Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i go!

Hike like a grandma I belong to the Vinke Hiking Club – a group of 10 grandmothers who have been hiking together for the past five years. We range in age from 56 to 73 and we live all over the country. We meet up to do two hikes a year, usually in autumn and spring. So far we’ve done the Donkey Trail into Gamkaskloof in the Swartberg, the Klipspringer Trail in Augrabies Falls National Park, the Karoo Erdvark and Holhoek trails near Paul Roux in the Free State and some trails along the Wild Coast. This photo was taken in the Baviaanskloof: Nine of the ten grannies are present. We have 48 grandchildren between us! We decided to call ourselves the Vinke (a vink is the Afrikaans name for…

High drama in the Kgalagadi Q GRANT SCHOLTZ from Cape Town writes: While in the Kgalagadi, we saw a young leopard walking along the side of the road about 10 km from Mata-Mata. We followed it for about 500 m until it went over a hill. We were sitting in the car discussing the sighting when we heard jackals howling just on the other side of the hill. To our amazement, the leopard came running back over the hill with three jackals in pursuit. The leopard ran across the road into the riverbed and hid in a fallen tree. The jackals stayed about 20 m away and continued to bark and yelp. Then one of the jackals ventured too close and the leopard killed it in a cloud of dust.…

Snowgoose Hangabout, Himeville This deli is next door to Himeville’s detective branch, which is fitting because the town owes its existence to the police service. Himeville was founded back in 1890 as an outpost for the Border Mounted Rifles, a unit created to protect farmers against stock theft. Today Himeville is the last petrol stop on your way up Sani Pass. Once your tank is full, fill your belly at Snowgoose Hangabout, where you can buy things like locally made camembert-and-bacon bread and jars of home-made pesto. The produce changes all the time. In a few weeks you might find cream puffs and olive ciabatta on the shelves. The stoep is decked out in colourful hammocks and a clothes rack groaning under the weight of army surplus coats. There’s also…

Where does your love of the outdoors come from? I grew up on a farm near Vereeniging, exploring nature on horseback and on foot. This fostered an appreciation for the wilderness, which I’ve carried with me my whole life. And photography? Only when I picked up a film camera at the age of 20 did I realise that this was something I wanted to do. Nature has its own stories to tell and I try to tell them using my camera. I strive to keep my images as close to reality as possible and I generally avoid altering them with a heavy hand. Why wild dogs? When I signed up as a photography guide at Zimanga in early 2015, I didn’t fully grasp the significance of conserving wild dogs. I…

I visited Zimbabwe for the first time in 2007, researching a story for this magazine. Back then, and every other time, the editors have asked: Should we be visiting Zimbabwe again? This isn’t that story. We are beyond that story. South Africans who love Zim still visit Zim. Those who have a connection with the country still yearn for it, even though they might live elsewhere. We all know Zimbabweans: your neighbour or your boss at work, maybe your domestic worker. The Zimbabwe I know is a place where bougainvillea spills warm pink and purple over the stoep of an old hotel, where an impossibly well-polished door knob shines like a beacon, a beacon that says: “We do not give up.” It’s a place with well-worn national parks where, sometimes,…

It’s hard to find a decently priced pampoenkoekie at a Saturday market these days, but here they are: R5 each. It’s peak hour at the Hermanuspietersfontein Food and Wine Market at the intersection of the R43 and R320 in the Overberg. Bacon is being fried, coffee stirred, oysters eaten, wine drunk, pies sold. Hermanuspietersfontein cellar owner Gerrie Heyneke is standing in front of a board that reads, “Sweet dreams are made of cheese. Who am I to dis a brie?” He’s wearing a wide smile, taking time out to eat a pancake. His table looks ready to buckle under wheels of stilton, smoked mozzarella, gruyère and boerenkaas, stacked next to salami, parma ham and serrano ham. He dusts cinnamon sugar from his hands and gets back to his customers. Gerrie…

GLEN OAKES  This pig farm has two cottages and a campsite. Stone Cottage is a rustic, self-catering place with a swimming pool in the garden that resembles a small dam. There are two double bedrooms and bunks in the lounge, sleeping eight people. There’s no electricity, but there is a gas fridge and geyser. The Wood Cabin has one bedroom and bunks in the living area, accommodating four people. The birdlife around the cabin, which is situated in a grove of poplars, is a highlight. The campsite can accommodate up to 30 people. There’s plenty of shade and it’s just a short walk to the farm dam where you can swim and fish for bass. Amenities include hot showers, flush toilets and a lapa with braai facilities. Where? Turn right…

