24 Mar Take Your Camera For A Walk in the KZN Midlands
If you have spent any time at all in the KZN Midlands you will know the value of having a camera at hand, there is so much beauty all around and those special scenes can pop along at any time. If you walk in the Little ‘Berg you will definitely want to be able to take photographs. Digital cameras make it all much easier of course, especially for amateurs like me as I can take lots of photo’s to sort out later.
On a clear crisp morning there is a stunning view of Giant’s Castle from the jeep track at Highmoor, and this is not difficult or far to walk at all. Another beauty spot very close to the offices at Highmoor but rather rough walking can be reached by going through the gate towards the dams and turning immediately to the right between the fence and the river – which is the start of the Little Mooi. The river goes down a series of rock slides before falling into the ravine below; this cannot be seen from the path that leads to the dams.
Highmoor by its nature of a plateau with steep drops and ravines has several other waterfalls to enjoy, with various distances involved. Again, along the jeep track from the gate, pass the path to the dams and where the fence line turns up the slope on the left side, leave the track and walk in the direction of Kamberg. There used to be an old ruin of a hut on the right and not far past that is the fall of the Cascades River. A more spectacular fall is at Aasvoelskrantz although it would not be possible to photograph this from below. The rock shelter there is a popular spot to overnight but it is also a comfortable walk along a clear path if one wants to take lunch and return on the same day. Sleeping over must be booked at the office.
A further walk takes one over the back of Highmoor to where it adjoins Giant’s Castle. To reach it, continue along the jeep track past the turn to the closer dams. At the furthest dam (on your right) look out for signs of the old jeep track which may be rather overgrown now. Pass the dam and follow the track over the top of the slope to the south-west. You will be looking down into the valley of the Ncibidwane River and will see the narrow divide between that river and the upper catchment of the Mooi River, which then flows back to your left between Highmoor and Kamberg. The Ncibidwane drops over a high fall here and flows to the right. A long walk finishing in a steep climb is to walk along the slope above this river and to then climb up to the right to return to the parking area. For those fit enough it is feasible to walk across to Giant’s Castle but you would have to arrange to have a car meet you there.
Both Kamberg and Giant’s offer great walks as well. Organised walks take place in the Dargle, Curry’s Post and the Karkloof every month under the auspices of the Midlands Conservancies association, to visit grasslands, forests and waterfalls.