27 January 2007     to     28 January 2007

Click HERE for Bigger Map

This year we went on a hike for my birthday in the scenic Clarens area. Although it was not a backpack hike and rather day trails, it was just the sort of thing that we needed for my birthday. The Lesoba trail lies about 30km outside Clarens on the the road to Fouriesburg. The base camp consists of various huts and Rondawels set in a beautiful garden. The place has a "Donkey" for hot water which is kept going all the time. My only gripe about the place is the Quad bikes that drive around the place disturbing the otherwise scenic atmosphere and the second days markers which are difficult to follow.

After celebrating my birthday the previous evening we did not get onto the trail quite that early :-)

After following the trail a short distance along the bottom of the cliff face it heads up a narrow gorge to the top of the hills.

Once on top, we went out to one of the edges where one could see the Caledon river far below which is the border between South Africa and Lesotho.

Its quite flat on top with mainly grassland.

Here, yours truly is trying to get out of a stream bed.

Brunch was had under about the only trees that existed on top.

Some of the spectacular scenery.

What goes up must come down...or something like that. The descent at the end is quite steep.

Some interesting views.

At the bottom the trails hugs the cliff face before it gets to a rock overhang.

Here we had lunch.

The rest of the trail is quite easy going and runs past some of the locals homes. Here Jasmin is about to get whacked over the head by her ever loving aunt while Rob is trying to get photographic evidence to hand to the "Cruelty to Nieces Society".

The Maluti mountains in the distance.

After getting back to the base camp Rob decided to celebrate my birthday further and promtly...correction.. took the rest of the day to pass out, thus earning himself the name "The Sleeper".

That evening the celebrations continued around the fire with the traditional Garlic snails being served up.

Next morning we were up a bit earlier. In the distance the mountain can be seen over which the trail runs. As mentioned earlier the markings where difficult to follow but the map is quite good so we somehow managed to find our way even though we lost the marking at one stage and only found them again at the top of the mountain.

At one stage one come past a spectacular hole in the rock face.

Taking a break on top of the mountain and admiring the views.

The second day is shorter than the first but at the end of it we where all sorry to go back again to Johannesburg after such a great weekend!