Link to detailed route page and map click on route title. [route-snippet id=”1127″ featured=”image”]First hike of 2018 was in the Elgin Valley just after the crest of the R321 opposite the Nuweberg Dam as it descends towards Grabouw. We had decided to spend a couple of days over New Year in a simple farm cottage in the Elgin Valley so this was nice and close for us.
Not sure what to expect from the walk as I had just picked it based on a circular trail marked as a path (part of the Cape Epic bike trail) on my Open Cycle map. It happened to be just perfect for a New Years Day amble. We started off on a jeep track contouring gently downhill through a eucalyptus wood dotted with bee hives before taking a side path up into the fynbos bordering local farmland. Lovely views of the Elgin Valley to our South and the Groenlandberg Nature Reserve to our North (which appears to have a hiking trail along the ridge line that we shall explore another time).
Real delight of the day was a large area of yellow pincushions in bloom that we walked through on the return half of our loop. The light was perfect and we both remarked on how lucky we are to have this area to explore relatively close to home courtesy of the investment into MTB trails. Didn’t see any riders but if we did would have given them right of way!
Both felt we deserved our pecan pie from The Orchard Farmstall on the N2 and Oudebrug Road – they also serve excellent coffee!
