Wakkerstroom - In search of tunnels, waterfalls and scenic roads

[Kykdaar]

Its been years since I have been on a DS ride and I felt the need to re-discover that lost pleasure so Sidetrack and I made plans to head out to Wakkerstroom for some riding and flyfishing. Our destination - Balela Mountain Lodge or Schurvekopye Mountain Farm: https://www.balelemountainfarms.co.za/

RedRider (Rooi) on a KTM 990 and Friend (Arrie) on a KTM 690 asked to join and then we were four :thumleft: They headed out the day prior to ride the area around Van Reenen, overnight at the Green Latern and were to meet up with us the following afternoon at Balela.

The bad part about riding Wakkerstroom is the less-than-inspiring roads and Towns you got to pass through to get there from Pretoria (places like Ogies, Bethal, Amersfoort, Volksrust and roads swarming with coal trucks) so we decided to get there swiftly and in comfort by hitching our bikes to the 4.0 V6  :biggrin:

The farm is about 21km's out of Wakkerstroom and once checked in we set up camp, grabbed the fishing gear and headed for a dam. Within a few casts Sidetrack was into a fish that was successfully landed followed by another some time later. I was too lazy to switch to the floating line and dry flies that was bringing Sidetrack success with the result that I was flogging the water unsuccessfully until it was far too late and the trout had already retreated for the day.

Back at the camp we were getting peckish so a pot bread mixture was prepared and the fire lit. It was getting dark and the first tjops were already consumed and still there was no sign of Rooi (Cobus) and Arrie. When it got properly dark and we have just about given up hope we heard the distinctive rumble of the big KTM followed shortly by its spotlights cresting the hill leading to the campsite.

They have had a great ride the day before and some interesting times in getting to us, but I will leave that story to Cobus to tell.

Spent the rest of the evening around the fire consuming ice cold beers courtesy of the fridge in the 4x4 and then, once we retired for the night, an even colder evening until dawn finally broke. I was so cold that I got out of bed at around 5.am and headed for the showers where I spent the next half an hour standing under a very hot shower trying to recover from the cold night.

 

[Kykdaar]

Some fotos of the first day - Gents please feel free to add yours -

1. Styling it
2. Still some water around
3. Balela Campsite from a distance
4. Sidetrack with fish on
5. Somewhat small rainbow

 

[Kykdaar]

A few more -

1. Textbook casting technique
2. "Somewhat" larger second fish :biggrin:
3. Potbread mix
4 Our view
5 XT's waiting for the next day's ride

 

[Slainte Mhaith]

.

 

[NoRush]

:sip:

 

[Kykdaar]

Day 2

Having put on two jackets I grabbed the fishing road and headed for the dam whilst the others was still snoring. I had some ground to make up. Changed to a floating line and got ready to murder those small trout, but alas I did not get a single bite. These fish were starting to get on my nerves ;D When I saw movement at the camp I gave up and went back.

Truth be told, I was a little bit nervous about the day's riding. I have not ridden on dirt for a long time, I have never ridden the XT on dirt and my companions were all accomplished (read - fast) riders. So I offered that they ride the day together and I just do a slow scenic ride on my own, which they declined. We would ride together and they would wait for me where required. 

So we suited up, geared up and I got to use the rear luggage rack Groenie quickly built me for use on this trip for the first time strapping my tool and air pump to it.

 

[Kykdaar]

Cobus wanted to find a tunnel and Jacque wanted to visit a waterfall. I was just along for the scenic ride so I sat back and left the navigation to them. After filling up at Wakkerstroom we set off for Laingsnek Pass located on the tarred N11 route between Newcastle (42 km to the south) and Volksrust (13 km to the north) just before the KZN border. The pass has lovely views of both Majuba and Inkwelo mountains to the West and I was still sitting and admiring it when Cobus suddenly veered off the tar and onto the gravel shoulder, nearly catching me completely by surprise.

We had reached the jump off point in search of the tunnel. The path to our left was blocked by a locked gate with a warning board about being the entry to private property, so we descended down a rough track to the right and down the valley. After stopping to discuss things a bit we concluded (incorrectly it seems) that the road to the tunnel was blocked by the gate and we would not be able to reach it.

A later examination on Google Earth shows that we were actually very close to it and we only needed to go down further and more towards the road. Oh well - next time.

So we headed back up to the road, turned back towards Volksrust and a few km's laater turned left on a dirt road said to lead to to Kwaggasnek and, eventually, also to Memel.   

 

[Kykdaar]

This road between Kwaggasnek and Memel was stunning with rolling hills, ascends, decends, curves and beautiful scenery capturing and holding my attention whilst I gradually was finding my gravel feet again.

The XT felt planted and confidence inspiring. All tensions ebbed away and I started to relax and drink in the natural beauty all around me - I was going into "Kykdaar" mode and loved every minute of it :thumleft: 

 

[Kykdaar]

Along the way we passed a place called "Seekoeivlei Resort" on their website it stated that -

"Just north of the little town of Memel where the Free State borders Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal, close to the Drakensberg Escarpment, and roughly 250 kilometres from Johannesburg, is a beautiful wetland area, proclaimed nature reserve, called Seekoeivlei.
Seekoeivlei Nature Reserve is a crucial habitat for over a quarter of the Free State’s endangered birds, and consists of a floodplain ecosystem, drained by the Klip River, with a number of small seasonally-flooded oxbow lakes.

The wetland, named after the hippo, last seen here in 1894, stretches for about 20 kilometres from Memel northwards to the Mpumalanga border.

