Hike leader Dusty Shaw

Photos: Various photographers

Weather: Clear

Hikers: 7

Total Accent: 153m

Total decent: 180m

Length: 12.8km

Severity: 2

A lovely day awaited us as we made our way to Highmoor looking forward to the great expanses of Highmoor grasslands. Seven hikers signed in at the Ezemvelo office and we were ready to get going once we all had sunned up as it was predicted to be a hot day and Highmoor as known with little shade available to hide.

Open grass plains

As it was still early and cool our pace quickly took us passed the trout dams into the open plains with the sleeping giant ahead of us. Fire belts had been prepared as they criss crossed our path as we steadily moved on, we saw some small groups of bless buck keeping a wary eye on us. Flowers started to appear here and there with the promise that spring rains were not far off, white fire lilies growing in the burnt areas as well as some others.

The sleeping Giant

Fire lilies

Yellow daisies

Everlastings

Continuing on across an old bridge crossing that had burned out fairly recently exposing the pipes and rock that we carefully navigated over.

Old bridge crossing

Following the old path partially hidden but for the wooden poles that had been placed there many years ago, giving us the comfort that we were heading in the right direction we came upon a cement block 

Cement block

Looking down valley

This block (above pic) is missing its bronze plaque proclaiming RSA’s first official Wilderness area (1972) rumored to have been removed for safe keeping in the shed back at the office. Looking down the valley by the cement block which is the same valley that features Fulton’s rock with amazing bushman paintings and Caracal Cave.

With a short break we started the decent following animal tracks and the sides of the fire break down towards the waterfall. In the exposed burnt areas we noticed bits of quartz and strange looking rocks that looked like bone.

Strange looking rocks

About 1.5km down we arrived at the catchment just above the falls and a little bit further down we found a comfortable area to take in the view near the falls and have lunch. Walking across the falls to see the view from the other side showed that perhaps there was a way to get to the bottom of the falls and some overhangs that potentially could have some paintings.

Arriving at the falls

Lunch break at the falls

Pic of falls & group on far side

Bearded Vulture

Once we all had our fill and did a bit of exploration we set off back to the cement block. Andrew who was ahead got to the block first and managed to take a picture of a bearded vulture circling high above whilst the rest of us slogged our way up the steep hill over some false horizons and then downhill all the way to the final water crossing before the car park.

Another great day spent with like-minded people and final farewell as we left Highmoor.

Homeward bound

Goodbye Highmoor till next time

The stream just before it tumbles over the edge