Driving out to Falls Fish Farm in Schoemanskloof on a late Friday afternoon it amazes me how many amazing outdoor spots there are close to White River, the town I live in. All along the Crocodile River valley you can tube raft, fish, cave, hike, mountain bike and scramble to your heart’s content. Just keep an eye out for those sneaky crocodiles and don’t go over the edge.

You’ll remember from my previous post the photos I took of “The Mountain Pandokkie” for their website and online brochure. This past weekend’s excursion there was for pleasure. Rain spit intermittently on the windshield as my travel buddy, Heinrich and I turn in at the farm. We don’t have any set plans for the weekend apart from some fishing, the odd hike and having a good time. My car doesn’t have high clearance for the road up the hill and Dee, the owner, is kind enough to drive us the three kilometers up to the cottage.

On arrival we meet Mia, the resident cat whose duty it is to keep the cottage clear of rats, mice and snakes. She clearly takes her job serious as I didn’t see any of the unwanted house guests during our stay. She was also kind enough to keep my feet warm while sleeping. Thanks Mia.

The rain abated soon after our arrival which opened the door for a braai, good music and some silly talk. We woke up in the morning to light rain. Two cups of steaming hot coffee and rusks sorted out the after effects of the previous evening’s escapades. We learned though that the dam next to the house was bone dry. As it was the only dam close to the cottage it meant no fishing but to his credit Heinrich took it in his stride and suggested a hike. A quick scan of the area’s hand drawn map and we were on our way into the bush. Objective: Find the two waterfalls.

Slip sliding down a steep hill we quickly stumbled upon the first waterfall. Due to the drought it was also dry but nonetheless a spectacular spot. Heinrich introduced me to art of rock tower building by stacking them in single file. His work leaves little to the imagination.

Imminent rain forced us back to the cottage where operation “Dry Trainers” commenced in earnest next to the fire. The party continued during mid day with Fokofpolisiekar and Marilyn Manson featuring heavily in the music playlist. Dutch courage started to run low so we decided to trek to the other waterfall. This spot on the farm is definitely worth visiting as there is a stunning vista of the kloof down below, covered in dense vegetation.

There is also a fun little five metre scramble down from the plateau into the waterfall.

Careful not to slip on the slick surface we threw a few rocks over the waterfall’s edge to ascertain how high it is as we couldn’t see the bottom. Not a place at which I’d like to go over.

It was nice to be in a place not spoilt yet by man. Peculiar stone ruins are scattered all over the farm. There seems to be no consensus yet on how old they are but estimates range from 2000 to a hundred years.

I can highly recommend this retreat for an easy and relaxing weekend getaway. For bookings contact Dee at (+27) 82 789 8407.

In Part 2 we travel the next day to Sudwala Caves.

EJ