Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Well I thought I would post a few pics of our recent trip to Hogsback and shed a bit of light on the area. I will post pics as I go coz its a pain in the a....@$.
We arrived the Saterday just after 1pm or so having taken the route on the N6 turning off at Carthcart. I had never been that way before even though I've been going to Hogsback for +-15 years. The road becomes a dirt road shortly after the turn off and with the recents rains there was some bad ruts and muddy sections. So we reduced our speed and kept everything in one piece. We checked in at the Kings Lodge. The price was very reasonable for my wife, my son and myself. The service and facilities were excellent. The breakfast buffet was killer and saw us lasting to way after lunch.
With the recent rains the rivers were flowing strongly and every little ravine had turned into a small forest stream. We had been through the area a few years back on a 4x4 quad and had seen places that you would, well basically you would have to live there and hike everyday to see. There are numerous forestry roads, used and unused, that allow for some awesome forest scenery and wild life viewing. I kept the rule of only following existing tracks and not creating new routes and damaging the area. There is an abundance of fauna and flora and the locals can get a bit touchy when tourists pitch up with their 4x4's and quads and anihilate the place.
We arrived the Saterday just after 1pm or so having taken the route on the N6 turning off at Carthcart. I had never been that way before even though I've been going to Hogsback for +-15 years. The road becomes a dirt road shortly after the turn off and with the recents rains there was some bad ruts and muddy sections. So we reduced our speed and kept everything in one piece. We checked in at the Kings Lodge. The price was very reasonable for my wife, my son and myself. The service and facilities were excellent. The breakfast buffet was killer and saw us lasting to way after lunch.
With the recent rains the rivers were flowing strongly and every little ravine had turned into a small forest stream. We had been through the area a few years back on a 4x4 quad and had seen places that you would, well basically you would have to live there and hike everyday to see. There are numerous forestry roads, used and unused, that allow for some awesome forest scenery and wild life viewing. I kept the rule of only following existing tracks and not creating new routes and damaging the area. There is an abundance of fauna and flora and the locals can get a bit touchy when tourists pitch up with their 4x4's and quads and anihilate the place.
Last edited by AM Racing on Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Hmmmm...looks like my kinda place
Tx Dylan! Now that wasn't sooooo bad....?
Tx Dylan! Now that wasn't sooooo bad....?
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Wait some more on the way....
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Very nice indeed
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
There used to be a trout hatchery up there and they used to stock those rivers with rainbow trout. We have one of those mountain streams bordering our property all along the valley and used to go down there with our trout rods. Hardly ever came away without 2 or 3 for the pan .... fried in butter together with freshly picked mushrooms ... great memories!
Those wattle trees are everywhere .... pesky invaders, but make damn nice firewood for the fireplace on a cold night. And the mountain mists, often present, can be beautiful and eerie at the same time. It is really an enchanting area.
Those wattle trees are everywhere .... pesky invaders, but make damn nice firewood for the fireplace on a cold night. And the mountain mists, often present, can be beautiful and eerie at the same time. It is really an enchanting area.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
The wife getting some wheel time....
Madonna and Child..
The 3 Hogs: From left Hog 3, Hog2, Hog1
- bosjakkals
- LR 4WD Rear Locker
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:14 am
- Town: Harrismith
- Vehicle: 97 Hilux SFA ,31 BF's, Bullbar,Warn winch, Hunting frame, 2 spare wheels, Long range tank, High lift jack, Gearmax rear locker diff, Suspension unknown but very soft)
- Real Name: CJ
- Location: Nie weer nie
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Very nice
Directly on my TO DO list
Directly on my TO DO list
03 - Cruiser 105 GX
97 - Hilux 2.4 D/C -
05 - Pajero 3.2 DID SWB ( Ma se kar)
01-Prado 3.0 d (Gesien -Geniet - GEROL))
97 - Hilux 2.4 D/C -
05 - Pajero 3.2 DID SWB ( Ma se kar)
01-Prado 3.0 d (Gesien -Geniet - GEROL))
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
I sEE Mr B was there also, nice shot
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
That's the Madonna & Child Falls.
CJ .... we'll be there from 21st to 25th of this month .... you're welcome to join us.
CJ .... we'll be there from 21st to 25th of this month .... you're welcome to join us.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
OOPS ... I see you labelled the falls in the 2nd pic. ... :?
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Sandile Dam
We started a basic drive from the hotel to the dam going past Madonna and Child Waterfall, turned off at the dam (32°36’59.60”S 26°59’31.76”E). We stopped a played around there. There are some bass to had here just watch out for ticks. We then continued along the track toward the ridge. This basic little drive led us through a few streams, some muddy sections and once on the ridge it narrowed so there was no chance of a u-turn. Unfortunetly there was a Black Wattle tree that had fallen across the trail. I did not have a saw or panga or anything to cut it. So.... I winched the bugger out the way enough to get around without falling down the slope.
With water running down the track it was rutted quite badly in a few places which made for a bit of fun. We stopped along the way and just played around in the water and mud, my son loving the latter more. (Boy's will be boy's). We tried to make a point of stopping regularly throughout the weekend to enjoy the surroundings.
This ended at 32°38’02.53”S 26°59’18.13”E. We proceeded down the road to find a quarry (which they are using for road fill) and managed to squeeze some play time there. This gave the wife a chance to get some 4x4 experience without freaking out. (Yes she is a bit neurotic about falling over).