Where luxury meets the wilderness Tucked away in the south-eastern corner of Botswana, Tuli Game Reserve offers excellent game viewing and luxurious value-for-money accommodation. Gauteng is only a four-hour drive away, which makes Tuli a good destination for a long weekend. Home to savanna, riverine forest, marshland, open plains and sandstone cliffs, it’s a unique wilderness area with an abundance of wildlife and a rich archaeological history. The region has evidence of human occupation going back to the Stone Age – the forerunner to a series of settlements including Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe. Many early explorers and hunters passed through and wrote about the Limpopo and its tributaries. Tuli also played host to a series of skirmishes during the Anglo-Boer War, including the Battle of Bryce’s Store on 2 November…

FOR HER 1 go! T-shirt Wear this stylish tee with your board shorts while you’re splashing in the shallows with your kids. The charcoal colour will hide ice-cream stains and the slogan should put a smile on the faces of your fellow beachgoers. Also available for men, if you like to do the couple thing… R150 at winkel.weg.co.za 2 Hi-Tec Shore II hiking sandals Hi-Tec has given their popular Shore sandal a new look. The ventilation ports are bigger and the Velcro strap has been moved from the heel to the bridge of the foot to make the shoe easier to put on. The inside of the sandal is lined with quick-drying neoprene to make river crossings a breeze and the tread on the rubber sole rivals that…

KERSEFONTEIN GUEST FARM, NEAR HOPEFIELD The Berg River winds through a floodplain on its way to the sea at Velddrif, a cow moos, lambs bleat and a cormorant suns itself in the boughs of an ancient bluegum tree. The farm buildings at Kersefontein look on in silence, as they have done for nearly 250 years. The land was originally bought by settler Martin Melck in 1770 and the farm has been in the same family ever since. Julian, an eighth-generation Melck, is currently at the helm. Visitors can look around the main house – a national monument – and sit down for one of Julian’s famous dinners in the opulent dining room. You’ll feel like you’ve stumbled onto the set of Downton Abbey. Rates are a shade more expensive than…

My mother-in-law Minkie Jonker always told the most fascinating stories about her grosspapa (grandfather) Johannes Krapohl. As a child, his nanny carried him across the Orange River on her back when his family, who worked as missionaries, had to flee Namibia for South Africa during the Herero rebellion. After Minkie’s passing, I inherited boxes full of family photos. Like this one taken in 1921. It shows Johannes’s wife Johanna and their daughter Elfrida, with a friend, in front of their house on the farm Abbasas near Concordia in the Northern Cape. “Abbasas” apparently means “to carry through” in Nama. Earlier this year we did the Namaqua 4x4 Eco Trail in the same area, hoping to learn more about the Krapohls. The map of the trail indicated the Abbasas farmhouse, but…

I’ve been working for the magazine for nearly eight years now and I’ve travelled the length and breadth of South Africa. But the one destination that kept evading me was the Baviaanskloof. Last year, authors Naomi Haupt and Colijn Scheltema (pictured with Erns) sent me a copy of their book Baviaanskloof – ’n Kultuurhistoriese oorsig van Nuwekloof tot Kruisrivier. Around the same time, I also heard that the famous 1916 flood would be commemorated in the kloof in May 2016. I knew the time had come. I only stayed for three nights, but my time in the Baviaanskloof was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as a travel writer. I attended a communion service in a farmhouse with one of the oldest residents of the kloof, Lukas Smith…

Three of the Big Five – up a tree! A few months ago I visited the Sabi Sands Game Reserve next to the Kruger Park. One morning we saw three lions fighting over the carcass of a duiker that was dangling from a tree – I assume a leopard caught it. It was funny to see these kings of beasts so out of their element in the branches. But the best was yet to come: At sunset we saw another two members of the Big Five in a tree: a leopard and its catch, a buffalo calf! Watching the leopard in action was a magnificent sight. The smaller cat seemed more powerful and was much more adept at manoeuvering the carcass.…

Take the train to Ceres Here’s a Saturday outing with a twist: travel from Cape Town to Ceres by train! And not just any train: a lovingly refurbished lounge car pulled by a vintage locomotive. The train departs from the Royal Cape Yacht Club at 7.30 am and arrives in Ceres at noon. You’ll see vineyards, wheat fields and olive groves, and you’ll traverse the scenic Michell’s and Nuwekloof passes. In Ceres you can have a buffet lunch at the Ceres Golf Estate (buy a ticket beforehand) before the train returns to Cape Town at 2 pm. On the train, you can buy tea, coffee, muffins, cupcakes and other snacks – bring cash. You’re not allowed to bring your own food. When? 29 October, 12 November, 26 November, 10 December,…

