Saturday 17th April 2010
8.3 miles, 2,100 feet
Another pre-breakfast walk took me to the route into the fern forest. Here, I had seen a sign to a waterfall and decided to explore, and also to visit the wooden bridge crossed earlier in the week. Today's route would take us into an adjoining valley from where transport would bring us back to the hotel. A gradual zig-zagging path took us up onto Surprise Ridge where we had a long break for elevenses. We then followed the contouring path around The Diamond and Castle Rocks. After stopping on the slopes of Castle Rocks for lunch, we continued along the rough overgrown path. This eventually improved as we made our way to the Visitor’s Centre, and a short stroll around the shop before returning to the hotel.
The early morning sun catches the front of the hotel
A very secluded waterfall . . .
from where the water flows down a rocky gorge
The wooden bridge seemed worthy . . .
of a couple of photos
The troops gather at the hotel
These orange flowers abounded in this area . . .
and today seemed the right time . . .
to capture them on film - or should that be 'memory card'!
An erratic or has it fallen from above?
An abundance of protea bushes, with the hotel nestled in the hillside . . .
and a lonely tree fern
The path contours . . .
around the hillside . . .
Camel's Hump is the focus of tomorrow's walk
Our route is in much more open country than previous walks . . .
and from Surprise Ridge we can see the scattered houses in the next valley
Continuing along the contouring path - the order of the day
A chameleon seeks the stability of the main stem . . .
where it holds on tight!
The escarpment above us never ceases to amaze me . . .
and the tree ferns . . .
always bring the camera out
Lunch was enjoyed in the shade of the rock but now it's time to leave . . .
heading towards Park Grotto . . .
and past more escarpment
Castle Rocks
Heading down into the valley the 'trio of rocks' somehow seem out of place
The waterfall and pool look like they could be a popular spot for the locals