The Tierpoort Mix-Up (Because Of Course)

So I know this might become a bit tiring for you, but please, take a moment and imagine what it’s like to actually live this chaos.

By now you are aware, logistics and I are not friends - we are barely acquaintances who nod awkwardly at each other in public.

A hike was arranged with Boris and his person, Basil - which, of course, means dog-friendly and off lead.

The plan (in my mind, which continues to operate independently of reality) was to revisit a trail I’d done a while ago with my son Pepper - very much off lead and dog friendly.

The plan was to return - slightly upgraded - more photos, theoretically wiser, still directionally unreliable.

So when Basil mentioned Tierpoort, I didn’t so much confirm as I did assume that this was the same place.

Clarification felt unnecessary.

Possibly even excessive.

I had the day off and Basil had committed to leave.

Google very clearly stated that they do not open in the mornings on Fridays, and I had already contacted the venue, and a very accommodating human agreed to open at 7 am for us, which I took as sufficient evidence that everything was aligned and correct.

At no point did it occur to me that I might be confidently organizing the wrong trail.

Not even briefly.

Weather Drama

Meanwhile, the weather forecast was bleak.

The night before, Basil sent a screenshot of the forecast - cold, wet, deeply uninviting.

I briefly considered backing out - purely for their benefit, obviously.

I reasoned that I had three other hikes planned for the long weekend - sacrifices could be made.

Basil, however, declined my generous offer to cancel.

Her only condition - no torrential rain or lightning.

Reasonable.

I was low-key proud. I had clearly chosen - or, semantics aside, "trained" - my hiking bud well.

She had changed - steadier now, a little tougher around the edges.

Still sensible enough to negotiate weather conditions like a seasoned diplomat, but no longer flinching at a bit of rain.

My work here was done.

The next morning was freezing and damp, but not a single drop of rain once we actually started hiking.

Oh Universe… you are my rock!

Somewhere along the drive, Basil made a casual comment that shifted everything.

It became apparent - reluctantly, like a system update you didn’t agree to - that we were not going to the trail I had in mind.

We were going to another trail.

The one I’d also done with Pepper yonks ago.

The one I didn’t like.

It had somehow managed to leave me underwhelmed.

My First Visit

Let me paint the picture:

Markings? Confusing, leading to a lot of looping through forest with no clear direction.

Scenery? Possibly seasonal, possibly just…meh.

Ending? Abrupt. Emotionally unsatisfying.

Access road? A sandy nightmare.

It just seemed neglected.

A few weeks later I had heard it had closed down.

Honestly, I wasn’t even surprised.

And Yet… Here We Are

So imagine my surprise when it’s open again, and it’s…actually amazing?

Yes.despite my strong historical bias, the trail was… absolutely fabulous.

We somehow ended up on a completely different route than the one Pepper and I had previously done where we were wandering vaguely through trees with no sense of purpose.

Whether this was due to Basil’s increasingly competent navigation, or my newly adopted philosophy of “getting lost is part of the experience,” remains unclear.

Probably both.

.

There were mossy forest sections, a stream, and gentle inclines.

We did the full 7 km we had originally intended, which already puts it leagues ahead of my previous attempt.

We still had no idea where we were going half the time - but this time, we did it with confidence.

Off-Lead… Technically Not

Full disclosure - we assumed this was an off-lead trail, mostly because the other trail I thought we were going to is.

This one, as it turns out, is very much on-lead.

A fact that was brought to our attention only after we had finished the entire hike.

No one was harmed in the making of this misunderstanding, mainly because we were the only people there.

In the meantime, Boris had been living his absolute best life.

Slightly illegal.

Completely joyful.

We, on the other hand, felt a deep and immediate wave of remorse after the fact, which, granted, does not undo the fact.

Trail Information

AREA

Tierpoort - ofcourse.

COST

R 40

Trail Details

TRAIL DIFFICULTY

Easy but not flat.

TRAIL LENGTH

7 km

TRAIL MARKERS

In true hiking fashion, the markers start off strong - clear, visible, reassuring.

And then… they just stop trying.

At several points, we collectively pretended to understand the map.

We did not.

But we nodded, made executive decisions, and carried on like professionals.

TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS

There were mossy forest sections that felt magical, a stream that added atmosphere and gentle inclines.

It opened up in places, but with the weather hovering between chilly and soft sunlight, it worked.

WEATHER CONDITIONS TO CONSIDER

Shaded in parts and open in others.

ABLUTIONS

SAFE FREE PARKING

AMENITIES

Trails for mountain bikes, running and hiking.

NOTE TO SELF

"I’m sure it’s the same place” has never once been a reliable strategy.

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Yes

PET FRIENDLY

Yes - definitely on lead.

ON A FINAL NOTE

This trail absolutely redeemed itself.

It went from “never again” to “why is this only R 40 and why am I so bad at remembering things correctly?”

(TO)SOLO OR (NO)SOLO

(NO)SOLO for me.

Too much chance of getting lost.

Again.