Forestiva Farm: Grumpy Hiker, Gorgeous Trail.

So, I marked Forestiva Farm as one of my “shady” summer hikes. Located on a private nature reserve along the Hennops River, it’s got mountains, trees, river frontage—basically everything a dream hike should have. But, let’s just say my mood was less “nature-loving hiker” and more “grumpy troll under a bridge.”

The day was haunted by my previous day's hike's mishap—let’s call it “The Day I Accidentally Threw My Phone Off a Cliff.” I was still feeling like some kind of bad-luck magnet...especially as this was a few weeks after “The Day I Accidentally Drove Into The Back of Someone's Car'" !!

 The whole “kumbaya with nature” transformation is....well....… currently buffering.

The adventure started before we even hit the trail, thanks to a sandy dirt road with an unexpected speed bump that my car did not appreciate.

By the time we parked, my “ratty” mood was in full swing, just in time for the owner to attempt to give us a nice little rundown on the trail’s wildlife. I don’t know why I felt like I couldn’t be bothered to know that there might be snakes, angry breeding ostriches, and some baboons out there. I mean, I love nature in theory, but sometimes you don’t actually want to be reminded of its perils.

Then the real trouble hit: my portable charger was MIA, which meant my phone was on low battery from using Waze, and my photography obsession was about to be seriously stifled. As I dug through my bag like a madwoman, Pepper casually mentioned he’d put the charger in there. I heard him... but his voice felt like it was coming from another dimension. Still, for Pepper to even say that, there had to be at least a sliver of truth to it. Because knowing him, he could've been holding the charger in his hand the whole hike and still wouldn’t remember.

My brain immediately blamed everyone for the missing charger: Pepper, the owner's overly excited dogs, even the snakes I hadn’t met yet. For a good five minutes, I was basically a cartoon storm cloud, grumbling and halfheartedly looking for the charger, convinced it was lost forever.

We started the trail, and naturally, this trail refused to be ignored. Even my grumpy mood couldn’t resist the charm of the overgrown, freshly-rained-on greenery. The whole trail hugged the River, which was flowing from the rain, giving me way more zenny vibes.

At one point, Pepper was convinced he’d seen a crocodile in the bushes. I did the only logical thing: I immediately called the owner (poor guy). Turns out, there were no crocodiles. Iguanas? Yes. Crocodiles? No.

After a little heart-pounding backtrack, we got back on track.

Halfway through, we switched trails to stay in the shade, and somewhere in the hike, the landscape won me over despite my best efforts to stay salty. The overgrown paths, the fresh smell of rain, the river winding beside us, and the burst of green made the whole place come alive like nature was throwing a summer party, and I was the mildly irritated guests of honor.

Then, when we finally finished the hike, I found the charger... right there in my bag, precisely where Pepper said it was. Naturally, my mood flipped, and suddenly, it hit me that the trail had actually been... amazing.

So, if you’re in the area and can handle some dirt roads, random wildlife warnings, and maybe a misplaced charger, absolutely give Forestiva Farm a try, ignore everything I have said, go, and enjoy the trail—minus the unnecessary tantrum.

RATING

AREA - Forestiva Farm, Hennops River

COST - R 80 pp

DIFFICULTY 

The trail we chose originally (the yellow trail) was pretty easy—some technical bits, hardly any inclines, but started moving to more inclines and less shade, all while heading away from the river (and all the good stuff). So, we made the wise choice to switch to the blue trail. It was overgrown in the best "bushwhacker" kind of way

TIME 

2 hours, give or take, depending on how long you spend avoiding imaginary crocs and searching for chargers....that are in your bag!

ELEVATION

Honestly even with google I have the attention span of a gappie. if it doesn't pop up immediately, I move on.....So that’s your homework! Go on, Google, spoon-feed me the essentials. I’m counting on you!!

MARKERS 

Barely, but the owner said you cant get lost...and we didn't

HIGHLIGHTS 

Its uniqueness and the possibility of seeing snakes, baboons, angry ostriches, and maybe an iguana. Definitely not a crocodile.

ABLUTIONS

Yes, that's where enthusiastic dogs greet you

SAFE FREE PARKING

AMENITIES 

There is accommodation, camping, hiking and they host events for nature and wilderness enthusiasts. 

ON A FINAL NOTE

Unfortunately, because of the the river, there is a lot of litter that gets washed up. The owner does ask if you would mind taking a bag and filling up. He said he would refund the hike, but as a punishment for my salty disposition, I said it wasn't necessary.

Oh, and a post-hike perk: we were offered coffee and rusks at the end, which we enjoyed under a peaceful lapa with the sounds of the river as our soundtrack.