Rock art in New England Wartrail
Wander up among the craggy sandstone boulders behind Balloch guest farm in the Wartrail area of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg and you might stumble on a real treasure. This little-known, historically rich region of the country is stunningly beautiful and the jagged peaks, sandstone gorges and tumbling trout streams lure hikers, mountain bikers and fisherfolk who prefer to take the road less travelled.

But the area also boasts some of the best-preserved and most accessible rock art in the country and was where rock art specialist David Lewis-Williams (co-author of Images of Power based most of his early research. There are plenty more paintings on the farm which owners Margy and Graham Frost will direct you to, or arrange for local fundi Dawn Green to share her specialist knowledge on a rock art tour.

And if you fancy really immersing yourself in the area, there is a new guided, catered hiking trail — the Wartrail Skywalk, which links several of the guesthouses in this wild side of the Drakensberg. You hike hard by day but are spoilt rotten at night. It’s a tough life — but someone has to do it!

Visit www.wartrail.co.za or www.wildmountainadventures.co.za.

Watch turtles laying and hatching on the beaches of Maputaland
Wander down the beach near Bhanga Nek in the iSimangaliso Greater St Lucia Wetland Park between November and March and you’ll probably find some interesting tracks on the beach. This remote corner of KwaZulu-Natal is famous for its seasonal visitors — the loggerhead and leatherback turtles which return to the sandy beaches on which they were born, to lay their eggs.

Guided turtle watching tours are offered during this time and viewers can see the females laboriously digging in the sand and then laying their eggs; then watch the hatchlings run the gauntlet of ghost crabs and other predators, in their attempts to reach the sea.

It’s a moving experience. The sight of the huge turtles hauling themselves in an ungainly fashion up the beach, digging a pit in the sand with their hind flippers and then depositing some 100 or so eggs that resemble ping pong balls, is mesmerising stuff made even more fascinating by the passionate, knowledgeable guides. And I guarantee that, if you are lucky enough to witness the hapless hatchlings, there will be tears in your eyes. www.kznwildlife.com.

Go ballooning over the Magaliesberg
There are few things more peaceful and romantic than a trip in a hot air balloon so if you really want a spoil in 2010 book a sunrise flight with Bill Harrop’s ‘Original’ Balloon Safaris. Their base just outside Johannesburg enjoys some of the best ballooning weather in the world and it’s an unforgettable experience.

You can soar like a bird above the Magalies River Valley and the rugged escarpment with your silent flight only occasionally interrupted by the blast of the burners. The feeling of freedom and the unusual vantage is incredible; you never want it to end. But fortunately, once you’ve come down to earth, another treat awaits in the form of a magnificent champagne breakfast at the luxurious Clubhouse Pavilion and Restaurant. Be warned, however, ballooning is addictive – you’ll be back for more. www.balloon.co.za.

Page 2: Walks and wilderness

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