Piesangkloof - Testing the Limits

Hiking Piesangkloof in Brits

So Piesangkloof popped up on Salt, my hiking buddy and offspring, and my radar.

I had my reservations for two reasons.

First, it seemed like a bit of a trek from home......not our average Sunday morning jaunt.

Second, the reviews were a bit… intimidating. Words like “technical,” “challenging,” “rocky ascents and descents.” 

But when we hiked the Muningi Gorge trail, it poked the dragon, I was itching for more of a challenge. No more cutesy trails for me—bring on the inclines with rocks and climbs!

When “Difficult” Means Different Things

Whenever I see a hike rated “difficult,” I have questions.

Difficult for whom exactly? A newbie hiker or a mountain goat in human form?

A spry 30-year-old or a creaky 60-year-old?

Because what’s “challenging” for one might be “ambulance, please” for another.

This is precisely why I started this blog — to give you the unfiltered "hiker who creaks when she stands up" perspective.

Although I saw "hard," this trail called my name, and I wanted to see how it rated for someone my age (ancient) and fitness (questionable lung capacity) level.

The Day That Almost Didn’t Happen

The day started off a little… feral. Salt looked like he’d had a night from hell, radiating pure don’t talk to me energy. And let me tell you, nothing - absolutely nothing - screams buzz kill like Salt in a mood.

But our arrival time was already arranged. The hosts had kindly agreed to let us in early (despite having a family function the night before), so cancelling wasn’t an option unless I wanted to add “rude guest” to my list of morning disasters.

And honestly? Thank the hiking gods we didn’t.

The first stretch wound through a gorge — shady, serene, and spectacular. Definitely in the “easy to moderate” range.

But as soon as we started climbing out of the gorge, the word “easy” evaporated from the dictionary. It wasn’t technically difficult — just a never-ending uphill slog.

Uphill Battles and Rope-Assisted Descents

I took it slow — hike, sit, breathe, repeat.

There was a long stretch of flat rock that we had to ascend, and by “flat,” I mean smooth but tilted just enough to make you question your decision to be there.

Coincidentally these uphill battles were pretty much the theme for as long as it took for Salt to defrost.

I’m not saying there’s a connection, but… there might be.

The descent was no joke - steep, rocky, and just daring me to make one wrong move.

There were moments where I had to stop and conduct a full tactical meeting with myself about how to get my nearly 60-year-old ass down without snapping, cracking or rolling.

Thankfully, the hosts had tied ropes to the trees to help with the sketchier sections - which I initially thought was cheating.

Salt, ever the voice of reason (and sarcasm), just looked at me and said, “As opposed to what? Killing yourself?”

Point taken. Rope it is.

I still managed to fall - gracefully, of course - on my knee. Poor knees, they always take the brunt whenever the gravel causes me to slide.

Honestly, by the time I walked into a low-hanging branch, it was neither an ascent or a descent….just an exhausted old hag after a 4 hour challenging hike.

Salt, meanwhile, was ready to get his mother back into the car where she might, theoretically, be safer.

The Reward: Rock Pools and Redemption

After roughly four hours, we reached the end. The last section of the trail — the rock pools - pure magic. Crystal clear water, shimmering sunlight, and the sweet satisfaction of survival.

This trail pushes you, but in the best way. It’s the kind of hike that makes you feel ridiculously proud once you’ve conquered it.

AREA

Brits

DIFFICULTY

Moderate...... to Hard....... to “Why am I doing this?”.....

It was a bit of everything really....so much fun!

LENGTH

8 km

ELEVATION

439 m - definitely the highest we had attempted.

MARKERS

Good, except, as with all hikes, for the places where you hit crossroads and aren't sure which way to go.

Why do most hiking establishments meticulously mark trails but forget to mark the critical junctions? A mystery for the ages. Nevertheless, we (Salt) figured it out.

TIME

4/4 HOURS

HIGHLIGHTS

Honestly, it was challenging in the best possible way — the kind of hike that makes you feel like a gangsta. I loved every minute… except the inclines. I don’t do cardio, I just try survive it.

AMENITIES

4×4 trails

Bush camp

No coffee shop — this is hardcore hiking, people.

ABLUTIONS

SAFE PARKING