48 Getaway december 2012 Year in the Wild Nature Reserve

Precious piece of

Just an hour-and-a-half’s drive southeast of Cape Town is the mountainous , a place that rivals the rainforests for diversity of plant species. It’s one of the wildest and least-disturbed places in the Cape, yet offers some of the most stylish accommodation. By Scott Ramsay.

www.getaway.co.za 49 Year in the Wild Kogelberg Nature Reserve

On that summer day, Mark, Amida and Timothy carefully searched the last-known area for the golden protea. ‘But, as usual, there was no sign of the long-gone Mimetes stokoei,’ Amida wrote in the book TP Stokoe – the man, the myths, the flowers. ‘We sat down on a large rock to eat our lunch. When the sandwiches had been dispatched we couldn’t resist a last look at a nearby hillside before going home.’ There, to their amazement, they discovered 24 young, silver plants, ‘each with three prominent red teeth at the tips of their delicate, pointed leaves’. There was no doubt: t’s a curiosity of life that disasters often turn out to be they had found the golden protea. blessings in disguise. Sometimes, however, they’re The fire which had raged through the mountains a year I disguised more than usual. before had created just the right conditions for these ex- When a fire raged through Kogelberg Nature Reserve tremely rare plants to germinate. Their seeds had lain for four days in December 1999, any future blessings were dormant in the soil, buried by ants several decades ago. hidden by flames as hot as hell. The fynbos had been growing ‘We were ecstatic when we found them,’ Amida enthused. for about 30 years, and was thick and highly combustible. ‘Of course, it’s more of an accident really. You have to be Desiccating southeasterly gales drove the fire over 100 square walking in the right area at the right time. We could so easily kilometres of mountains. have missed them.’ As the reserve manager of Kogelberg, Mark Johns had seen fires before, but seldom on this scale. He and his wife Amida Centre of Cape flora had been living on the reserve since 1994 and Kogelberg had Just how many other plants are waiting to be rediscovered? become their home. Eighteen years later, they’re still living in Or how many new species are still to be found? ‘Chances this isolated corner of the Cape Fold Belt which runs in a are, quite a few,’ Amida explained. ‘You must understand, crescent at the southwestern tip of Africa. this is an astonishing place.’ As Mark and Amida looked on helplessly at the carnage, their Kogelberg Nature Reserve ranks as one of the most souls were torn. On the one hand, the emerald mountains they naturally diverse places on Earth. This relatively small loved were burning away in front of them. On the other, as protected area, just 90 kilometres southeast of Cape Town, botanists they knew that fire is a very necessary part of fynbos’s contains more species of plants per hectare than any other survival. Without it, the seeds can’t germinate or disperse and place in the world, except the richest tropical rainforests. the plants will eventually die anyway. Fynbos needs fire at About 1 800 species occur in just 70 square kilometres of regular intervals to thrive. mostly mountains (it also includes coastline, estuaries and But as the mountains lay black and smouldering, it must marshland). What’s more, 77 of Kogelberg’s plants species have been hard for even Mark and Amida to comprehend the are found nowhere else on the planet and 150 are rare, future glory that was to rise from the ashes. In January 2001, endangered or vulnerable. By comparison, Kruger National just 13 months after the blaze, they and their young son Park, covering about 20 000 square kilometres, has 2 000 Timothy were walking atop one of the mountain peaks as species, of which fewer than 10 are endemic. part of a post-fire inspection. They were hoping, optimisti- Kogelberg forms part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, which cally, to rediscover a mysterious plant known as the golden stretches from the Cederberg mountains on the west coast protea (Mimetes stokoei). interior to the Baviaanskloof in the Eastern Cape. The largest First discovered in 1922 by the prolific botanist Thomas P plant kingdom is the Boreal, covering 40 per cent of Earth’s Stokoe, the golden protea was last seen in 1967 and never land surface in the northern hemisphere, and the Cape Floral again. The curator of the herbarium at Kirstenbosch Botanical Kingdom is the smallest, making up less than 0,04 per cent Gardens had even written an article in 1976 declaring it of the planet’s land surface. Yet, within just 41 000 square ‘Beyond Redemption’. kilometres are 7 200 species of fynbos plants; two-thirds of ‘Back then it was known to grow only in a small patch in these (about 5 000) are found nowhere else in the world. And the Kogelberg mountains and nowhere else,’ Mark said, ‘but at its epicentre lies Kogelberg Nature Reserve. ‘Kogelberg is no-one had seen it for decades. Almost everyone at the time the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom,’ Mark said. thought it was extinct.’ The highest percentage of occurrence (20 to 26 per cent) of Old photographs and paintings indicated that this tall, those plants characteristic of fynbos – proteas, ericas, restios silvery, shining plant had a conspicuous salmon-pink flower and brunias – is found in Kogelberg; this is twice the species head. Like a mythological siren, it lured its admirers with its density of the Cederberg and more than three times the ephemeral beauty. density for the Southern Cape. It’s no surprise, then, that the

