View from Beach by Kalander Hut up to the cliffs we descended at the end of the Otter Trail, followed by other photos
Link to detailed route page and map click on route title [route-snippet id=”246″ featured=”image”]Natures Valley camp ground to Kalander Hut
Short hike to get to the first hut on the trail 4.6 km and felt fairly flat but we still managed to ascend just under 200m on rolling terrain through the indigenous woods on the far side of the lagoon.
We both felt anxious before the start of the hike as we have not done any long distance backpacking for several years. Put the start off by grabbing a coffee at the only cafe in Nature’s Valley. The fires we experienced in Knysna a couple of days earlier (dark twist to the worst storm in the Western Cape for 30 years) seemed a long way away. However, brought back to mind by a couple we met who had just finished the Otter trail and as well as asking us who was UK Prime Minister and the election results said they had been able to see the fires in Plet from the trail. Truly Horrible.
Mike drying his feet after the river crossing
We noticed that the Groot River mouth was closed (sand spit running across the beach enclosing the lagoon). Made for an interesting river crossing near the start of the trail. Did it in our ‘all together’ so no photos as would not have been decent! Had to tiptoe so as not to get bottom of pack wet. Winks got a wash!
Strange feeling of being so close to ‘town’ just across the lagoon. Beer and coffee calling but resisted. Mike’s ‘moment’ at lunch worried that we would get stranded at high tide – no need to worry.
Spent the afternoon walking along the sandy beach. Very clean. Saw large stranded jelly fish with ‘winkles’ hurrying over the sand to get to it before the next wave would surge up and wash them away.
Hut was very nice, glad we were the only ones there. Had a bit of a panic trying to find the keys to the hut as they were very well hidden. Big relief when Mike found them and we had not needlessly alerted the ranger! Easy to collect dead wood for fire in Lapa. Nice chimney fire in the Lapa where cooked our first dinner and snuggled in the warm. Only hut with locks on doors which signs advised we should lock overnight due to possibility of intruders as we were so close to town. No need to worry but we both slept well with the doors locked.