0 The number of words scripted. Toast and Erns made it all up as they went along. 2 The number of flat tyres Erns and Toast had to change on the road. One of the flats was their own; the other belonged to some Spaniards they came across near Sossusvlei. 4 The number of people in the Weg Agterpaaie crew: Erns, Toast and camera operators and directors Chris Kritzinger and Kobus Zietsman. 6 The number of times each episode is repeated on Via every week (handy if you don’t have a PVR). 10 The number of cameras – including two drones and two GoPros – used during the shoot. 26 The length of each episode in minutes, not counting ad breaks. Chris and Kobus shot more than 60 hours of…

MATOBO NATIONAL PARK Most of the park is accessible by 4x2. Entry fee is US$6 per person per day if you’re staying over in the park; US$12 per person for day visitors. There’s also a US$10 fee per vehicle per day. Visiting sites of interest like the grave of Rhodes and rock art shelters costs US$10 per person per day. A rhino walk costs US$35 per person (half a day) or US$70 (full day). Maleme Rest Camp We camped, which didn’t require a booking as so few people visit and the campsite is big. Ask at reception which ablution facilities are in working order since only some are maintained. Camping costs US$27 per site per day for up to three people; US$54 per day for up to six people. Chalets…

Visit a local market The Hermanuspietersfontein Food and Wine Market entices people from all over the country, with church bazaar prices. When was the last time you had a R2 pancake? “We have people coming all the way from Cape Town for the Thai chicken pies ” says Anika de Goede, Hermanuspietersfontein PR champ. “And this morning a guy from Pretoria came running in before we opened saying he couldn’t go back to Gauteng without his perlemoen.” Sit under an umbrella and enjoy a glass of local wine, or browse the stalls and order a chicken pie (R25), some oysters (R15 each) or a jaffle (R20). You can also buy artisanal cheeses, cured meat, breakfast rolls and smoothies. Where? Wine Village, on the corner of the R43 and the R320.…

Drumsticks and mielies with apricot and chilli sauce Makes 6 portions Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 1 hour This sweet-and-sour combination is great – you’ll want to braai every weekend. You need Here’s how 1 For the sauce: Heat the jam, butter, chilli sauce and vinegar in a pot until the mixture is runny. 2 Baste the chicken with the sauce. Put the drumsticks on a large sheet of foil in a single layer. Close the foil and braai the parcel for about 45 minutes over medium-hot coals – the drumsticks have to cook slowly. 3 Cut the mielies into three pieces each. Baste the mielies with the sauce. Remove the chicken from the foil. Braai the mielies and chicken over hot…

RIVIERSONDEREND KLOOFING TRAIL, GRABOUW The trail starts out tamely enough on a jeep track that goes up a hill. The fun begins on the other side, when you descend into the shadowy depths of the Riviersonderend Kloof in the Hottentots Holland Mountains. It’s quiet in the kloof and the scenery will take your breath away – if the cold water doesn’t do it first. You’ll wade through knee-deep water and doggy paddle from rock to rock. This kloofing trail is a less hectic version of nearby Suicide Gorge. The two gorges eventually join up. You’ll start off hopping from boulders into the deep water, which will ease you into the bigger jumps. After about three hours you’ll come to the highest jump on the trail: a 7 m cliff. From…

There are lots of places to stay in Rhodes and the surrounding farming district. A self-catering house is usually the best option for a bigger group or a family, but make sure you bring all your food as there are no shops in town. Self-catering houses A few people in town handle bookings for these, or contact Margie Murray at the Rhodes Information Office. The office also sells souvenirs like postcards (R4), stickers (R20) and Rhodes-branded fleeces (R175) and windcheaters (R300). You can also borrow a tennis racquet if you want to play on the courts across the road ( 045 971 9003; rhodesinfo.co.za ). AGENTS • Elizma den Heyer manages 13 houses in town. Rates from R200 per person per night ( 083 659 3271; edh@cnx.co.za). • Jill…

