The Rainbow Nation’s Diversity Trail: Exploring South Africa's Hidden Biodiversity

‘The Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy is a botanical treasure trove’ explains Christoff Longland as we follow him along a recently cut path. With very different plant communities - milkwood and Afromontane forest, Overberg dune strandveld, Agulhas limestone fynbos, Overberg sandstone fynbos, Elim ferricrete fynbos, and wetland - there’s incredible biodiversity. His eyes sparkle as he identifies the hedgehog lily (Massonia pustulata) with its spiky white flowers densely clustered between two broad, leathery leaves and points out the difference between those and the leaves of the candelabra flower (Brunsvigia orientalis) and nearby April fools’ lily (Haemanthus coccineus) whose leaves only appear after flowering. The big green leaves all look remarkably similar to my untrained eyes, but with 15 years of experience guiding in the area, Christoff is an absolute fundi.

As we walk, he interprets the landscapes, makes connections between the different environments, and regals us with the background stories on the Lutzeyer family, owners of Grootbos, and how the conservancy came about. We stop to study a couple of mousebirds eating rhus (dune crow) berries (Searcia crenata). ‘They’re funny-looking birds and complete gluttons who eat non-stop!’ Christoff laughs. ‘They rely on special enzymes in their gut to digest the fruit. The enzymes are heat activated, so when they’re stuffed, they climb up in the tree and press their bellies towards the sun, legs apart, looking like little buddhas’.

We’re none of us of a particular botanical bent but Christoff is such a great raconteur that he has us enthralled as he identifies the ‘special’ local flora and fauna and the conservation challenges that landowners face.

My friends and I are on day two of the Diversity Trail, an upmarket, 5-day, 4-night slackpacking trail showcasing the diverse landscapes, flora, and fauna of the magnificent Grootbos Nature Reserve and Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy (of which Grootbos is a founding member). Offering spectacular hiking by day, often on paths that are for exclusive use of Diversity Trail hikers, a wide variety of other activities, superb guiding, and all manner of creature comforts, the trail has everything that a slackpacker could wish for.

The Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy consists of 22 202 combined hectares of protected land, with Grootbos (with 3500 hectares) being the largest private member. It’s a unique environment of fynbos and forest home to 1051 plant species (97 are species of conservation concern, including highly localized endemic species such as Aloiampelos juddii, Cliffortia anthospermoides, Erica irregularis, and Erica calcicola. The conservancy is also home to 118 bird species, including endangered birds such as the martial eagle and African marsh harrier, and 40 mammals, including the vulnerable Cape leopard, an incredible diversity of insect species, and 21 amphibians. It is a breeding area for the endangered Western leopard toad and Cape platanna, which is endangered.

We’d kicked off the day before with a vibey meet and greet lunch in the Stanford Kitchen before strolling through the quaint, historical town of Stanford to the jetty for an afternoon cruise aboard the Lady Stanford, an eco-friendly riverboat that slowly meandered along the Klein River towards the Hermanus Estuary Bird Sanctuary and back. A paradise for birders, the Klein River is home to over a hundred bird species, including pink flamingos and blue cranes, so we had our binos at the ready. Fish eagles called, kingfishers hovered and dived, and we spied numerous waterbirds in the reeds, including two separate sightings of iridescent Purple Gallingules, which caused great excitement among the twitchers. Also known as the African Swamphen, the beautiful bird is sometimes difficult to spot as it favours areas of reed, so we were grateful for the high vantage of the boat’s upper deck.

We learnt more about the area as we enjoyed an onboard tasting of The Giant Periwinkle wines. Members of the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy (WBFC), the owners of the boutique winery are creating a conservation servitude over the natural areas of the property which will ensure the long-term preservation of their fynbos landscapes that, over the last decade, they have restored by removing all the alien invasive species. It seemed a good excuse to raise a glass to conservation as we took in this peaceful corner of the southern Cape.

After the short drive from Stanford to Bellavista Country Place, our home for the duration of the trail, we freshened up and reconvened for a gin tasting. Christoff had gathered some fynbos plants that afternoon, so we had fun adding these to the gins and deciding which enhanced the flavour. Of particular interest was Grootbos’ own gin, made using local botanicals, including a local special, the endemic Gansbaai heath (Erica irregularis), that we were promised we’d see in the hike.

Dinner was a feast prepared by one of the private chefs at Grootbos, who presented each dish with a flourish, and then we retired to our rooms high on the slopes of the mountain. With only five large en-suite rooms, a rim-flow pool, extensive grounds, and fabulous views over Walker Bay, it’s the ideal base for a hiking holiday. We’d only been on the trail for half a day, but I felt totally relaxed and spoiled. We were in for a treat.

Key priorities include banning plastic kitchen waste going to the Growing the Future Project and recycling wherever possible. Bellavista water is from its own borehole (the original name of the farm was Waterkop as it has a very strong aquifer under the ground), a full solar system (with gas geysers from this spring), and is in the process of converting the existing garden to a full waterwise, fynbos garden.

