De Wildt: The Hike That Almost Wasn’t

So, I’ve decided my fairly new but now regular hiking pal, "Her", has finally earned a name. From this point forward, she shall be known as Sage—earthy, grounded, and full of warmth. (And now that she has an official title, she’s stuck with me. No take-backs, Sage.)

I had roped her into joining me for my first-ever wild camping (or any camping) experience.

I planned my backpack contents like a true adventurer—except with significantly less Bear Grylls instinct and a lot more YouTube tutorials. We were all set for an epic adventure.

But then... What? RAIN. The whole week.

Not just a drizzle—oh no. The entire week was a soggy mess, and by Thursday, our grand adventure was dead in the water. (Pun very much intended.)

Naturally, I spiraled into a crisis—would I even be able to hike? Would I find anyone crazy enough to brave the elements with me? Was my weekend destined to be spent sulking indoors like a spoilt brat?

Sage and I, in a moment of sheer stubbornness, decided to stage our own little camping rebellion—on solid ground, with an emergency escape plan. If the skies opened up, we’d simply retreat like dignified adventurers… straight to the car.

So, manic post on my Discord group, TrailTribe, requesting at the very least a suggestion.

Just when I was about to resign myself to a weekend of dramatic sighing and doom-scrolling other people's adventures, Estie from Saunterers swooped in like an absolute legend and, in a moment of sheer brilliance, suggested De Wildt.

"Perfect for hiking, but maybe skip the camping—it’s looking like rain on Sunday," she advised. Then she added, "Let’s double-check before committing."

Honestly, she was like a fairy godmother, but instead of turning pumpkins into carriages, she turned a potential disaster into a solid plan.

Fast forward a couple of days, and lo and behold—perfection. The skies were clear, the trail was calling, and off we went.

Now, I had technically done this hike before—back in winter with my son, Salt—but if you think I remembered a single thing, you clearly overestimate my brain’s memory storage. (Seriously, who even was that person hiking in the cold? No clue.)

The plan was to do the Peglerae 9 km trail. It started with a steep incline, which caught me off guard because I did not remember any serious climbs last time. But, considering I distinctly recalled a stunning view… I guess we had to get up there somehow?

Between me forgetting about the incline, and Sage being a bit rusty—having skipped anything too hectic for about a year, halfway up the incline, I suggested that Estie and the others go ahead while Sage and I took things at a slower pace.

I mean, since I had just decided to keep her, scaring her off immediately felt counterproductive.

Excellent decision. Because, wow. The slower pace gave us an opportunity to truly appreciate the lush greenery, fresh post-rain waterfalls, rock pools, and streams—none of which I remembered or expected. The birds were out in full force, the creatures were showing off, and the whole place felt like Mother Nature’s grand ta-da! moment.

RATING

AREA

Schietfontein. (Yep. No clue either. Somewhere Magaliesburg/Rustenburg-ish.)

COST: R 100

DIFFICULTY

A fairly steep incline to start and technical bits. Moderate, but not for beginners

LENGTH

We ended up doing 6.5 km

TIME

Ummm....yes... didn't check. But let’s just say most of the morning disappeared into the hiking void.

ELEVATION

Enough to bust your lungs and make you feel accomplished, but not enough to destroy your will to live

MARKERS

Phenomenal. One of the best-marked trails I’ve ever been on. You’d have to actively try to get lost. (Challenge accepted? Just kidding. Maybe.)

HIGHLIGHTS

Stunning scenery, fresh air, and being outdoors. Oh, and a nice surprise—Savanna was doing a promotion (#TryJanuary), so we got a free water bottle and a non-alcoholic Savanna at the end, where we caught up with the original group, sipped our non-alcoholic Savannas, and indulged in some good old-fashioned post-hike chit-chat.

ABLUTIONS

PARKING

NOTE TO SELF

Always have a backup plan. And a backup for the backup. Because apparently, Mother Nature does not care about my carefully laid-out weekend itinerary.

ON A FINAL NOTE

As an establishment, De Wildt really shines. It offers many different trails including multi day, lodge accomodation, rustic camping, picnic spots, and it is just a feel good and hands-on establishment.

Will definitely be back to try out some alternatives—maybe even that rustic camping experience… once I’ve leveled up to Camper status.

Estie - resident hiking oracle, part weather witch, part human GPS

SOLO OR NOSOLO?

Hard no solo. Too many potential “Oops, I tripped and now live here” moments.