This weekend outing is another opportunity to “hand back” to Nature in the beautiful Langeberg Mountains north of Albertinia.

We will be clearing invasive alien hakeas immediately east of where we cleared in March 2020.

This time we stay and work from the Bergfontein farm with our host Adam van Nieuwenhuizen, and will camp next to the small farm house, which has ablution facilities which we can use and a braai place for Friday and Saturday night.  The farm road requires a vehicle with good clearance but 4 by 4 is not needed.

Turnoff to Bergfontein farm: -33.991642°S, 21.553515°E.
Location of the Bergfontein farmhouse -33.974598°S, 21.551373°E.

Programme:

Friday 4 June,
best aim to arrive by 17h00 to set up camp before it gets dark.

Saturday 5 June
08h00, we begin clearing hakea on the farm within 1 km of the farm house and then continue clearing as we head north into Cape Nature land.
12h30: lunch in the mountains and then the option of a leisurely walk back to the farm house, or for those with still enough energy, some hacking of outlying hakeas, followed by an evening bring-and-braai.

Sunday 6 June
08h00, we walk the picturesque old Witblitz trail (which begins at the Bergfontein farm house) to the neck overlooking the Klein Karoo, taking note of any hakea along the way (and cutting where we can), and returning to the farm by 14h00.

What to bring:

Your own tents and camping and cooking equipment and food.  For the hack, be sure to bring gloves and wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, your lunch and large water bottles.  Bring a handsaw and loppers or secateurs if you have – most of the trees are still saplings.  Light-weight folding saws are available for those who do not have a “weapon”.

Please r.s.v.p before 25 May

Fri 04 June to Sun 06 June (Grade 2M)
Donovan Kotze (082 3022228, kotzed@ukzn.ac.za)