountain, and only the noise of nature humming in the background. Is this the definition of pure silence? The constant humming and drumming of nature?

The wind blowing through overgrown grasslands, the flapping of a hummingbird's wings, the buzzing of bees and other insects, the trickling of water through the rocks...

Either way, we put on our hiking boots, we packed our bags, and we were off on this adventure in the mountains of Riviersonderend, on the Bokrivier farm!

So, please join me on this virtual journey toward a special waterfall!

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Early Morning Starts and Delays: A Misty Morning

We got up early in the morning but everything was clothed in mist. This upset our plans for an early hike, because we could not see the mountains. And that was the whole point, along with the waterfall destination. So, we waited until the sun finally stuck its head through the thick mist.

The route was laid out on a board and the arrows pointed us in the correct direction. We did not know what lay ahead, but it was not a hard hike in any sense. Four kilometers in the most beautiful part of our country, who would complain?

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A Quick Side Adventure on the Hike's Route

As we started our hike, we saw a beautiful swing on one of the trees. We bookmarked this location, and later the night we returned to take some photographs of the swing.

It was luckily not too far away from the place where we stayed on the farm. This side adventure was for sure an interesting one, and one you don't often get on a hike like this. At least, not in my experience.

They even had a table where you can bring snacks, I guess, and do a small picnic for the children, if you have children.

But the fiance and I did not care too much about the table.

We got hooked in the swing, of course!

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Getting Back on Track

We could not spend all day at the swing and the picnic area, we had a waterfall to get to!

So, we set off again, and the first river we had to cross had a beautiful old bridge (see the photograph above).

The river we crossed, I would guess, flowed into the river called the "Riviersonderend", and what this means is basically the river without end. This is a beautiful name.

After crossing this bridge, we started to walk in the orchards. Various orchards and natural groves covered the routes, and everywhere we went, we saw the blue arrow guiding our every way. The shadows were a blessing, as the sun already started to hit us with the intense rays even this early in the morning.

But the rows upon rows of trees, wild and cultivated, made for the most beautiful photographs.

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Every once in awhile you need to look up, and as we looked up, we saw the most beautiful views.

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The Friends You Make on the Way

The arrows became friends, friendly reminders that you are on your way. But also a form of security, that you were on the right way, and that you did not have to rely on a map. Strange how such small things become so important.

But we also saw evidence of other friends.

Silent friends if you will.

The first of these were the hoof tracks/marks of deer in the area. We did not see them, but we saw these prints (photograph below) in the sand.

But we also saw honey bee hives. I wonder if they ever sell the honey or if the farm owners use it for their own cooking.

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A Slight Frustration

While hiking, we encountered nature in all of her ways. Plants cannot move, and they rely upon animals to spread their seeds. One way in which plants do this, is to cling to the hide or clothes of animals or humans. A local weed, called knapsekêrel, stuck its seeds to our clothes as we wandered through the overgrown pathways. This was beautiful, but also frustrating, as now we became carriers of seeds!

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A Change of Scenery

As we moved out of the groves and orchards, we entered a new scenery; one of grasslands that als changed rather quickly to indigenous fynbos.

The security of shadows from the trees gave way to the uncertainty and poetic beauty in its simplicity. In the distance our destination looms, to our backs the security of the trees reside, and now we walked in a kind of liminal in-between space. Our own purgatory of kind.

But it was beautiful nonetheless (except the occasional insect that did not get the message that we were not interested in what it had to say...)

And in the further distance, the magical giant mountains lay their sleepy heads on the horizon.

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As we took twists and turns, we sometimes thought that we might have taken the wrong path. We went down into valleys where there were no indication that we were on the right pathway. But then, as if the pathway knew that we were struggling, a new arrow popped its head through the depths and reminded us we were on the right way.

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Valleys of Beauty: Sanctuaries and Enclaves

As you hike through the grasslands and the fynbos, you enter various streams and small rivers, which you also need to cross. These enclaves or valleys/sanctuaries of beauty really does not go unnoticed.

The fresh air, the sounds of life and water trickling down the stream, the difference in plant growth, everything just adds to its beauty.

We also bent down and drank some of the cool and fresh water, stained with the roots and leaves of so many plants. There is a danger in doing this, but also a strange kind of serenity.

We felt alive once more. Energized by the cold fresh water.

And then we carried on.

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If you look closely, in this tree stump/trunk you can see the bees flying and making their nest. This was beautiful and scary at the same time.

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The Last Stretch

We got closer and closer to the waterfall. We could smell and hear it. The landscape also changed, less grass, more fynbos and rocks.

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There is a beauty in the indigenous growth that find life in these arid zones. The harder the growing conditions, the more beautiful the flowers. There is life lessons to be found in these situations.

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And then a Random Waterfall Appears

Even though I hike for the purpose of hiking, and not getting to some end destination, seeing the waterfall slowly emerge was a beautiful sight to behold. It made the long hike worth it. Either way, it would have been worth it. But seeing the small waterfall and the water trickling down the mountain slope, made everything extra special.

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Here is also a short video of the waterfall:

We took off our shoes and our feet got the "spa" treatment they deserved after (or halfway through) the hike.

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Because of the easter weekend, we also took some much needed proviant with us: some hot cross buns. We snacked on them as we enjoyed the most beautiful of views: the very road we came from.

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Above right, you can also see the little friend we made on the journey. A small frog (or toad?) sat on just as small of a rock waiting for us to get out of its pond!

The Journey Back Home: A Long Walk and a Cold Beer

Then we needed to head back home. We could not sit the whole day, we also had to finish up. The walk back was great, and the views from the other side was just as beautiful. The sun baked on us as if we were bread, and we thirsted for the beers that waited for us back home. There is something delicately sweet about a beer after a long hike!

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Postscriptum, or What a View

As we got back home, opened our beers, quenched our thirsts, we watched the sun set over the grassfield behind our home for the night. It was a majestic sight, one that concluded this journey and hike to the small waterfall. It could really not have ended better.

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I hope that you enjoyed this virtual journey with me, and that the views inspired you to also go for a hike.

For now, happy travelling, and keep well!

All of the musings and writings are my own. All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300.