Champagne Valley Walking Club - Moor Park

Tuesday morning 12 of the walking club members met at a central point. We filled three cars and set off in the direction of Estcourt. We were on our way to Moor Park/ Wagendrift Nature Reserve  for our hike outing.

At the park, we stopped for a snack and coffee

The park official arrived to note our names and take our entrance money! 

Then we set off

The hiker in the foreground is Denise Carter who's 80-something. I posted a photo of her and her two beautiful Labradors on our first hike in the Drakensberg

The paths were rather unkempt and very overgrown. Above and many times ahead on the hike, we had to climb under tree branches or slither over them

We walked along a path above the Bushman's River

This area is one of great historical significance. It is listed in the Guinness Book of records as the first known iron-age settlement in Southern Africa, occupied during the 11th century.

The area was also the scene of numerous famous battles between the Boers and the British. 

It was very lush and green after the plentiful summer rains so we didn't see any wildlife. It would be a better to do this hike in winter.

However, as we started walking several birds could be heard calling: Klaas Cuckoo; Tambourine Dove; African Fish-Eagle and Swainsons Spurfowl.

Denise striding along with the best !

Ant and Grant - not sure who looks the wooliest!

A skull on a rock

Stopping for a tea break

Everyone found a spot in the shade to relax

A bushy view of Wagendrift Dam

With the lush growth, it was quite a challenge to get the dam in view

Around our tea spot, there were several pieces of fossilized wood

I stopped to photograph these wildflowers

This park is the only place in South Africa for a threatened flowering shrub Calpurnia woodii. Unfortunately we didn't see it. 

Alan, our intrepid hiker at 86, takes a rest

Heading back

Back at the cars, people collected their picnic lunches and walked a few meters to the river 

Grant said he'd walked enough and drove down. Ant and I sat on the tailgate

Unpackint the picnic

Beside the Bushmans River

Jenny wasn't on the hike (we missed her) but Lynette gave me the specs:

Distance - 7.8km; 11,303 steps

A great time was had by all - ONCE AGAIN! 𓄚𓅗𓅕𓄆