Kranshoek

 We arrived at the picnic area, and did the trail counter-clockwise. We crossed the stream and walked along the ridge.in the open.

A white oxalis here. From there it was into the forest and dog-leg down. We could identify some of the trees. The stream was tea coloured (or rather rooibos tea) said to be coloured from the tannin of the trees.

Trees fungi and ferns, here there was this colourful fungus and a fern:

In an opening in the forest we found this rather elderly Dotted Border.

And then this Rhombic Night Adder, sunning itself on the rocks.

The path went through some reeds then the path opened up onto the pebbly beach, I say pebbly, but some of them were smoothe round boulders. 

from here we had a view of the cape fold mountains spilling into the sea.

We took the direct but steep way up to the top. There were numerous red Ericas in the scrub.

Halfway up we were privileged to see a pod of whales. They were Southern Right Whales, recognized by the double arching spray from their blow-holes. We even saw one breeching.

Having watched this magnificent sight for a while, we continued the climb up to  the view point with a panorama of the bay, and greeted there with this delicate Erica.

   

Soutrivier

Once again down through the Grootrivier pass with its magnificent forest. This time we turned into Nature's Valley. At the end of the village there is a cafe, opposite which is the entrance to the beach. There were a number of butterflies in the coastal scrub, being blown about by the wind.

These are the common Dotted Border, and then the Common Meadow White, respectively. One settled on Merle's jacket, presumably for warmth and protection.

We went along the beach, then onto the Blue Rocks. There were two pairs of Oystercatchers here. Feathers jet black, and strikingly red legs, beak and wattles.

Photo: Wiki-commons

One poor individual had lost a leg, presumably a casuality of fishing line. However it seemed to be managing quite well.

At the river mouth we relaxed for a short time, then walked up the gentle incline through the welcome shade of the riverine forest.

There were ferns, lichen, sand at one spot two species of ground orchids. One was the Green Wood Orchid, I didn't know the other rather dainty one.

This was a rather attractive lichen.

As we walked through the wood we heard the call of the Knysna Lourie (Turaco.) and Glenda identified the Knysna Woodpecker, an endemic.

The Knysna Lourie photographed by Glenda in her garden.

At the top of the rise the forest opened up, there was a Rainforest Brown sunning itself in the opening.

Now we had a panoramic view of Natures Valley. From here it was downhill to the village.

Photo Wiki-commons.

Grootrivier

 We took the R102 going to the Grootrivier pass. On the way while travelling along the ridge, the hillside had a bounty of Proteas. This may be a P. neriifolia bud.

Then it was down the pass through the magnificent forest, one very large Yellow-wood tree, dripping old man's beard. It must be iconic. We bypassed Nature's Valley, then crossed the Grootrivier.

Crossing the Grootrivier, there was a large Yellow-wood tree again dripping old man's beard. This a lichen, for the taxonomists among us Usnea sp.

There we found this delightful Erica.

The trail we took followed the river, initially heavily wooded forest. There are recollections of trees, ferns and fungi, the latter helping to decompose the dead wood.

T

We climbed up a little where the trees thinned out. Here is Merle resting while I chased butterflies.

There was not many but here are three, from top to bottom: The Common Meadow White, the African Common White, and the Common Blue.

As we walked along, from time to time hearing the river, we finally came out at the lagoon, the mouth of the river. The weather changed as we waded knee deep across the lagoon. This is the end of the famous Otter Trail.

Now we were back at Nature's Valley, with its abundance of Ericas.