Clarens Weekend Part I - The Clarens Nature Reserve

For my birthday, Salt and I decided to spend two days in Clarens. Now, the last time I was in Clarens, I went… well… to Clarens.

You see, it had been on my bucket list for about 40 years, and like any long-awaited dream, it turned out to be a bit of an anti-climax.

By the time I finally arrived, it was inevitably disappointing. After two days, I was more than ready to leave with a "been there, done that" kind of vibe.

But nooooow, now that Salt and I have become self-proclaimed masters of hiking—experts, if you will—the surrounding mountains looked like a good option for a weekend.

Not too far from home, although the drive was a bit longer than I remembered…and I don’t recall the mountains at all! But hey, I’m all about new perspectives. 

So, naturally, I researched and planned meticulously. I was confident that with my flawless planning, we could conquer every hike in and around Clarens. Haaaaa haaaa, was I wrong. 

My Facebook feed kept getting flooded with an organized Clarens hike, and the pictures and videos were beyond anything I could have imagined. So, back to square one I went, restarting my research from scratch. Even then… I could never have known.

It was such a whirlwind that from the moment we arrived, we either hiked, ate, or collapsed into bed. I had just turned a year older, so expecting me to remember all the hikes we did is a bit ambitious.

These hikes made all our previous ones look like child's play. I've never seen such beauty. Well, maybe I have… from the car window… back when I was young, dumb, and blissfully uninterested in nature's wonders.

We arrived in Clarens on Friday at lunch time, ate lunch, and checked into our accommodation. Our first hike wasn’t even part of my meticulously crafted itinerary. The host of our bed and breakfast suggested Clarens hikes. “What do you possibly mean?” I asked. “I have here in my hands a detailed itinerary of much-researched information, and nowhere does it say that there is hiking in Clarens itself??”

Well apparently, I was wrong. There in Clarens was The Clarens Nature Reserve….as promised! 

So off we went, as instructed, to purchase our permit from the Clarens Brewery. We embarked on a few hikes, which we linked ourselves. If Salt can be trusted (and he can), I have been advised that we went on the “Spruit Walk, Mallen Walk and Clarens Mountain Trail. All in all, approximately 3.5 km, but this took us about 2 hours. The reason? Two words….”rock “and “formations”. 

Ah, yes, let’s talk about those breathtaking rock formations that set the tone for our weekend of hiking. Golden, ochre, and orange hues as far as the eye can see—nature’s way of saying, “You’re irrelevant.” 

The result of centuries of wind, water, and time have worked their magic, carving out these humongous formations. Literally everywhere you turn is a visual feast. 

There were strategically placed benches to enable you to digest the visual feast that lay before your eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder how I had missed this the first time around. 

Lesson learned: sometimes, the best adventures aren’t the ones you plan. They’re the ones that sneak up on you and leave you breathless with their unexpected beauty. 

However, plan I did. And shockingly, it actually worked out! I had meticulously researched Meiringskloof Nature Park in Fouriesburg for the Saturday, and boy was that a whole other experience!!

AREA - I'll let you figure out that one for yourself!!

COST - Can't really remember....it was all a dream....but really not much per person for the permit, and it was valid for about 7 days....or years....I forget.

LENGTH                              

Spruit Walk (5.6 km), Mallen Walk (1.2 km) and Clarens Mountain Trail(3 km).

HIGHLIGHTS - Apart from EVERYTHING…. I would say the rock formations. 

ELEVATION - Spruit Walk (252), Mallen Walk (58) and Clarens Mountain Trail (181).

On these walks it is not even about measuring the difficulty....if it takes you 5 days...just see the beauty. Yes, there were a few challenging sections, but bite the bullet...it's worth it.

MARKERS - Well Marked.

SIDE NOTE   

Barely saw a sole and felt like the only people on Earth…nice.  

Note to self…. when 2 gorgeous young girls sitting on a rock at the highest point, ask you to take a photo of them, make sure to capture the best angle....from the back, naturally. I mean, who needs faces when that breathtaking view is in front of them… obviously!! 

Note to Salt…. don’t wait for us to walk away before you tell me…..clown.....and pick your jaw up!

AMENITIES

Well.......ummmmmm......Clarens.....ofcourse!