Hogsback Village

In the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa there is a little village built just above a very attractive patch of Afro Montane forest which I remember from my boyhood. The trails are quite lovely and many delightful waterfalls are available to visit. The village itself is attractively laid out with a broad vista of the famous hills which give the village its name visible from many points along the main road, which has been left untarred, presumably in an effort to keep the rural and quaint impression of the hamlet intact. The Madonna and Child waterfall is a worthwhile destination for a morning hike and certainly is a spectacular example of South African natural beauty. On the other side of the village is a view point known as ‘the Edge’ where I was delighted to discover a very fine restaurant and accommodation business.

Hogsback Mountains

I remember wishing, when I was a boy, that my somewhat over protective and not at all outdoorsy father would allow me to hike up the famous ‘Hogs’. He never did and to this day the tantalising appearance of these peaks remains out of reach, not just because of the difficulty of obtaining permission but now also because of my painful hip. I still do drag myself up the occasional mountain but find peaks such as these to be out of reach. The view from the top must be incredible.

Flowers in Hogsback

While visiting the village of Hogsback one encounters an array of natural wonders, some awesome and some simple. It is not necessary to undertake a challenging hike to find something beautiful to observe. Lilies emerge from the ground seasonally and are quite charming. A morning spent photographing or sketching the local flora is a very satisfying pursuit for the quiet types.