26 OCTOBER – 5 NOVEMBER Crafter’s Fair Christmas Market, Pretoria East Buy gifts for the whole family. The market has handmade products, clothes, decor, jewellery and toys. There’s a coffee shop, too. Where? Moreleta Park Dutch Reformed church, 1353 De Villebois Mareuil Drive When? Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm. Closed on Sundays. More information: 082 453 7933; craftersfair.co.za 4 – 6 NOVEMBER TOPS at Spar Beer Festival, Cape Town This traditional Oktoberfest celebration might take place in November, but there will still be oompa music, competitions and lots of beer. Order a platter online beforehand and have it delivered to your table. Where? Newlands Brewery, 3 Main Road, Newlands Cost: From R125 per person for a day ticket, which includes a beer tasting. See…

Get ready for the next super moon On 14 November you can see the biggest full moon of the year. The moon will be closer to the earth than it’s been during 2016; closer, in fact, than it’s been since 2000. You’ll have to wait another 18 years for the full moon to be this close to the earth again. The fluctuation in distance is caused by the moon’s elliptical orbit. When the full moon coincides with the moon’s closest point to earth during its orbit, the event is called a perigee full moon, or a “super moon” – a term coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle. Nolle believed that a super moon could cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but this is not true. The only direct effect experienced…

Every year, steppe buzzards fly from Kazakhstan to South Africa. They glide on thermals above the air-conditioned shopping malls of Arabia until they’re whipped towards Africa by trade winds. They climb over the mountain peaks of Ethiopia and cruise above sunburnt honeymooners in Zanzibar, all the way to the Cape of Good Hope where they take a well-deserved nap. Ornithologists describe this feat as a phenomenon. The buzzards fly to South Africa for summer, following ancient migratory routes (not unlike German tourists). As someone who has lived in the character-building town of Aktau in Kazakhstan, I can tell you the real reason for the epic journey: It’s because South Africa is infinitely lekkerder. The real phenomenon is that the birds bother going back to Kazakhstan at all. But judging Kazakhstan…

DIE PLAASKOMBUIS The coffee is strong at this farm stall and restaurant, and the cheesecake is good. It’s a popular breakfast spot for mountain bikers, locals catching up on gossip and people coming in to buy fresh eggs (R15 for six). The menu is huge and varied. It starts off with a simple omelette (R30) and a few pages later you’ll find the “traditional food” section, which includes everything from curried bunny chow (R65) to afval (R135). On Sundays there’s a set menu lunch (R135) of leg of lamb, chicken pie, pumpkin tart and baked pudding. The outside play area is great for kids. Where? About 5 km up the valley from the R43. Opening times: Daily from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. Contact: 028 312 1857 MOGG’S COUNTRY COOKHOUSE…

READER STORY ANDREW CURRELL Home town: Cape Town Occupation: Hotel and property asset manager The Currells from Cape Town are an adventurous bunch. Each year, Andrew, his wife Rhona and their daughter Amy (16) do a road trip somewhere in southern Africa. They started small with trips to the Karoo (see the Reader Story in go! #54) and slowly extended their ambitions beyond the borders of South Africa. In 2015 they spent 18 days exploring the Richtersveld, Namibia and the western side of Botswana; this year they drove all the way to Malawi and back! Here’s how they did it. BOTSWANA Chilling on the Chobe We drove to Botswana over two days, overnighting in Kimberley. The 978km haul to Kimberley would be the longest distance we’d drive in a single…

The M10 falls into the “mirrorless” camera category. You can change lenses like a D-SLR, but it’s much smaller and lighter. It doesn’t have as many manual settings, but the automatic settings are so good that you probably won’t miss manual. You might even wonder why you’ve bothered all these years… The model I tested had a collapsible 15 – 45 mm lens, which works well for general photography like landscapes and portraits. The M10 uses Canon’s new EF-M mount, which is currently limited to only a few other lenses, like an 11 – 22 mm wide-angle, a fast 22 mm prime and a 55 – 200 mm telephoto lens. You can use an attachment to fit other Canon lenses, but why would you want to? A D-SLR lens would…

What makes a good braai wine? For me, it must be food-friendly (obviously), relatively inexpensive (because braaiing is thirsty work) and it should preferably open with a screwcap so you can get going with minimal fuss. Here are three wines that tick all those boxes. It seems like Haute Cabrière Chardonnay Pinot Noir (R85) has been at the top of almost everyone’s list of favourite wines for ages. It’s a classic blend from a top-notch winery and when you taste it you’ll understand the reason for its enduring popularity: fresh citrus notes, a creamy texture and a zingy, lipsmacking finish. Try the 2016 vintage with anything fishy on the braai. Pink wine and summer braais go hand in glove, but here’s one that is a little less run-of-the-mill. The Kleine…