Founded by Sean and Michelle Privett (who also founded and run the Fynbos Trail) in partnership with Grootbos, the Diversity Trail is a magnificent guided hike through one of South Africa’s most picturesque regions that any walker will enjoy. Daily hiking distances are moderate and can be tailored to the fitness and interests of the group. But it’s so much more than just a fabulous multi-day hike. Conservation and community upliftment are cornerstones of the Diversity Trail. Hikers are contributing to and gaining insight into diverse conservation and community projects as they journey through the stupendous landscapes of Walker Bay.

Leaving the mousebirds to sun themselves, we walk through high fynbos alive with Cape sugarbirds and sunbirds to the Growing the Future Farm, where much of the fresh produce that we eat on the trail – veggies, herbs, honey, eggs, and pork - is produced. Once in the cool, shady Steynsbos milkwood forest, Christoff has us in stitches with his wacky observations. ‘This tree’s GPS system must be broken or something, it’s always taking the wrong turn,” he quips as we stand under the twisted, meandering branches of a gnarled, ancient milkwood. Milkwoods are generally always found on limestone, we learn, and the 1000-year-old milkwood forests – which, along with the Agulhas limestone fynbos, are classified as vulnerable - are a feature of the conservancy, and Grootbos in particular.

Leaving the shelter of the low canopy, we pop back into fynbos and climb to the summit of Pinnacle Peak, from where we can see all the way to the coast. The diversity of the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy is evident in the landscape laid out before us. Deep wooded valleys, exposed rocky crags, fynbos-covered slopes, golden dunes, and the turquoise ocean create a multi-hued mosaic. It’s hard to imagine anywhere more beautiful.

Inspired by the magnificence of nature, we head down to Fountain Bush Cottage for a picnic lunch next to the dam. As we walk, we learn about some of the flagship species and the various ways in which plants are pollinated.

The Cape Sugarbird that we see posing on a Bredasdorp protea (Protea obtusifolia AKA the limestone sugarbush) is the sugarbush’s main pollinator. A specialist nectar feeder with a long sharp beak and brush-tipped tongue, the bird transfers pollen that has rubbed onto its head as it pushes through the masses of flowers to the nectar. Sugarbirds are interesting, Christoff explains. Our poser is male, very showy with a splash of yellow under its long tail. But not all tails are equal it seems. Apparently, the females mate first with the longer-tailed males as they are strong flyers (so good genetic material) but don’t pair with them for nesting, preferring the more agile, shorter-tailed birds that make more reliable parents! ‘Typical female,’ rues my friend ‘falls for the racing driver then marries the accountant!’

An Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystine), a species that I’ve never seen before, flits around in the Cape willows (Salix mucronatemucronata), and White-backed ducks cruise gently past as we tuck into a smorgasbord of freshly made treats at the side of the dam. After lunch, we descend into the dense, leafy Witvoetskloof, learning more about the forest creatures that inhabit this species-rich patch of Afromontane forest as we follow the perennial stream.

An old flower-picking route takes us back to Bellavista Country Place, where the chef has the braai going. A vivid sunset with a view of Table Mountain Cape Point on the horizon provides the perfect backdrop to our pre-dinner wine tasting then Christoff ends off a perfect day with an impromptu tour of the star-studded night sky.

We’re in the groove now, soaking up snippets about the complex eco-systems that we come across as we hike. Christoff introduces us to biomimicry by demonstrating how the coiled tendrils of the wild grape (Rhoicissus tomentosa) can be stretched out in the same way that handsets attach to telephones can be extended, the curly cords ensuring that the cable doesn’t snap when you reach the end of the line. He bids us try the wild grape berries, which he insists are high in Vitamin C and much loved by baboons, and other edible plants. We learn about the crucial importance of fire in fynbos and the management strategies employed in the reserve to keep the fynbos healthy. Equally intriguing are our guide’s animated impersonations of the pollinators of the diverse flora. His descriptions of the clever means by which plants attract insects, rodents and birds to disperse their pollen and seed banks have us in stitches. His passion for the species that he ‘shares his office with’ is infectious.

The flowerhead of the brown sage (Salvia Africana lutea) is perfectly designed for pollination by sunbirds, he explains, squeezing the flowers so that we can see its inner parts. Sunbirds are attracted to its pretty rust-orange flowers and sweet nectar, an important food source particularly when protea are not in flower. The sage’s hinged anthers are triggered by the probing beak of the sunbird dislodging pollen on to the bird’s head, which it then transfers to other salvia flowers.

He’s animated as he demonstrates the ways in which plants are adapted to fire. The dune conebush (Leucadendron coniferum), a species restricted to the Cape Peninsula and a narrow band of the Overberg, has separate male and female plants. Once the conebush is pollinated by wind or tiny insects, the female plant carries the seed in what he calls a ‘doomsday package’, a hardened compressed cone. If fire sweeps through killing the mother plant and predatory rodents, the protective cone opens up, releasing the seed into fertile ash and ideal conditions for germination.