50 Getaway december 2012 clockwise from toP left: A carpet of colour: Spiloxene capensis (star flower), Mim- etes cucullatus (common pagoda), Mimetes hirtus (marsh pagoda), Nebelia fra- garioides, Phaenocoma pro- lifera (everlasting), Berzelia lanuginosa (kolkol), Drosera sp (sundew)and Protea com- pacta (Bot River protea). centre: Tritoniopsis flava, a very localised strict Kogel- berg endemic that only flowers first season, post fire. Amida Johns 52 Getaway december 2012 Year in the Wild Kogelberg Nature Reserve

LEFT: Accommodation consists of five cabins, all with views up the Palmiet Valley, where one of the last pristine rivers in the Cape flows. In wintertime, the river turns into a premier white-water rafting destination. RIGHT: There are several hiking trails in the reserve, the easiest being the Palmiet River trail. reserve is part of a World Heritage Site which includes several other protected areas conserving fynbos. It’s also a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, the first of its kind in . ‘The diversity can overwhelm you at times. There are so many different species in so many different places,’ said Amida, standing on the stoep of their house, which looks up the beautiful and pristine Palmiet River Valley towards Kogelberg Peak. Fittingly, the home of fynbos is also one of the most beautiful in the country. The mountainous landscape can seem daunting to all but the most determined of hikers, but it’s partly this rugged topography which has determined the high number of unique plants species. ‘Nowhere else in the country do you have mountains rising so sharply from the sea,’ Amida elaborated. ‘The peaks are separated by deep valleys, all with different aspects and soil types. These so-called “islands of isolation” have given rise to the high diversity of flora.’

Stylish and wild The highest mountain is Kogelberg Peak at 1 260 metres, just a few kilometres from the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean. Up here, winter rainfall can measure 2 000 millimetres, fed by massive cold fronts that come hurtling across the ocean and smash into the barrier of mountains. All this water soaks into the marshes and bogs, releasing into the rivers at the bottom of steep valleys. of it. Clearly, very few people knew about Kogelberg. The Palmiet River, which Mark says is the last naturally ‘It was the benchmark for mountain catchment manage- functioning pristine river in the Western Cape, turns into a ment in the Western Cape,’ Mark explained. ‘The forestry snorting monster during the rainy months between May and department wanted to keep it as pristine as possible, so September. Hardcore kayakers come to brave the cold water almost no-one was allowed in.’ to test their courage, while novices can be guided by local Some people, however, couldn’t resist exploring it. Few folk experts (see What to Do on page 58). alive today know the area as well as Peter Slingsby, a cartog- Kogelberg isn’t just for adventure seekers. Stylish accom- rapher, historian and hiker who has produced detailed, modation at the base of the Palmiet River Valley is among informative maps on almost the entire Cape region and its the best of any reserve in the country. Each of the five new mountains. He first visited the area in 1952 and subsequently eco-cabins is built with huge glass doors and windows, so returned countless times, sometimes dodging the forestry visitors can lie on the comfortable couches and still experi- rangers who patrolled the mountains looking for intruders. ence the views up the valley. CapeNature has done its utmost ‘Kogelberg is a true wilderness,’ Peter said. ‘There has to ensure the design is in keeping with the reserve’s sense of never been any exploitation of any kind – no plantations, place: the cabins were built with wood and stone and no farming, no livestock and very little flower picking. indigenous plants grow on the roofs. Water consumption It’s remarkably unchanged.’ is kept to a minimum with the use of dry toilets, which are And there’s a sense of adventure. ‘You’ll never forget a walk essentially fancy long drops with fans to extract the odour. in Kogelberg. Unlike other mountains of the Cape, there are As comfortable and stylish as the cabins are, Kogelberg is only a small number of hiking paths. It’s a hard place to get still a wild place. The area was closed to the public up until into, but it’s definitely worth the effort,’ Peter explained. ‘The 1988, and permits were only rarely issued to botanists or views are just incredible; there aren’t many places in South researchers. Even TV Bulpin’s 1980 edition of Discovering Africa where you can stand on top of a mountain and look Southern Africa – the bible of local travel – makes no mention across the sea to more mountains.’

