A Sprinkling of Knysna Forest Magic

Our route from Bontebok National Park takes us along the N2, mostly farmland vistas with the Langberg Mountain range keeping us company

Not far out of Heidelberg we come across a delightful farm stall, restaurant and butchery where we partake in a delicious breakfast and stock up the freezer with farm fresh goodies

The drive into Mosselbay is quite impressive

George is our next stop and Sonya (our GPS) takes us straight to Woolworths. The city lies on a 10km plateau with the Outeniqua Mountains to the north and the Indian Ocean in the south and is the 2nd largest city in the Western Province. It was established as a result of the growing demand for timber in the 1770's

After reading an article on the 7 passes road when planning our trip, it is a no brainer to chose this route to Knysna. The road meanders through the Outeniqua mountains with Victorian bridges over river crossings, indigenous forest hugging the verge before sweeping the traveler through farm lands, villages and tea gardens and plunging back down into the next gorge

Air filled with damp, mossy smells, dappled sunlight and shades of green draws the eye deep into the forest and if you stop for awhile, you can feel the energy exuding from the woods

Tottie's farm kitchen takes a step back in time, rich in history, it provides a restful break to the overstimulated senses

The last pass, Phantom, is named after the white phantom moth. It winds down towards the Knysna Estuary and back onto the N2

Thomas Bain is regarded as the greatest mountain pass builder of the nineteenth century, starting as an apprentice to his father at the age of 16 and going on to build 25 major mountain passes including the 7 passes road. He also played a major part in saving the Knysna forests

The Cape Forest Act was introduced in 1888 and gave some protection to the forests. The first timber plantations were established near Knysna to reduce timber demand on the indigenous forests. This is the buffer between town and the Diewalle Forest

Diepwalle camping platforms are a new addition to SANparks. They are nestled amongst Outeniqua Yellowwood, Stinkwood and Cape Pear trees. The platforms are equipped with power, a kitchen area and a braai. I can't wait to drift off listening to the rustling of leaves or hear the nighttime forest sounds and wake to the bird calls of early morning. What peace await us!

Exploitation of the forests started around 1763 and has continued for over 200 years. Finally the Department of Forestry closed the forest to all exploitation from 1940 to 1964. What stories these woods can tell

The Tsitsikamma Coastal and Forest National Parks was proclaimed in 1964. It was South Africa's first marine and coastal forest protected area

Our first day is deemed too soggy for a cycle and we head to Knysna for breakfast and explore 'The Heads'

"Gone Fishing" is an honor of nature, dedication to SANParks, custodian of the Knysna Estuary

A Port was established in the estuary by the British Royal Navy in the early 1800's to transport timber. Today there's a stark contract between urban development and nature reserve

Featherbed Private Nature Reserve is a world heritage site and only accessible by ferry. Limited numbers of people are allowed accompanied by a guide. Featherbed is home to a breeding program for the Knysna Loerie, the endangered Knysna Sea Horse and the rare Blue Duiker

The Knysna river brings 133 million cubic meters of fresh water into the Lagoon annually. Back in the day, the ocean lay as much as 90km to the south and the river would have flowed between the heads and onto the now flooded Agulhas Plain

We drive up the coast and find the beautiful Swartvlei beach in Sedgefield

Swartvlei Estuary or Sedgefied Lagoon is a birding paradise. There are an estimated 6000 waders in the summer months as well as the elusive African Finfoot and Half-collared Kingfisher. Forest species and birds of prey are also found here

Its a truly miserable day for camping. We head to the Knysna Waterfront and are lured into a restaurant by the owner with a great sales pitch. Imported Portuguese Sardines and freshly caught hake warm us right up

Back at Camp we explore the Diepwalle museum which is full of interesting historical stories about the woodcutters, mostly heartbreaking yet a humorous story of how rusk dunking came about catches my attention. Forest folk had few or no front teeth, so when presented with a hard biscuit for the first time, they promptly dunked it into their hot tea before enjoying their treat

