Remskoene and Wagon Ruts
The Wilderness Heritage Trail is a locally administered walking trail, full of scenic delights. Part of the trail takes you around the Kaaimans River Mouth and up a section of the original Kaaimansgat Wagon Pass.
First thing you will notice as you tramp up the slope, is just how steep it is. It seems inconceivable that this incline was tackled by anything with wheels. Going down must have been even worse, especially since ox-wagons didn’t have any brakes. Some of the flashier models may have had a hand-lever which operated a pair of curved steel strips that clamped the wheels but, generally, if you wanted to stop the ox-wagon, you had to stop the oxen.
This is easier said than done, especially when inertia overtakes a span of oxen trying to walk down a steep slope. Gravity is a cruel mistress, after all, and there was little to be done if the poor oxen lost their footing and started skidding down the mountainside.
The only thing that transport riders could use to try and stop the wagon (and oxen) from careening down a precipitous descent were Remskoene. Remskoene (or brake-shoes) were simply wooden blocks with a slot. Each wagon wheel was fitted into a remskoen and a rope was then tied to the back of each ‘skoen. As the wagon crested the slope, the people standing above would hold onto the ropes to try and moderate its progress downhill. In this manner, the rickety wagon slid down the mountain slopes in its wooden shoes.
Over the years, thousands of wagons used this precarious method to traverse the near-vertical slopes of mountain passes all over the Cape Colony. You can still see the parallel scars left in the rocks on an extant section of the old Kaaimansgat river pass, and in the original Hottentots Holland Kloof.
Exciting Activities
The Wilderness is wonderful. The beach is spectacular, whether you like swimming or sunning or sleeping. The adjacent lagoon offers safe bathing and a large grassy area for braai’s and ball games. And there’s a lake for bird-watching or canoeing. But, a word to the wise: the lagoon can be very busy on holidays and weekends and you might want to have a back-up plan, in case the crowds are too claustrophobic.
If you are looking for alternative outings, there are a number of hikes, day walks and drives in the area. One of the best short walks is the Wilderness Heritage Trail, maintained by the local eco-tourism association. This 3-4 hour trail starts at the petrol station and leads along the beach, over the railway tunnel, along the Kaaimans River and up a section of the original Kaaimansgat Wagon Pass onto the plateau which overlooks the town.
Here you can catch your breath by watching the paragliders run off the mountain slopes, or by looking out over a large lump of land that is imaginatively called the Map of Africa. A steep walk downhill brings you back into town. The trail starts and ends at the tourism bureau where you will get your informative trail map and a permit.
The Wilderness Lakes and Wilderness National Park
There are dozens of places to stay in the Wilderness but one of the best is Wilderness National Park. There are several accommodation options: you can camp, rent bungalows overlooking the lagoon or relax in one of the spacious log cabins, built on stilts, that peer out over the magnificent lakes and wetlands of the reserve.
Birdwatchers will be paralytic with joy at the ornithological smorgasbord succoured by the Lakes and, if your interests are little more robust, the adjacent Eden Adventures offers all kinds of adrenaline-flavoured outings. Families will enjoy renting canoes and paddling along the miles of entrancing waterways that thread through the countryside, and walkers will love the overnight hike through the park.
The coastal town of Wilderness is an idyllic Western Cape destination along South Africa’s Garden Route. It is a firm favourite among loca...