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Year in the Wild Kogelberg Nature Reserve

The best day hike is the circular Kogelberg Trail, a 24- above: There are several waterfalls in the area. This one is in Harold Porter Botanical kilometre route that starts near the reserve’s office and gives Gardens, on the southern side of the mountains, and a good place to see many of hikers the best views and opportunities to see a range of the special plant species. plants. It’s not overly strenuous, starting with a steep climb up through a forested kloof, before levelling out. lizard (endemic to the region’s mountains), the Verreaux’s Hikers should be prepared though. ‘Being on top of these mouse (a pollinator of certain proteas and found only in the peaks in a winter storm is certainly a life-threatening experi- southwestern Cape). ence,’ Peter cautioned. The Palmiet River is considered by entomologists to be a On two occasions, Peter has spotted the rare Cape leopard. global hotspot for dragonflies, with more endemic species The first time, he came across one snoozing under a bush than any other in the country. ‘One could rank it as South during the day. ‘It woke up and got the fright of its life before Africa’s number one river system in terms of its irreplaceabil- running away.’ The second was during a night of camping, ity,’ wrote researchers Paul Grant and Michael Samways. ‘The while Peter was conducting an environmental education apparent absence of trout, the continual flow without over- weekend. ‘The kids thought they had seen a large dog, so extraction and the lack (and removal) of alien trees and I went to have a look. There, staring at me down the path, bushes are probably the main reasons for this.’ was a fully grown leopard which disappeared into the Kogelberg’s plants and animals, however, were almost lost darkness. Needless to say, the kids were excited.’ in the early 1980s. The government was investigating the In the past, eland, buffalo, bontebok, elephant and black construction of a dam to supply more water to the city of Cape rhino would have occurred in the area, but they were shot out Town, and the Palmiet River Valley was considered seriously as by colonial hunters. Today, leopards still roam here, albeit a potential site. If constructed, the dam’s water would have elusively. The Cape Leopard Trust has 13 camera traps spread inundated the entire valley. Fortunately, Kogelberg’s floral fame across the area and several photos prove there are at least four was well known by that stage and the dam was shown to be leopards: one male and three females. ‘Fortunately, the locals uneconomical in the long term. For now, this special place are really proud of their leopards,’ researcher Jeannie Hayward remains wild, diverse and mostly unchanged by humans. explained. ‘And because there is no livestock farming here, ‘My favourite impossible wish has always been to see the there are far fewer snares or traps than, say, in the Karoo.’ Cape before Van Riebeek arrived, before all the development Other rare animals include the montane marsh frog (found in South Africa started,’ Peter Slingsby said. ‘Well, Kogelberg only in Kogelberg and one of its 14 frog species), a freshwater is a precious piece of the Cape as it was 1 000 years ago. crab (found only here and in nearby ), the dwarf crag Visiting this reserve is like being transported back in time.’

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Year in the Wild Kogelberg Nature Reserve

Anita Meyer from the Cape Leopard Trust 1 2 sets a camera trap to take photos of the resident leopards of Kogelberg.

3 4 Amida Johns

2 This plant makes a dazzling In addition to Mimetes stokoei, there impression. It was discovered in are many rare, spectacular plant spe- 1922 by Stokoe, a few days before cies found here. Be sure to stick to the he discovered the golden protea. He designated hiking paths in the reserve wrote, ‘Its locality is no less dramatic. as many plants are very sensitive to High on the upper slopes of the Kogel- disturbance. Several species have berg, Mimetes hottentoticus presides roots which grow near to the soil’s sur- over the botanical treasure house of face; if the ground is trampled, the the fynbos.’ plants will die. Many of these endan- gered species can be seen at the near- by Harold Porter Botanical Gardens 3 This gorgeous yet diminutive (see What to Do on page 58). Here is plant is part of the Penaeaceae family, a selection taken from TP Stokoe – the the most remarkable of all the fynbos man, the myths, the flowers by Amida endemics. This species grows in rock Johns and Peter Slingsby. crevices on sunny, steep slopes of the Kogelberg and in November it produc- es bright pink flowers at the tips of 1 woody branches. This spectacularly red protea is unmis- takeable. The flower grows on a long stem about eight feet high. Discovered 4 ‘The Bruniaceae is a family of in 1844, botanist Thomas Stokoe first many bewildering guises and is an saw it in 1921 after persuading flower ancient endemic of the Cape flora,’ sellers in Adderley Street to divulge its wrote Amida and Peter. Stokoe discov- location. After seeing it, he wrote, ‘Partly ered this species in April 1922, his smothered in the driving mist of a south- attention drawn to a conspicuous, tall easter, they had a weird and eerie look, shrub with clumps of flowers resem- like ghostly plants from another era.’ bling large, bright red balls.

