Gamtoos Valley

The Cockscomb mountain is situated north of the Gamtoos Valley and visible from not just in the valley but also from the Baviaanskloof, Uitenhage and Addo areas.  The reason its visible from all over is that it's the second highest mountain in the Eastern Cape.  It gets its name from its resemblance to a rooster's comb.  The Cockscomb is part of the Groot Winterhoek mountain range with the higest peak being 1 768 m above sea level.  This picture was taken from Vergaderingskop (the burial place…

Somewhere in primary school all South African kids learn about the Cape Fold Mountains but one never really understands it until actually seeing it in person.  The Cape Fold Mountains are found along South Africa's south coast from Cape Town to the Port Elizabeth area.  The actual folds are seen in many places where you find valley and gorges through the mountains, usually while driving a pass somewhere.  About 450 million years ago  the rocks found in the Cape Fold Mountains were laid down as…

We are slap bang in the middle of a warm hot sweltering summer spell.  Days are hot and the crows are yawning, every bit of shade gets used by big and small and people, specially the farmers, are keeping their eyes skyward in the hope of a shower to cool things down a bit.  When the sun rises in the east and the hills are covered in early morning fog, like this Gamtoos Valley scene close to Patensie, its a sign…