A short distance outside Grahamstown, there are many places where you can find yourself enjoying a bird’s eye view and not a soul in sight.
A short distance outside Grahamstown, there are many places where you can find yourself enjoying a bird’s eye view and not a soul in sight.
Mountain Drive, south of the town, attracts walkers, runners, mountain bikers and meditators.
It’s one of Grahamstown’s best kept secrets – and you could definitely get the impression that some of the area’s recreational users prefer it that way.
Thanks to a few quietly dedicated people, a network of paths and tracks is emerging that rival the forest trails of the Tsitsikamma; and with views all the way to the Indian Ocean.
The latest of these could take you quite by surprise.
Built by Grahamstown attorney John Haydock and his family, they’ve named it the Turaco Link – after the bird that you’ll often encounter in the ravines’ forests there. And the first thing you’ll notice is an exquisitely painted loerie marking the starting points, and key changes of direction on the routes.
These were painted by artist Andrew Ginn, Haydock’s son-in-law.
Indeed, building the trail was a family affair.
“I went for a walk along the old Oldenburgia Trail from just below the Toposcope and came out on a burnt flat piece of ground,” Haydock explained. “I climbed up from there to the old path leading to the Cliff from the fork at Mountain Drive. “I decided to make my trail link down there.”
Trailblazing
Using a brush cutter, an adze and a slasher, Haydock cleared the path.
Large areas of bracken cover the hillsides. These and other pioneer plants have helped hold the soil after Working for Water cleared the area. When they started in 1997, long-leafed wattle and bluegum choked the springs that now flow freely, forming the headwaters of the Kowie River.
Where the trail climbs steeply, Haydock has placed stones for steps.
Of course, there were adventures along the way.
“I met two snakes along the way – both identical and both under rocks I had moved,” Haydock said. “They were either young cape cobras or slug or egg eaters.”
Then he incorporated part of the original Oldenburgia route into the next part of the trail – the descent to the New Oldenburgia.
“My daughter, Andrea Ginn and her husband, Andrew helped me to complete this section. I made a ladder for the cliff descent and Andrea and Andrew carried it to the site along the New Oldenburgia.”
The Oldenburgia Trail – named after the flowering furry leaved plant endemic to the region – was developed in the 90s by hiker and nature lover Roger Rowswell, with former municipal parks director Kevin Bates. Originally it was a two-day circular trail starting and ending at the Grahamstown Municipal Caravan Park (now Makana Resort).
Hikers enjoyed an overnight hut, and access across farm land, commonage and the Thomas Baines Nature Reserve.
New fences along with changes of ownership means Makana has lost that resource, but the Grahamstown Hiking Club is busy developing and marking a new trail – the ‘New Oldenburgia’ Haydock refers to.
“It occurred to me that it would be nice for those who do not want to tackle the full Oldenburgia Trail to have a shorter version,” Haydock said.
Ecotourism
He estimates the loop below the Toposcope to be around 4.5km and says it took him around 35 minutes to complete.
Haydock is still developing other loops and links in the area – complementing the work of the Grahamstown Hiking Club and former Grahamstown resident Angela Barberton, who personally helped develop and maintain the Dassie Krantz trail.
Clues to finding Haydock’s trails are a recently planted Ngwenya and white ironwood beside the road up to the Toposcope, and another pair at the parking area further back on the same road.
Then look for Ginn’s ceramic tiles, with a Turaco painted on them in vivid colours.
Other clues that you’re on the right track are a gardenia, and a broad leaf boerboon – also recently planted.
This year’s 4 July Oldenburgia Trail run is likely to attract runners from around South Africa – and that’s a good start to getting the word out about what Grahamstown has to offer.
Telling the world about this wonderful treasure on our doorstep could be another trail leading towards a viable ecotourism industry in our area.
