HIKE: RHEBOK
DATE: 18 – 21 MARCH 2011
TYPE: BACKPACKING / CAMPING
AREA: GLEN REENEN – FREE STATE
Although only 4 of us ended up doing this hike, we had a wonderful time. Due to unforeseen circumstances some could not make it. We camped at the Glen Reenen camp site, and were pleasantly surprised – very well maintained, the ablutions were spotlessly clean and had just had a make over as well. Our little hiking tents sort of got lost among the caravans and larger tents of the campers!! We were also very lucky with the weather being very kind to us the whole weekend, no rain, cloud cover most of the time, but with a lot of humidity.
Two of us had done this one before, at a different time of the year, so knew exactly what we were in for. And then our chairman Peter missed the last one due to being so very allergic to the Gluwein. It is not an easy hike, both days are fairly long, about 14kms has to be covered on both days, all up and down in the mountains.
The trail itself and the markings on day one up until you start your descent down to the road, are fairly reasonable. Here and there we had to do a bit of searching, but one has to take into account the vast amount of rain that has fallen, resulting in extreme long grass everywhere. But once we started our descent there are not many clearly visible markers. Once one crosses over the road it is not a pleasant walk to the hut, no effort has been made to make it at all interesting or to vary the trail, and again not much in the line of markers. It’s a straight slog until you reach the hut. Having done this one I was so hoping that there had been some improvements done to the overnight hut, but this is not so. The hut has just the bare basics, 2 flushing loos, a shower with a donkey (which we ended up not even using), 6 three tier bunks sleeping 18, and a kitchen. All was relatively clean, there was ample fire wood, but should it rain one could not use the braai facilities as these are out in the open – no cover at all. One comes across such lovely overnight facilities, and then one gets just the bare basics – this hike is one of those extremely bare basic ones!
And we were all prepared for the long uphill slog on day 2. Here some serious attention needs to be done to the trail markings. We wandered off numerous times in all sorts of directions hunting for the trail. The descent down the spine of the mountain is awesome, and here the trail is well marked and also very easy to follow. We opted to spend the night at the camping site once more, and then make our way home after a lovely breakfast in Harrismith at a leisurely pace.
Doing this hike at different times of the year can make a huge difference to the typical lovely Free State views one gets here. Care needs to be taken not to do this in the very hot months as there is very little cover on the trail.
In conclusion, a hike well worth doing, but if this had been a first time hike for us, we might have had more serious problems finding our way.
