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I couldn’t think of a better hike to end 2023 and it took no effort to round up five hiking friends to join me.

We are warmly greeted by Eugene and Riana Edwards & being an early start, the delicious tea and coffee are a real treat.

The air is crisp as we start the Grey Rhebok trail. Meandering westwards along the lower reaches of the farm, we soak up the silence, interrupted only by bird calls. Having focussed on plant diversity on my previous walk, I’m excited to focus a little more on animal life today. One of the first rocks I overturn yields the beautiful scorpion (Parabuthus planicauda), next to its recently shed exoskeleton. We ascend the gently sloping hill to find Marcel perched on a rock, binoculars in hand. ‘Come check this out guys’, we each get a turn to spot the Eland & ostriches in the distance. Not only this, Marcel shows us the small dazzle of zebra, which includes a foal.

We now head across the hill, exploring under rocks, what a treasure chest! The cute juvenile Large Spotted gecko (Pachydactylus maculatus) is such a delight. A few rocks on, we find the interesting False Button spider (Steatoda species), with two egg sacs alongside her. We watch her offspring (spiderlings) exploring the underside of the rock. Lorna finds a small mantid, magnificently camouflaged on the ground. Other rocks in the same area yield not only the small scorpion Uroplectes marlothi, but also the handsome black Opisthacanthus diremptus. Busy dung beetles are hard at work, doing what they do best. As we progress, admiring the stunning views, we are surrounded by butterflies of all shapes, colours and sizes, fluttering along as if part of our group.

Lorna’s call behind me ‘snake’ stops me in my tracks. Neatly curled up under a shrub is a beautiful adder. Could it be a Berg Adder? But something about the head looks different. There are horn tufts above the eyes! I know immediately that this is something special. Looking at photographs later at home, I confirmed with a snake specialist that it is indeed a Red Adder (Bitus rubida). What a privilege to see.

We now head up the next hill, passing the ‘relatively rare’ Euphorbia willomorensis as well as numerous species of Everlastings. Petro & Alice point out the colorful beetles on the flower heads: the large Signal Protea chafer (Trichostetha signata) as well as the brilliant blue & green Leucocelis haemorrhoidalis.

We regroup with Harry & Marcel at the Trig. beacon, they report seeing a Stick insect and an interesting caterpillar. After admiring the views, we head down the kloof. We spot Blesbok at the base watching our progress before moving on. This is certainly ‘grasshopper’ day for Petro, as she finds her third species, brilliantly camouflaged.

The trail now takes us back to the lower reaches of the farm & reluctantly we head back to the lodge. We chat about how lucky we have been with all our sightings and all agree on one word for the trail…..perfect!

Personally, it has been more than perfect. There is something very special about hiking with friends. Experiences are shared, friendships are strengthened & happy memories are made.

The Grey Rhebok trail is a circular 10km route within the game area. The paths are well set out and sign-posted. The trails on Mountain Pastures have been certified through the ‘World Trails Network’ organisation, and have been awarded ‘Green flag status’ which ensures trail users of a safe, quality experience.

Written by Dr Joy Paton (PhD Zoology)