MAY WALK
Botsoc Kogelberg Walk Report: 21 May 2016
Tim Attwell
Who would have thought it? The Hanneshoek trail looks a bit of a Cinderella when compared to the splendours of the Three Sisters route, Oudebosch to Harold Porter or the heights of Perdeberg. But this unprepossessing little route boasts an astonishing variety of Protea species in full bloom at this time of year.
Hanneshoek is a gently undulating two kilometre path (one way) at the base of Jean’s Hill, above the Kleinmond golf course. More than a dozen Botsoc members and guests of all ages, including a babe in arms, set off from the parking spot at the top of 4th Street in Kleinmond.
You’d think that a path that close to the urban edge would show signs of human induced wear and tear, but not a bit of it. Almost immediately we were in Hangklip Sand Fynbos with its Leucadendron gandogeri, L. laureolum and L. salignum and the ubiquitous Metalasia muricata. Passing through a wet patch marked by Psoralea pinnata, we headed for the lower slopes of Sandown Peak and Jean’s Hill.
Turning east, we were suddenly in Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos and surrounded by Proteas. An extensive stand of elegant Protea compacta (Bot River Protea) in full bloom provided a gateway to stands of P. longifolia, the blooms looking like P. repens, except for the florets forming a woolly black cone in the middle of the flower head. The bearded P. neriifolia presented itself in two colours – some a beautiful pink and others silky cream. They had us wondering if they were P. lepidocarpodendron. We couldn’t be sure. This seems to be a particularly good year for suikerbossie, P. repens. The trail didn’t disappoint, there they were in profusion too.
Botanical rambles have a way of becoming a bit unruly as the party spreads out among the flowers, but a stop for a tea break at ‘Schalkie se Draai’ allowed us to account for the missingmembers of the party, a brief exploration of Hanneshoek Koppie and time to spot a tiny member of the Proteaceae family, the shy Diastella fraterna.
Missed by many in the party, whose pressing commitments had them going on ahead, a large male baboon came bounding down the mountainside and caused a moment of excitement to us stragglers as we returned to the parking place – just to remind us who really owns this little gem of a route.
Protea longifolia
Protea compacta stands guard
Diastella fraterna