MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Facts about the Eastern Cape

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Katberg – About 30 kilometres from Hogsback and close on two hours from East London, the little town of Katberg lies in enviable countryside. Citrus orchards, green lucerne fields, clear rivers and soft green valleys with forested ravines – this part of the world is clearly beautiful. People here speak about going up the Katberg, although its grassy summits are really regarded as a section of the Winterberg Mountains. The Katberg pass, almost unfeasible in an ordinary car as the condition of the road is now really poor – rather like driving on a lawn as the road carries so little traffic that grass grows right across it – offers scenery to take your breath away at the top. Hiking in this part of the world is a way of life and the Katberg forest is the scene of several day walks lasting from one to four hours around the forest station and the Katberg Hotel. There are also the Katberg loop trail and the Katberg hiking trail, both of them fairly arduous walks.

Katberg’s Thrift Dam is a must for fishing fanatics. The most easterly and largest of the trout fisheries in the area, it lies on the uppermost reaches of the Black-Kei River and is stocked with rainbow trout that average two kilograms a piece. But it is the incredible lack of restriction and feeling of expansiveness that come from a holiday in the mountains that makes Katberg such a wonderful place to stay. Katberg is about breathing in fresh mountain air and enjoying the solitude of being in nature in a part of the world that remains unspoilt and beautiful in its own right.

Hogsback is a magical world of mountains and forests. It is situated high up on the Amathole mountains of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, and is surrounded by centuries-old indigenous Afro-montane forests. One’s overwhelming sense of Hogsback is the quiet, broken only by the singing of birds or the primeval call of the Knysna Lourie – even the chatter of a troop of Samango monkeys as they feed and play in the canopies of trees. And when you do hear a motor vehicle you wonder who is coming to visit. This village, high up on the Amathole mountains and surrounded by centuries-old indigenous Afro-montane forests, has a dramatic natural beauty. Look towards the mountains and escarpment and you see several waterfalls. In the other direction you can see the Tyume valley and beyond. Overlooking it all are the “three Hogs”. From the top of Gaika’s Kop (1700 m) you have a panoramic view: The Elandsberg mountains and the Seymour valley, even the coastline some 120 km away as the crow flies. You are likely to see a long-crested eagle or crowned eagle riding the thermals, in search of its next meal. In the late afternoon you may be fortunate enough to hear – even see – a few of the highly endangered Cape Parrots returning home after a long day out, feeding. They nest in the Yellowwood trees in the indigenous forest. And in winter you may find even the lower-lying parts of the village covered by a blanket of snow. A silent winter wonderland that seems far removed from the hot days and noisy thunderstorms of summer.

The gardens of Hogsback are an attraction that brings several gardening tour groups from as far as Cape Town and Johannesburg every year. A range of excellent accommodation is provided by several Hotels, Bed-and-Breakfast establishments, Self-catering Cottages, and Backpackers and Camping facilities.

Hogsback is home to several accomplished artists, including painters, potters, poets, musicians, singers, and photographers. They, as well as many other active and retired professional and business people live a rich personal and community life here. Hogsback has an active garden club and book clubs. A number of parents on Hogsback home-school their children.

Hogsback offers so much to those who want to break away from the rush of city life – walking, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, bird watching, and mountain climbing. Or you can simply relax, enjoy an aromatherapy massage, head and shoulders massage, reflexology, or just enjoy reading a book.

Mpofu is a town in Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Mpofu, Xhosa for eland, is so named as the eland like to roam close! As of 1996, it was the seat of a magisterial district. Perched on the Amatola escarpment, the Mpofu Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve serves up staggering views of surrounding landscapes encapsulating the Katberg and Hogsback mountains. Conveying historic accounts from the past, the area is graffitied with ancient San rock paintings and evidence of central escarpment.

The Mpofu Nature Reserve covers an area of 7 500 hectares and occupies the valleys and escarpments of the magnificent Katberg Mountain Range. It is nestled just 25 kilometres from Fort Beaufort, and about 20 kilometres from Balfour. It is run by Eastern Cape Parks. As with the whole of the Eastern Cape, this is a malaria-free zone, making it a safe choice for families with children as well as the elderly, who may not react well to anti-malarial prophylaxes. It is not only ideal in terms of safety and its central situation, but is also a fabulous representative of the animal- and plant life of the province, and of South Africa as a whole.

There are a number of different habitat types within the nature reserve, each complete with its own unique combination of fauna and flora. The landscape is unique, thanks to the natural array of treasures within the borders of the reserve. Some of the areas of the Mpofu reserve consist of steep terrain, which yields an entirely different array of life to those areas that are more level. The reserve is home to Burchell’s zebra, eland, white rhino, giraffe, Cape buffalo and bushbuck.

The mountains and valleys of the Mpofu Nature Reserve are littered with hiking, and walking trails. Whether you are fit and energetic or just want to go for a serene stroll, there are excellent options suited to you. Most of these are day trails, but this is also the home of the start of the Katberg Trail, which takes three days to complete and offers breath-taking views and vistas. Educational tours and guided game drives are recommended to visitors that want to get the most out of their time here. There are also 4 x 4 trails and self-guided game drive trails available. Those with a penchant for bird-watching are in for a treat at Mpofu, as it is home to a massive variety of pretty avian species.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.