Away with the Faeries !!!

It was time to leave the beach and head to the mountains again, so we headed up to the village of Hogsback  in the Amatola Mountains in the Eastern Cape.  The village is said to have inspired JR Tolkien when writing "The Hobbit".  The village is named after the three mountains which overlook it.

We camped at a fantastic hostel called "Away with the Fairies" which had a 15m high tree house, a bath on a clifftop at the end of the garden, parrots and monkeys swinging about in the trees.  We went on a mountain bike tour with a crazy guide called Nils.  It was a great trip and he took us on lots of great trails in the forest.  We visited many beautiful water falls and had many entanglements in some mean looking spider webs !!!

Samango Monkey.

The Hogsback mountains in the cloud.

The bath at the end of the garden.

climbing to the treehouse!

Big scary moth in the bath !!

At the top of the Madonna and Child Falls, looking over the forest.

On the bikes.

Hogsback mountain in the background.

39 Steps waterfall.

The 3 Hogs.

After the cycle we visited the Eco-shrine which was a shrine to the planet and the local area by a local artist.  Very interesting as she gave us a guided tour of her exhibit.

Eco-shrine.

Something about the creation of the Earth.

Eco-shrine and the Hogsback mountains.

The next day we went for a big hike through the rain forest, then up to the  Kettle spout falls overlooking the village.  It was a hot day but a good hike and we rewarded ourselves with a bath at the end of the day !!!!!

Gillian dancing with a tree !!!

A refreshing dip !!

Gillian at the bottom of the Madonna and Child Falls.

Breathtaking !!!!

Me and my Hog !!

Heating the bath water !!!!

Gillian opts for the fully clothed bath.

Sunset bathing.

Hogsback was a beautiful place with lots of great activities.  It was a nice change from the beach !!!!