It was a crisp morning as we stood in line to go up the Hartbeespoort mountain located in the North West Province, South Africa. Many times we have been to the town often referred to as simply Harties referring both to Hartbeespoort but also playing on the idea of "hearts". In Afrikaans "hart" means heart, and the diminutive form of the word is "hartjies". We pronounce the "TJ" sound as a "K", but when you take the "j" out, you are left with "harties".
I am not sure if they actually refer to the hearts in Harties, but when you drive past some of the shops, they do indeed play on the hearts. Nonetheless, we were there not for the hearts, but the cable carts and the incredible views you get from the top of the mountains.
So, please join me on this virtual journey as I take you with our ride up the mountain and what you can do on the top of the mountain as you get there!
The Museum: A Slight Detour
Before you stand in line to get into the cable carts, your can scan the old oddities that they saved with each renovation. It is nice to see how things were, and they even have some of the old cable carts still on display. It is scary to think how "open" these carts were in the past. Safety standards changed quite drastically throughout the years to say the least.
Standing in Line and Appreciating the View from Below
As we waited in line, I walked around the premises just to appreciate the views from a slightly different perspective.
This is soon where we would find ourselves.
As soon as I saw the ride up, my heart started to beat faster. I mean, I am one of those people who like to be rooted, planted, in the earth. Not just because I am a gardener, but because I really hate heights, especially when I am not in control of what happens. My mind went to such strange places, what if the cart fell? But I suppressed these thoughts by looking at the nice views.
The old mechanisms and gears also presented itself as a nice view that I could photograph rather than think about the ride that was about to happen.
Fear of heights and loss of control is a strange thing...
But either way, we were getting ready to get into the carts!
The inside of the building reminded me of old movies that tried to predict how the future would look like. A futuristic look blended with elements of the old. It had its own beauty.
Riding up the Mountain...
And then we set foot in the cable cart, and off we go!
At first it was fine, but then I felt the fear creeping into my bones and my body. The creaking sounds, the cart swaying from side to side...
But as we rode up the mountain, the stunning views came into view, and we just tried to enjoy it for what it was. But everytime the cable cart twitched or creaked, my heart gave strange flutterings...
For myself, I would much rather have walked and hiked the mountain than ride it in the cable cart. Not only are you immersed in the mountain as you hike up it, you are planted, again, in the very earth we walk upon. I really did not appreciate being suspended above the trees... But because I am writing this, I know that I survived the ride!
Arriving on Top
As you arrive on top of the mountain, you are greeted not only with the most beautiful views, but also various activities that you can do!
Various coffee shops, a bar, and so many pathways that you can walk, there are many things you can enjoy on top of the mountain. The decorations were very modern, and it was really beautiful along with the views. For those that want some spa treatment, there was also a spa! Who would have guessed that a spa is something someone would want up there?
The Views: Mountains and Landscapes
You can imagine that form the top of the mountain the views would be spectacular. It was so beautiful, giving you a birds eye view from that high. Again, my body did strange things, as I am always afraid of being this far away from solid land. But I enjoyed these beautiful views. I share some of them...
Beautiful Hiking Walkways
When you get to the top, there are various beautiful walkways that they built. Again, I would much rather have wanted untouched beauty, where the paths were made because people hiked there. But you cannot have everything. There are some other hiking routes in the area but for now, we walked on these paths.
A Jungle Gym for Adults
There is also this really strange jungle gym type thing that you can do. It is again rather odd, why place such a thing on top of a mountain? I guess to each their own. But it looked rather interesting, almost becoming a type of artwork. I also think that some of the profit goes to sanctuaries for birds of prey, so this is also a good thing as the area hosts some of the most important bird species in South Africa.
Postsriptum, or Cheers With a Mountain Beer
In the end, I had to drink a couple of beers just to calm my nerves. Again, there was a missed opportunity for this rather odd place: why not brew a special beer on top of the mountain and call it a mountain brew? But either way, I had my beer before we had to take the journey down, more stress for me!
But I am alive writing this pieces.
I hope that you enjoyed the views and the virtual adventure with me.
For now, happy travels, and keep well.
All of the musings and writings are my own, albeit inspired by the fear I have for heights. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300.