Travel Adviser : Tsitsikamma’s ghosts of giants

Trail at a glance
This is a two-day, circular hike, traversing indigenous temperate forest and rocky coastline in about equal measure. Distances are modest: 15 km on day one and 12 km on day two. But don’t be misled: it’s as tough as an old woodcutter’s hands. You’ll want to carry as light and compact a pack as you can for the rock-clambering sections and all the ups and downs.

To quote the trail pamphlet warning: ‘The short (sic) along the coast is very exacting, especially if a heavy backpack is being carried…. However, for the prospective hiker who can match up to these taxing conditions, the hike will be an unforgettable experience.’ Amen.

Getting there
Harkerville is more or less midway between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. It is well signposted – just look out for the Sasol filling station. Turn towards the coast and 1,5 kilometres along a dirt road, you’ll come to the wellmarked hiking hut.

How much it costs
R100 a person. You can spend your first night at the Harkerville Hut if you choose. The trail huts are pretty basic, although the base hut does have hot showers and electricity until around 22h00. Supply of firewood is fairly erratic.

If you require better lodgings before or after the trail, Harkerville Forest Lodge virtually next door is highly recommended. Accommodation options range from camping and bunk houses to guesthouse and forest chalets, with prices from R45 to R750 a person. Contact them on tel 044-532-7777, e-mail info@harkerville.co.za, web http://www.harkerville.co.za.

The vehicle
Nissan’s thinking with the Pathfinder seems to have been: if Land Rover can be so successful with a box (the new Disco), so can we. It’s very much a 4×4 transporter on a Navara base, with combinations of up to seven seats, or just the front two if you like.

It’s got no fuss, no luxury, but is spacious, effective and honest. One thing to consider is the relatively flat acceleration on the open road (I cannot corroborate the manufacturer’s specs here), which limits zippy long-distance travel. But I found this was more than compensated for by high clearance on rough, wet roads and high- and low-range 4×4 at the touch of a button, a sign of its up-to-date pedigree.

Check out http://www.nissan.co.za.

Gear
There were three factors to consider: we would be doing this trail mid-summer, there is a heck of a lot of scrambling and the mattresses at Sinclair Hut are like marie biscuits. I headed for The Cairn, a top-class, independent outdoor store which opened in Cape Town about two years ago, and selected the lightest and most compact down sleeping bag I’ve ever seen, the Vango Venom 150, which weighs in at just 650 g. This mummy bag packs to the size of a bunnie chow and costs R949. Then I opted for a similarly compact but tough self-inflating mattress, the Vango Trek. It weighs just 770 g and costs R289. Together they compress smaller than the average sleeping bag and weigh about as much.

The Cairn also stocks sexy clothing brands such as PrAna, Helly Hansen and RAB. Order any of their products on-line from http://www.thecairn.co.za.