The following day we drove up from the quarry (it indicates a 4x4 route of 51km of which nobody can tell me where it goes) and just followed the track. There was a small river crossing and some muddy areas again. We came over the ridge to find a cold front coming in. We had some lunch while we were enveloped in this fog cloud. Eeeery stuff....
We followed the track down the back of the mountain towards the river which feeds the Sandile dam. Crossed it and came into a forest section that had not been travelled for some time. There were so many butterfly's you would expect fairies to come out. The Yellow wood trees were hundreds of years old. Just frikken awesome!
I had no knowledge at the time where we would come out so we turned around and headed back. On the way back we we decided to take some muddy action shots. ALWAYS FUN!
Enough for now......
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
You done well, made my day
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
My pleasure. Problem is I just want to pack the van and dissappear for a week or two...OOOOMS wrote:You done well, made my day
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
I know that trail you went on ..... pity the mist rolled in, nice views along there. Now where you say the trail ended and you went down the road to the quarry, there is a point where a few roads meet. Had you taken either of the roads that go East it would have taken you along the escarpment (it's a loop .... the one runs along the lower escarpment and the other along the upper escarpment) .... takes you right to a lookout point where the escarpment comes to a sharp point, like a sentinel looking out over the valley and surrounding countryside. (Some say you can see the sea from there on a clear day, but I have my doubts .... probably a mirage). Will take Mark up there .... pack nappies! LOL.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
We did go there and take pics as well in the early morning.
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Pack nappies.....Mud Dog wrote:I know that trail you went on ..... pity the mist rolled in, nice views along there. Now where you say the trail ended and you went down the road to the quarry, there is a point where a few roads meet. Had you taken either of the roads that go East it would have taken you along the escarpment (it's a loop .... the one runs along the lower escarpment and the other along the upper escarpment) .... takes you right to a lookout point where the escarpment comes to a sharp point, like a sentinel looking out over the valley and surrounding countryside. (Some say you can see the sea from there on a clear day, but I have my doubts .... probably a mirage). Will take Mark up there .... pack nappies! LOL.
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Mark, after that trip, you will forget about Nam and Moz and want to re-locate to the EC!
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Sure you are correctMud Dog wrote:Mark, after that trip, you will forget about Nam and Moz and want to re-locate to the EC!
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
I'll let you decide afterwards!
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
- Mud Dog
- Moderator
- Posts: 29859
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:18 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: '90 SFA Hilux DC 4X4, Full OME, 110mm lift. Brospeed branch, 50mm ss freeflow exhaust. 30 x 9.5 Discoverer S/T's on Viper mags. L/R tank. (AWOL) '98 LTD 2.4 SFA, dual battery system. Dobinson suspension, LR tanks, 31" BF mud's.
- Real Name: Andy
- Club VHF Licence: HC103
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Co-ords 32°39'33.67"S 27°01'16.93EAM Racing wrote:We did go there and take pics as well in the early morning.
Open it in Google Earth and pan over it left and right for the 3D effect.
Will take you to the "Big Tree" as well, an ancient yellowwood tree that was already 400+ years old when Jan Van Riebeeck landed at the cape .... takes something like 12 people holding hands to encircle the trunk.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
- Stef
- Monster Truck
- Posts: 3125
- Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:54 pm
- Town: Pretoria
- Vehicle: '98 LTD
- Real Name: Stefan
- Club VHF Licence: X107
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Tx Dylan, I'm now really homesick
Never been to Hogsback...sure looks like a nice spot..
Never been to Hogsback...sure looks like a nice spot..
I'm already throwing a few seeds out this coming Easter im an effort to relocate backOOOOMS wrote:Mark, after that trip, you will forget about Nam and Moz and want to re-locate to the EC!
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Bring your SFA down, join us and then claim you can't afford the juice back home and stay there..kill two birdies with one stone???Stef wrote:Tx Dylan, I'm now really homesick
Never been to Hogsback...sure looks like a nice spot..
I'm already throwing a few seeds out this coming Easter im an effort to relocate backOOOOMS wrote:Mark, after that trip, you will forget about Nam and Moz and want to re-locate to the EC!
- Stef
- Monster Truck
- Posts: 3125
- Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:54 pm
- Town: Pretoria
- Vehicle: '98 LTD
- Real Name: Stefan
- Club VHF Licence: X107
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Great plan will be difficult to claim the next pay cheque though...
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Sure you can think of something
- george
- Monster Truck
- Posts: 6565
- Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 11:16 am
- Town: Velddrif
- Vehicle: Triton 3.5l V6
- Real Name: George
- Club VHF Licence: HC107
- Location: Velddrif
- Contact:
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
nice photo's Dylan.
Tel us more about the winch photo
Tel us more about the winch photo
"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.-Saint Augustine"
- AM Racing
- LR4WD, Lockers, Crawler Gears
- Posts: 1214
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:30 am
- Town: East London
- Vehicle: Range Rover Classic V8
- Real Name: Dylan
- Location: East London
Re: Hogsback, Eastern Cape 03/2011
Well I try go prepared, but not this time. There was a tree fallen across the track and no way to make a u-turn, no saw, panga so I just winched it out the way.... To the right of the tree there is a drop off.george wrote:nice photo's Dylan.
Tel us more about the winch photo