In 1876 there were a reported 400 Knysna elephants roaming the region. A survey carried out in 1969 showed 10 elephant and sadly by 2019 one lone female was all that remained of the most southern African elephant population. I wonder if she still walks her lonely walk through her forest domain, how terribly sad to have lost this species of Elephant on our watch

Our second morning is misty, dripping and thundering but we decide to cycle regardless. There are no cycle routes in the forest bar one that starts at Diepwalle and ends at the Garden of Eden on the N2. We decide to cycle the sands roads through the forest and enjoy a fantastic cycle through gorgeous forest

Time is in no rush to reveal what's under the blanket of mist

I stop to snap a photo, my elbow bumps the handlebars and my phone pops out of my hand straight into the only puddle of water near me. Really!?%<># 5 second rule prevails. It looks to still be working (sigh with relief)

The day clears and feeling the pull of forest, I take a stroll. Forest bathing gives a sense of wellbeing one experiences in nature. I'm in for some immune boosting

We wake to a bright morning. There are 3 walking trails through the forest at Diepwalle. We chose the Black Elephant and head down the trail

The diversity of fungai is a great indicator of a healthy forest

The roots of an enormous Yellowwood deep in the forest

Gurgling streams, tall tree ferns, mosses, lily's, lichens, signs of bush pig and small antelope, Knysna Louries calling, beauty's hard to spot but easy to hear

Its a wonder to discover so many species of garden plants that originate from the forest: Mackaya bella, Plectranthus, wild Iris (although in this environment, fairy lily is more appropriate), tree ferns and many families of ferns

Hearing them and then having a fleeting glance of the Knysna Lourie is a special moment

Spending time in a forest is guaranteed to bring a little perspective and a big dose of happiness

Its incredible to see these huge Yellowwoods still standing, rooted in time

The Garden Route is peppered with sideroad eateries with interesting add-on's. How can one turn down a speciality 'Basangna' Pie? Pies are definitely a 'thing' here in the Cape

And for tonight's braai, a speciality cut from the Heidelberg butchery, absolutely delish

Mosses are particularly important to forests as they help break down substrata, releasing nutrients for use and they also aid in soil erosion. Mosses are ancient, existing as early as 298 million years ago

Ancient forests are important for lichen as they provide an undisturbed environment for the lichen to thrive. They take a long time to develop, growing a mere 1-2mm year. They are made up of two separate organisms, a fungus and an alga which exist in a mutually beneficial relationship

A beautiful day dawns and we hop onto our bikes for a cycle to the highest point in the area, Spitskop, sitting at 3011 ft. The pamphlet says the assent is not for the faint-hearted, and that's driving a vehicle

Climbing out of the forest mist, we are met with a warm sun on our faces and a lovely blue sky

I was not expecting to find Proteas up here, a super surprise

Looking back towards the sea, the mountains are still clothed in mist

Time for a huge challenge but its only 1km, how tough can it be?

We find its pretty darn challenging, the view had better be worth it

A little Suzuki 4x4 slowly passes us and I'm quite tempted to hang onto their tailgate

At just the right time, the mist opens and the Knysna Heads come into view

We decide the view was definitely worth the pain but its time to slide down this mountain

Slowly does it

Looking back at Spitskop peak, wow what a thrill, feel so energized. One needs to challenge oneself constantly to think better, do better and be better

Back in the forest, we stop at a picnic spot and find another 600+ year old Yellowwood

In a world of constant change and streaming technology, I find solace in the forest where a tree remains a tree

Learning of the history of the area leaves me quite emotional. So much has been destroyed and yet there has been an initiative to conserve which has stood the test of time and gives hope. The forest around Diepwalle camp are surprisingly quiet, I had expected to hear birds proclaim their little patch of territory all around us by singing their war cry's in the morning and it was not to be (maybe it was the wet weather) but we got a big kick out of the cycles and walks and we leave filled with energy and a calm spirit

Part 4: Addo Elephant Park and home