“Aloe, Aloe”…is not necessarily the sound of a British policeman questioning what you are doing…
To paraphrase a Beatles song: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Nature(Mary) calls to me”
Many of this particular species of Aloe were transplanted from an area where a dam wall was being constructed and they were in danger of being drowned when the dam was filled.
The relevant Ministry was very controlling as to who could collect, when and how many plants would be allowed to be ‘saved’.
The process was so slow and filled with red tape that eventually hundreds, if not thousands, of these stunning plants were submerged and sacrificed when the water filled the dam.
Conservation is one of the pillars that Bezhoek is founded on and to that end, the owners are extremely conscious of how they manage and curate all the natural features that abound on the reserve.
There are several well-marked mountain bike trails on the property.
The colours denote both distance and difficulty.
“Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle I want to ride my bicycle,
Bicycle, bicycle I want to ride my bicycle want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride it where I like“.F. Mercury (1978)
Look up.
“I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow It’s cloud illusions I recall I really don’t know clouds at all“.Joni Mitchell (1966)
The reserve is home to more grass species than are found in the Kruger National Park.
“All the lessons are in nature. You look at the way rocks are formed – the wind and the water hitting them, shaping them, making them what they are. Things take time, you know”? -Diane Lane
Not one but two rivers are found on the Bezhoek property. On the Western border, guests will find the Olifants River, and the Klein Olifants River meanders in the North.
Many species of Cycad, almost as far as the eye can see.
Like rhino horn, pangolin, elephant tusks and lion bones, they are poached and re-sold on a thriving black market.
That being said, each of these has been tagged and marked so that they can be traced if they are stolen and sold.
I so wish that those who trade in any of the above-mentioned species would stop and allow future generations to benefit.
However, I do believe that in a capitalist society, the law of supply and demand will always triumph.
The motion of water through the rocks provides a moment for quiet contemplation.
“You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin’ as it flows
And a dreamer’s just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what’s behind you
And never knowing what’s in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores“…
Garth Brooks (1992)
There are 302 bird species on the reserve. Can you name this one?
For those who said “White-breasted Cormorant”, give yourselves a round of applause.
For those who got it wrong, might I suggest you grab your binoculars and a bird book and come and spend some time embedded in the natural beauty that is Bezhoek and see how many YOU can spot.
The owners have marked and constructed almost 90 km of traversable gravel roads.
Some are smooth and easy, while others are more difficult and need some degree of technical skill to traverse.
Rivers and roads. Sounds like the title of a country music album.
Can you guess what this might be?
We often see but don’t see, what is right in front of us.
This is one of those…
The answer can be found at the end of this post.
This wall is part of an Iron Age settlement that can be found on the property.
There are plans to work together with conservation groups that can restore these sites to their previous glory and in doing so, add yet another activity for visiting guests.
Look carefully between the rocks and you might discover this natural jewellery.
Man can copy but we are incapable of manufacturing something as simple and as beautiful as dew on a spider web.
Take a moment. Breathe and be grateful for all that you have enjoyed during your visit to Bezhoek.
And I almost forgot…the property DOES have more than its fair share of wildlife, some of the usual plains game.
While others, like this Mountain Reedbuck, are unusual and are often only seen fleetingly.
After spending an entire weekend searching for this journey (collective noun for moving giraffe), they were finally found on our final night at dusk.
A great way to end a memorable visit to this ‘hidden’ destination.
Time to say a fond goodnight…
But if you don’t want to leave, find out more about their tented accommodation by utilizing this link. https://travelandthings.co.za/2022/08/bezhoek-tented-camp/
Did you guess what this was? Did you get it right?
It is the light from a bedside light cast on a wall. You never know what ‘hidden’ delights await you at Bezhoek.
To find out more about what Bezhoek has to offer, click on the logo above to visit their website.
Remember, being so close to Johannesburg and Pretoria, you can leave home after work on a Friday and be in time for the Friday evening game drive. You could even consider leaving early on a Monday morning for you to turn a regular weekend into a 3-night long weekend.
From their website.“Bezhoek is the proud recipient of “Irreplaceable Biodiversity” status, a title bestowed upon it because of the more than 100 grass species, cycad populations, red data flora, extensive river frontages, permanent wetlands and streams, riverine forestation, gorges, savannah plains, rocky outcrops, majestic cliffs and rock art to which it is home”.
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