Magical Hogsback
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One's overwhelming sense of Hogsback is the quiet, broken only by the singing of
birds or the primeval call of the Knysna Lourie - even the chatter of a
troop of Samango monkeys as they feed and play in the canopies of trees.
And when you do hear the sound of a motor vehicle you wonder who is coming to visit.
 This village, high up on the Amatola mountains and surrounded by
centuries-old indigenous Afro-montane forests, has a dramatic natural
beauty. Look towards the mountains and escarpment and you see several waterfalls.
 In the
other direction you can see the Tyume valley and beyond. Overlooking it all are
the "three Hogs". From the top of Gaika's
Kop (1700 m) you have a panoramic view: The Elandsberg mountains and the Seymor valley, even the
coastline some 120 km away as the crow flies.
 You
are likely to see a long-crested eagle or
crowned eagle riding the thermals, in search of its next meal. In
the late afternoon you may be fortunate enough to hear - even see - a few of the highly endangered Cape
Parrots returning home after a long day out, feeding. They nest in the
Yellowwood trees in the indigenous forest.
 Here
you will also find magnificent gardens, full of indigenous plants as
well as exotic plants from
Australia, Europe, North America, the Himalayas, China and Japan. The
gardens of Hogsback are an attraction that brings several gardening
tour groups from as far as Cape Town and Johannesburg every year.
And in winter you may find even the
lower-lying parts of the village covered by a blanket of snow. A silent winter
wonderland that seems far removed from the hot days and noisy thunderstorms of
summer.
Hogsback is home to several accomplished
artists, including painters, potters, poets, musicians, singers, and
photographers. They, as well as many other active and retired professional and
business people live a rich personal and community life here. There are active garden
clubs, book clubs, and a chamber music group. A number of parents on Hogsback
home-school their children.
Hogsback offers so much to those who want to break away from the
rush of city life - walking, mountain biking, horse riding, bird watching, trout
fishing, and mountain climbing. Or simply relaxing, enjoying an aromatherapy
massage, Indian head and shoulders massage, reflexology, or just enjoying a
book. |
