Fly-fishing for Wily Trout
The town of Mooi River is a gateway to the activities of the Drakensberg such as the Kamberg Nature Reserve about 40 km from the town.
Kamberg is famous for two things - the first is fly-fishing for wily trout in either stocked dams or along the Mooi River, while the second reason to visit is the amazing rock art. If you do the latter, tramp onto the Gladstone’s Nose hike, arguably one of the more scenic hikes in KwaZulu-Natal.
Singletrack Through Forests
Glengarry Park, 42 km from Mooi River, is a lovely resort on the banks of the Little Mooi River and there is a choice of anything from a moderate 17 km mountain biking route suitable for the whole family to a 55 km off-road ride through the heart of the Kamberg Valley. Some routes offer well-marked singletrack through forests and include exciting downhills and river crossings. Self-catering chalets and camping site and a map are available.Circular Ride
One thing is for sure; you won’t get lost on your Kamberg crank. It is most probably one of the easier mountain biking routes to navigate, so don’t stress about packing a GPS or a compass. The 13.2 km route is a circular ride that begins and ends at the campsite. Kick off from the Kamberg Nature Reserve campsite, rolling downhill from the cottages along a cement dual-track descending towards the trout dams (900 m).
Turn left here onto a very short section of tarmac and onto the jeep-track (1.2 km), ignoring the ‘No Entry’ sign as this is aimed at vehicles only. A gritty little climb through a drift and into the grassy foothills will get your blood pumping, but you’ll have ample time to look around for eland and other plains game. At the 3.9 km mark, you can either keep left past some giant tree ferns to the old Roman Baths ruins, but this track soon peters out.
Rather stick to the right, heading onto a juddery dual-track, dipping and climbing amidst the grassland ridges. Expect a few steep climbs and descents, as well as a stream crossing or two, so watch your step. By now, you will be zipping along tight dual-track descending steeply towards the Mooi River way below (6.6 km). Keep your weight back on this downhill section to avoid going over the bars on some of the stony drop-offs, then chill out at the riverside before heading back to camp.
By Jacques Marais