Parking area where the trail starts.

Limietberg Hiking Trail, Limietberg Nature Reserve

Location : Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Distance : 18km (partial)
Duration : 8 hours (1 day)
Difficulty : moderate
Present : Deneille Jacobs, Rudolf du Toit, Ian Harrisson, Donnagene Burger, Ivor Norvals, Alan Webber, Lynn Elliot

The Limietberg trail is actually a 2 day hiking trail, with an over-night hut. We only followed the first part of the trail out and back for a total of 18km as part of our training for Kilimanjaro. Unfortunately about half of the trail followed a tarred road.

We started the hike at 10:00. The trail starts at the parking area. The first part of the trail is through a pine tree plantation. We came across a small scorpion enroute (below right).

Pine forest. The group in the pine forest. Small scorpion.

The trail is not well marked and the pine tree plantation can become a bit of a maze. We eventually left the plantation and entered the next stretch of the trail, the tarred road. The tarred road starts alongside the Du Toitskloof Pass. We were came across a gate that was locked so we had to climb over.

Which way? View over the Paarl/Wellington area. Locked gate.

On the tarred road we could see the Du Toitskloof Pass on our right. It was around then when we stopped for a quick break. The vegetation in the area was beautiful, with proteas everywhere.

View of Du Toit's Kloof Pass. Taking a break. Protea.

Finally, after some uphill sections on the road, we came across a sign indicating the route towards the over-night hut. We left the road and headed in the direction of the hut.

Walking on the tar road. Walking on the tar road. Back onto the hiking trail.

We walked passed an interesting patch of colourful bushes. Around 13:00 we stopped and had lunch.

Interesting patch of colourful vegetation. Interesting patch of colourful vegetation. Having lunch.

Ivor was kind enough to carry all his cooking gear with him and made us some coffee and tea. After lunch, we headed back the same way we came.

Ivor boiling water. On the way back. On the way back.

On the way back we met some people building a foot bridge over a stream. We were just in time to be the first ever to cross the stream using the bridge. It was nice to see the authorities keeping the trail in good condition.

We were the first to cross the new bridge.

Back in the pine forest.

We walked back on the road (which was a bit painful) through the pine plantation towards the parking area. Even though we only hiked a small section of the Limietberg trail, I enjoyed it. What I disliked the most was the tarred road. I am keen to do the full 2-day hike sometime.