Travel planner overleaf

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Getting there Kogelberg Nature Reserve lies between the towns of Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond on the scenic R44 road. From Cape Town, drive along the N2 towards Sir Lowry’s Pass, but before ascending the pass, turn right to Gordon’s Bay. Con- tinue to a T-junction, then turn left and follow the coastal road for about 44 kilometres through Betty’s Bay, until you see a sign to Kogelberg. Turn left onto a gravel road and continue for a few more kilometres until you see the main gate.

What to do Oudebosch Visit the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, set between the mountains and the coast in the town of Betty’s Bay. They each fully equipped for self-catering and consisting of two bed- rival the more famous Kirstenbosch for a dramatic setting rooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, lounge, dining area and braai and many of the rare, endangered plants from the area are area. There is a pool (unfenced, so watch little kids) which is cultivated here and can be easily admired by both young and filtered naturally with stones and indigenous vegetation – listen old. The more energetic can explore Leopard’s Kloof and Disa out for the resident frogs. Costs from R800 a night for two peo- Gorge, where waterfalls tumble down the southern slopes of ple (R250 for each additional person) to R1 600 a cabin a night the mountains. A restaurant supplies tasty meals and a good during school and public holidays. There is also a once-off con- cup of coffee. Entrance is R18 an adult and R12 for students servation fee of R40 an adult and R20 a child. and people over 60. Tel 028-272-9311, www.sanbi.org. Go white-water rafting or tubing on the Palmiet River Useful resources with either Gravity Adventures (from R550 a person, tel 021- TP Stokoe – the man, the myths, the flowers by Amida 683-3698, email [email protected], www.gravity.co.za) Johns and Peter Slingsby (R195, from www.slingsbymaps. or Forest Adventures (from R350 a person, cell 083-517- com) is an expertly researched book containing fascinating 3635, email [email protected], www.safores- anecdotes, along with numerous illustrations and photographs. tadventures.co.za). It tells the story of Thomas Stokoe, one of the Cape’s most Check out the penguins. Kogelberg Nature Reserve also respected botanists. He explored all the mountains in the Cape includes a small marine protected area managed by Cape- extensively and found about 130 plant species and one species Nature and is off-limits to all fishing and exploitation. Along of beetle new to science. Thirty of these – including the golden the coastline of Betty’s Bay, this small protected piece of the protea (Mimetes stokoei) – are named after him. ocean is important for conservation of abalone, mussels, Also available for purchase are Peter Slingsby’s excellent alikreukel and several species of fish. Most conspicuous are maps of the Cape, including one on the Overberg, which the hundreds of African penguins in a colony at Stony Point. includes part of Kogelberg. Poignantly, he has decided not to ‘This is the largest shore-based penguin colony in the world,’ publish a detailed map of this reserve. ‘I’m not sure I want to local bird guide Cuan McGeorge said. A boardwalk allows encourage too many people to go there, he said. To order, call visitors to see them up close, as they nest on the shore. Peter on tel 021-788-4545 or visit www.slingsbymaps.com. Costs R10 a person. Take a guided bird tour of Kogelberg’s coastline with Who to contact Cuan McGeorge, a former Zimbabwean Big Five wildlife CapeNature, tel 021-483-0190, email dohlson@capenature. guide. Notable species include Verreaux’s eagle, spotted co.za, www.capenature.co.za. eagle-owl, orange-breasted sunbird, protea canary, Cape sis- kin, Cape rockjumper and Victorin’s warbler. Along the coast, Photojournalist Scott Ramsay birders can spot marine birds such as the endangered bank is documenting and photo- cormorant, near-threatened African black oystercatcher and graphing 31 of South Africa’s the Caspian tern. Prices vary according to customers’ most special nature reserves, requirements. Cell 072-220-5291. including all the national parks. Year in the Wild is sponsored by Total, Ford, Goodyear, Frontrunner, Where to stay Evosat, Conqueror Trailers, Vodacom, Digicape, CapeNature’s eco-cabins at Oudebosch just inside the Lacie, Garmin, National Luna, Safari Centre Cape reserve are a destination in their own right. Spectacularly Town, Escape Gear and EeziAwn. For more, go to positioned at the bottom of the Palmiet River Valley and well www.yearinthewild.com and www.facebook.com/yearinthewild. designed, they’re highly recommended. There are five cabins, You can also follow his journey on blog.getaway.co.za.

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