Discovering South Africa on a budget: Wilderness to Victoria Bay walk

The Wilderness to Victoria Bay hike is a short 2,3km hike (one-way) along an abandoned railway track.

You park at Leentjiesklip and start on the track towards the right. After passing through the first tunnel, you will find a big cave.

Start of hike

Follow the tracks..

Entering the first tunnel

The Kaaiman's Grotto used to be an upmarket restaurant and function venue owned and run by Fancourt. It had its first function in October 2002. It even hosted weddings and could only be reached by train. After a landslide in 2006 the train-track was badly damaged and the train no longer runs between Knysna and George.

Kaaiman's cave

Things..

Accommodation

Even Elsa is there

Easter

Shell art

True

Shells everywhere

Art

The venue was in the market in 2006 for over R2 million, but fail to secure a buyer.

A man called Clifford took residence of the cave and displays eccentric artwork. He offers accommodation for 12 people and takes in the homeless and backpackers, and even supply supper. They no longer have electricity, but still have water and ablution facilities.

The cave is 65 metres deep, 13m high and 12m wide. I have no idea how he manages to attach the extensive shell decorations hanging from the roof.

You continue over a rundown bridge, not for the faint hearted! It is badly rusted and I wonder how long it will be safe to hike over this bridge. Difficult to imagine how the Choo-choo train crossed the Kaaimansriver over this bridge.

Bridge over Kaaimans

Bridge

Kaaimans Cave from afar

Low tide

I tried to research how Kaaimans got its name. Some suggest it is a derived spelling from a type of Iguana that used to live in the river. Other say it is actually the Keerom river, which refer to turning around when the gorge was seen.

Vic Bay

Last little bridge

Viv bay!

You will see Victoria Bay, with her 13 permanent residents, before crossing over another small bridge. Here you have the choice of either eating at the restaurant or enjoying your own snacks while watching the surfers taking on the waves.

Pier

Kids can swim in the tidal pool, or you can fish off the pier. The pier was built by Bramwell Butler, a young bookkeeper from Oudtshoorn who had a lucky bet on a horse named Tiga, and won 125 000 pounds. He donated 10 000 pounds to built the pier and tidal pool.

There are several shrines for deceased loved ones at Land's end, and a place to secure locks to show love and adoration. It is called "love locks", I suppose it copies the idea from the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, where you secure the lock and throw the key in the river Seine. With the divorce rate in South Africa, I hope diving in Vic Bay is safe!