Seekoeivlei is the largest wetland in the southern African highveld that supports huge numbers of local and migratory water birds.

Obviously the attraction to the nature reserve is bird viewing, due to the large variety of rare birds and birds in general. Seekoeivlei is a breeding site for the whiskered tern, crowned and blue cranes and the endangered wattled crane.

The little bittern and yellowbilled stork, both seldom seen, join the white-winged flufftail as rare species found here, and, as part of a large-scale rehabilitation project the wattled crane and the hippopotamus have both been reintroduced.

Seekoeivlei has been a Ramsar site (list of wetlands of international importance) since January 1997. It’s interesting to learn that the Klip River, which drains the system, is a tributary of the Vaal River, upon which Gauteng depends for its water supply".

 

[Kykdaar]

The road ended at a T-Junction just before Memel and we headed for the Hotel for some refreshments and a meal.

By luck Sidetrack was behind me heading into town and he could stop and retrieve my number plate which fell off  :biggrin: 

The burgers, as usual, was great and we spent a pleasant our or so. 

 

[speed]

The tunnel you are showing is the new tunnel.The old tunnel is just below the entry of the new tunnel and the exit is in the bush were you pin is for the entry road.

 

[Kykdaar]

Heading out of Memel, direction Newcastle the Botha's Pass descends from its 1809m summit some 245 meters down the escarpment producing some beautiful views along the way.

Just as one passes Botha's Pass Kontreiwinkel at the foot of the pass there is a dirt road turn-off to the left. It is a very nice ride that eventually ends with a t-junction to the N11 tar road.

Just carry on directly over the road and the road becomes even more scenic leading up to the junction at the bottom of the Zaaihoek dam.

Dont go left directly to Wakkerstroom, but go right in a anti-clockwise direction around the dam to take the long way around. This piece of road is my favourite and beautiful scenes await around each corner.

The irony is that I never stopped to take any pictures here so you will have to go and see it for yourself 

 

[Kykdaar]

The tunnel you are showing is the new tunnel.The old tunnel is just below the entry of the new tunnel and the exit is in the bush were you pin is for the entry road.

A-ha thanks :thumleft:

 

[Kykdaar]

Whilst the other went to town for supplies - I was too chicken to ride over some road re-construction sections on the way in - I readied the campsite for the evenings braai and set about making another bread.

When they returned Sidetrack and I went to one of the lower dams that looked nice and deep (the "island dam") and here, at last, my patience paid off and I managed to land my first (and only) fish for the trip.

The sunset was spectacular basking the reeds along the dam and the adjoining countryside in a soft golden shade for a few minutes before  the sun set behind the hills and darkness began to fall.

We gathered a good stack of firewood from the farmer (free ;D) and built the evening fire whilst admiring the herd of Eland grazing a few metres away. 

This evening I was better prepared for the inevitable cold that would follow. This time around I did not use the sleeping bag as a blanket but actually slept in it. That Icebreaker thing is so warm that I literally started sweating and could later only sleep with my T-shirt and shorts on. Great piece of kit. 

What a great day 

 

[sidetrack]

Hi Kykdaar thanks for all the pics and the trip was great fun. I even managed to catch two fish ! Couple of my pics

Day 1 caught two Rainbow's

Setting of on day 2 from camp between Wakkerstroom and Utrecht

On the way to Wakkerstroom, beautifull valley

Amajuba pass, a crook died here  - shot while running from the fuzz in 1921

Close to Botha's pass

Group on the way to Memel

Rooi who should actually be Orange since he likes and rides his 990 so much  :deal:

Memel

Kykdaar from Memel onwards

Drift on the track from Memel towards Wakkerstroom

I think this was Zaaihoek dam

The old cemetry at Wakkerstroom, some soldiers who died in the Boer war lay buried here

Day 3

Memel church

And the sand stone church at Morgenzon

 

[Grootseun]

Awesome pics and report!!! Looks like a great area to ride in!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kykdaar]

Sidetrack - some great photos there :thumleft:

Day 3 would basically be spent heading back. Sidetrack and I would slum it in the bakkie :biggrin: whilst Cobus and Arrie would ride back home on gravel roads via Val. Somehow I think they made the better choice :ricky:

Off course, Murphy would intervene at the last moment in the form of a flat rear tyre for Arrie on the 690. We watched with interest Arrie sweating away while sipping on a cold beverage - moral support is important in trying times like these >

With the tube out we could see a tear near the valve and speculated that the place that fitted his tube and tyre just before the trip probably stuffed up the job.

Arrie was equipped with the Desert Fox tool for pushing a tyre back onto its rim without pinching the tube. This generated a lot of interest among us and we were keen to see if this thing can not only work, but whether it can be operated by a bunch of normal guys outside of the controlled environment where they usually shoot the promotional video and which is designed to make operating the tool look as easy as falling off a chair.

As suspected it was not all plain sailing and it took a while to get the hang of it. We made a short video of the tool, but I do not know how to imbed it so I hope that Rooi or Sidetrack can help me out.

Thanks to Sidetrack, Rooi and Arrie for a great week-end of excellent riding and good company.

Thanks for reading - hopefully the next RR wont take two years :biggrin:       

 

[DirtRebell]

Lekker rr with great pics - thank for sharing guys.
Nice little trout there. Geelkat and I tried our very today at Du Toitskloof but to no avail.

 

[sidetrack]

That no pinch tool has me sold ! Can highly recommend anyone staying at Balele lodge, friendly people with beautiful surrounds and affordable pricing for camping.

 

[ROOI]

Day 1 me and Arries left Pretoria for van Reenen .
Beautiful country