Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve

Bokmakierie Trail

The Sunday after my son Pepper and I had already put our legs - and sanity - through a tough hike, I somehow convinced myself that one dose of pain per week was not enough.

Enter Salt: my other son, designated human GPS, official backpack mule, and general supplier of eye-rolls.

We decided to tackle the Bokmakierie Hike in Heidelberg, located in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve.

Not far from Johannesburg, it felt practically local after our previous long-distance escapades.

Well...local-ish.

Heidelberg is not exactly the kind of town that would be the first place I think of when daydreaming about scenic trails.

So imagine my surprise when we pulled up to a massive, impeccably maintained nature reserve hidden like a secret treasure right in the middle of… well, suburbia.

Yes, it’s unfortunately down the road from a landfill and not too far from power pylons that are basically screaming “I’m electricity! Breathe me in!” 

But I chose to focus on the scenery instead.

Positive mindset always.....mostly.....at times.

First Impressions

The entrance is impressive and everything feels wonderfully organized.

Once inside the parking area, however, we had the classic “where the hell do we start?” moment.

After a brief alliance with another confused couple and interrogating a human who seemed to know things, we were finally on our way.

From that moment, the trail was immaculately marked, which is hiker-speak for “you will not accidentally wander into the next province.”

No bushwhacking.

No tears,

Open Terrain: AKA “Hello Sunburn, My Old Friend”

The hike kicks off with vast, open terrain - the kind that offers endless views but very little shade.

Thankfully, we were briefly rewarded with a dense, beautiful section of vegetation that made my heart happy.

Sadly, it didn’t last long and after exiting the initial denser part of the trail, the path decided to test our fitness levels with what felt like a never ending gradual ascent the whole way -until we finally descended near the finish.

This might be an ideal hike for many, but for me, it's an out of breath burning chest ordeal that makes me swear off hiking forever.

Yet, once it's over, I pat myself on the back and start scouting for the next hike.

We did get another brief reunion with the denser vegetation at the end,  just to remind us what we were missing the whole time.

Rude.

It was a crazy uphill ride… but, as always, worth it.

In my opinion, any fairly active old goat can manage this; it’s just a matter of how long it will take.

Peace, Quiet, and Views for Days

There was no traffic noise. No city hum. Just us versus the trail, with one or two humans popping up occasionally.

The panoramic views are absolutely worth it - wide open landscapes that seem to stretch on forever.

We didn’t spot any wildlife, but this isn’t a petting zoo.

Sightings are luck, not entitlement.

Pack wisely, especially in summer, you will need lots of hydration..... and enjoy the sprawling views.

If nothing else, this Reserve proves that hidden gems exist even in the unlikeliest places - like down the road from a landfill and under the gaze of power pylons.

Heidelberg, you sneaky little beauty, you’ve earned my respect.

My Hiking Hag Ratings:

AREA: Heidelberg

COST: R 35 pp

DIFFICULTY - HARD

LENGTH -12.6 km

TIME TAKEN - 3 HOURS

ELEVATION - 457 m

Once again, a slow and strenuous ascent.

MARKERS - Extremely well marked.

AMENITIES - None that we saw....... even with Salt there nothing really showed itself.

I do remember seeing some kind of a museum though.

ABLUTIONS - Again, never used them........odd weekend!!

PARKING