Blinkwater Trails – Open Day - The Blinkwater Trails, situated at the en d of the Karkloof range, will be hosting a Trails Open Day on Saturday 15th October at Douglas Smith Cottage.
Whilst the trails have been in exi stence for over two decades, they have been affected by the Covid pandemic in recent years and several other challenges, leading to an extended period of inactivity.
The Blinkwater Trails Management team is now excited to announce an Open Day for all interested parties to come and walk the ref reshed trails from Douglas Smith Cottage, up onto the Blinkwater Reserve gr asslands and through the indigenous bush section, offering 5km and 12km wal king options.
The 5km walk will be an out and back route from the cot tage, taking in stops along the way to absorb some of the delights of this area with birding, butterfly and plant experts. It will be suitable for any one with basic walking fitness and should take two to three hours.
Th e 12km walk is geared for the fitter walker, starting with a hefty climb up the Old Wagon Track from Douglas Smith Cottage and onto the grasslands, wi th spectacular three-sixty degree views across Albert Falls and the Karkloo f, before taking a steep descent through the indigenous forest and back to the starting point. It is a rewarding loop with plenty to see along the way and is expected to take four to five hours to complete.
Douglas Smit
h Cottage is best accessed from New Hanover and is about a twenty-minute dr
ive from there on district and forestry roads. Due to limited space and fac
ilities, those interested in attending the open day must book their spot by
emailing This email addre
ss is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Should the weather be inclement, the O
pen Day will be postponed to the following Saturday (22 October).
Bri ng your friends, your walking shoes, sunscreen and a picnic basket (to enjo y back at the cottage after the walk) and come and discover a hidden gem ne stled in the Karkloof.