The survival strategies of the showy pincushions (Leucospermum) is also intriguing. Pincushions produce a few large seeds which have a waxy coating. When the precious seeds ripen and drop they are harvested by ants, which are attracted to the seed case. The ants carry the seeds down to their underground nests, devour the tasty coating and leave the seeds out of harm’s way until germination is triggered by fire - which often kills the parent plant. It’s a fascinating voyage of discovery.

There are numerous photo opportunities as we hike through magnificent stands of pink Gansbaai heath. It’s sobering to learn that this plant that’s so prolific on Grootbos (and a key ingredient in the Grootbos gin that we’d enjoyed on our first evening) is only found on small section of dune fynbos, alkaline sands and limestone between Stanford and De Kelders. Yet again we applaud the efforts of the WBFC members in their commitment to conserving the region’s biodiversity. Bulbuls, Bokmakieries and Cape Canaries put on a fine show as we leave the fynbos and traverse dune fields covered with bird and animal tracks. This is big sky country at its best, and the wind-sculpted sand formations and rolling dunes are energising - we’re soon running down the slopes in delight.

Our first view of the ocean from the cliff path stops us in our tracks. It’s winter but the sun is shining and the sea is a brilliant blue. My spirits soar as we descend to the alluring sands of Die Plaat beach and catch the spray of the ocean. Scrambling up a rocky headland we have our first sighting of the famous Klipgat Cave, but there’s a surprise in store before we reach it. The Diversity Trail team have laid on another outstanding picnic, so we strip off and have a quick dip before tucking in.

After exploring the cave, a world-renowned archaeological site, we continue along the high cliffs of De Kelders, one of the best land-based viewing spots for spying Southern Right Whales. It’s a bit too early in the season for the famous visitors but several pairs of noisy African Black Oystercatchers, White-fronted Plover and cormorants keep us entertained.

And a huge pod of dolphins cruises past as we reach Stanford Cove – a protected swimming inlet from where we’re shuttled back to Bellavista Country Place.

The penultimate day sees us hiking through Flower Valley Farm, where we are introduced to a number of species propagated for the cut flower market including showy sugarbushes, delicate erica and creamy flowered berzelias that are much prized in bouquets.

The Flower Valley Conservation Trust shut down during COVID, Christoff explains, and the land was donated to the Grootbos Foundation, who along with the Walker Bay Conservancy are continuing with an alien invasive clearing project. There are currently 20 women contracted to clear invasive species from properties in the conservancy.

From Flower Valley it’s a short walk to Lomond Wines, on the slopes of Ben Lomond in the Uilenkraal Valley, where we’re surprised to find a wine tasting laid on in the vineyards. It’s brilliantly choreographed with the passionate winemakers making parallels between the diversity of their wines – produced from 18 different soil blocks - and the localised vegetation changes that we’d experienced as we walked earlier in the day. Comparing two Sauvignon Blancs from nearby blocks, we can really taste the influence of terroir.

Then it’s all aboard for a boat trip across the dam on which we look back at Ben Lomond and the route of the morning’s walk before a tasting of their premium wines and a light lunch in the state-of-the-art cellar.

The trail is reaching its crescendo. Our final port of call is the Grootbos Florilegium. Housed in the airy Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery is a collection of vast paintings and sketches that depict both the botanical and pollination detail of the Cape Floral Kingdom. The work of 44 local and international artists, the collection is extra-ordinary (I’d thoroughly recommend a visit to the Florilegium even if you don’t hike the trail!), but all the more so for us. There, captured in exquisite detail and vivid colour, are the rare, endangered and striking plants that we’ve been hiking through in the conservancy. It’s simply mind blowing, bringing everything that we’ve learnt on our diverse journey together.

It’s hard to drag ourselves away, we could have spent hours in this special place, but a gala dinner, prepared by a Michelin-starred chef at Bella Vista Restaurant awaits. We’d thought that it couldn’t get better, but we’re wrong. Again, the clever choreographing is evident – a botanical extravaganza, the final feast also reinforces what we’ve learned and enjoyed about the biodiversity and the incredible flora of the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy.

As we disbanded after breakfast on the final day, we all agreed that walking the Diversity Trail has been a privilege. Not only have we been spoilt rotten and had our souls refreshed by getting away from the rat race for a few days, but our eyes have been opened to the extraordinary diversity of this corner of the southern Cape Overberg. It’s been a real adventure; we’ve been amazed by the varied terrain, vistas, wildlife, and activities that we’ve enjoyed – the only thing that isn’t diverse is the quality of experiences, which were consistently top-notch and great value. There is so much to take in that five days is not long enough, once you’ve walked it you’ll want to come back. And next time you do it will be even better - by walking the Diversity Trail you’ll be investing in the future of the Walker Bay Conservancy.

For more information or to book visit https://diversitytrail.co.za/