Western Cape Part 2. January - March 2013 - Wilderness & Knysna, Garden Route.

Wilderness is one of our favourite places on the Garden Route and, as previously, we stayed at the Ebb and Flow campsite in the National Park which is on the banks of the Touws river and only a short drive to the beach.

Wilderness beach goes on for miles, great walking.

The nearby town of George has a big railway museum with lots of steam locomotives and made an interesting morning's visit.

There was a big model railway on display...

.. and also a lot of old cars.

One morning we drove through George and then on towards Oudtshoorn before turning off onto some gravel roads, then returning to George via the Montague Pass.

Loads of egyptian geese at a dam that we passed.

The Montague Pass.

We camped at the Ebb and Flow North site which is by the river in a steep sided gorge with lots of vegetation. We constantly heard Knysna turacos calling amongst the trees and occasionally caught a glimpse of them as they flew from one tree to another.

I spotted one of the Knysna turacos eating at the edge of the trees.

When they fly you see their beautiful red wings.

Knysna. We'd met Peter and Carol last year on our Zim 4x4 trip, they'd invited us to visit them so we took them up on their offer and had a great time with them.

Knysna lagoon.

Pete has a motor boat and loves to go out sea fishing so one morning he took us and a couple of his friends, Richard and Mitchell.

Getting the boat ready.

Checking the fishing rods.

It was a lovely calm morning as we motored slowly past the houses on Thesen Island.

Kevin and I took turns to fish - Pete did all the hard work sorting out our rods and bait! We both caught several fish, some were kept but the smaller ones were released.

Kevin and Pete fishing.

A red roman that Kevin caught.

Mitchell had the best catch.

Pete gutted and cooked some of the fish for lunch - delicious!

One afternoon we went to a charity concert on Leisure Island where there was an excellent turn out.

Pipes and drums.

4 tenors.

We drove to Diepwalle in the Knysna Forest, walked one of the Elephant Trails and then had a look around the museum there. It is said that there are still a few elephants in the forest.

Crossing a stream in the forest.

A skeleton of an elephant discovered in the forest and estimated to have died in the 1970s.

We sometimes walked the 4 dogs. These 2 beagles belong to Carol and Pete's son.

Sunday afternoon braai on the beach at Buffelsbaai with Pete, Carol and some of their friends.

1. Cederberg.

2. Cape Winelands.

3. Cape Peninsula and West Coast.

4. Wilderness & Knysna, Garden Route.

An evening meal with Athola & Nora and Pete & Carol

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