Frosty Peaks Day 2 hike
Day 2 – 1 March Balloch Cave to Bonnyvale Farm cave 17 kms
We packed up out tents and our goodies into our PEP bags. These were placed in the farm bakkie and transported to the next venue. Warmed by Bella’s creamy oats breakfast, we set out with Margie Frost our leader for the day, slim and fit farmer’s wife. The hike was mainly on farm roads so quite easy walking, with Margie chatting about her life on the farm, breeding trout spawn, spinning wool and making furniture in between playing tennis and leading trails. We walked past a ruined building that was an abandoned school house from the days of yore.
Margie led us to a koppie which gave us a spectacular 360 deg view across farmland. This was our lunch spot and Bella’s tasty sandwiches with pesto went down a treat. After lunch, the walk took us to a river, where some of us with hot bodies (read into that what you like), being Sylvia, Ali, Margie and me, had a dip in the cold water, all prudently clad in swimming gear. Only in cozzies because the pool was visible from a farm road bridge and we didn’t want to entertain the locals!
It was a long 17 kms hike on a warm day. Some of us got a lift for the last few kms to our sleeping accommodation, a narrow cave opening. Imagine: a very high flat somewhat intimidating slab of rock with a shallow entrance that breaks your back! Carolee and I cleared away the sh__, sorry cow pats, sticks and stones, to make a space for our sleeping bags. The upside was that we didn’t have to erect our tents and we were dry and safe from the spots of rain that fell.
The eco toilet set up for us was very amusing – you perched on a rather wobbly wooden seat on a slight slope with spade and soil alongside. The toilet rolls were in a cooler bag for drinks. You had to traverse a rocky mound of jagged stones to get to this throne. You were protected from passing spectators and animals by a white sheet of canvas. You didn’t stay there long. It was a unique experience!
Bella arranged for her mother and father-in-law, Jess and Robert Vidge, old time farmers in the Wartrail Valley, to join us for drinks. All sitting in a circle, they told stories of the pioneer families, many descended from 1820 settlers and the intrepid early farmers in this rather remote area of the empire.
With weary legs and warmed by Bella’s spaghetti and meatballs dinner and tales of yesteryear, and wine, of course, we nestled into our sleeping bags in our cave bedroom with its low roof, peculiar smells and a few snorers.
