Golden Gate Highlands National Park

There is something different about the Free State air.

It’s thin, but not just like high altitude thin, there’s something else about it, something indescribable.
Maybe it’s subtly tainted with the rich smell of earth, displaced by the tractors plough.
I don’t know what it is, but I like it.
I think of the Free State as a proud place (probably because of its people) A place of hard work and hope, of sunshine and growth, of tractors and blue skies, of farms and animals, and signposts declaring “Dis Mos Mielies”.

Situated in the eastern part of the Free State is the provinces one and only national park, namely the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Set in the foothills of the Maluti mountain range, Golden Gate is famous for its iconic sandstone cliffs and green rolling plains. The park is said to get its name from the late afternoon sunlight falling upon the west facing sandstone cliffs, as seen and named by J.N.R. Van Reenen in 1878 when he purchased a farm in the valley.

The famous Brandwag Buttress.

Rolling green hills and superbly deep blue skies

I distinctly remember the first time I drove through Golden Gate, it was early April, winter was setting in and the scene was majestically crisp and stark. It felt like I had entered another world, the imposing and magnificent sandstone cliffs watching as I made my way along the R712 through the park. Unfortunately on that trip, there was no time to stop and marvel.
But, for good reason it’s been haunting me ever since, and so a return trip was in order.

This time round things were a lot greener (it being mid-summer) and the park was lush and multiple shades and textures of green.

Glen Reenen rest camp

Glen Reenen restcamp seen from above

Another view of Brandwag

The view to the west from the top of Brandwag Buttress

Golden gate is a serene nature lover’s paradise. Unlike most other parks where wildlife is the key attraction, the parks scenery is what makes it so incredible. There is just nothing like it.

Having said that, Golden Gate does lay claim to having a variety of wildlife  – black wildebeest, Eland, Blesbok, Oribi, Springbok and Zebra as well as the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and bald ibis.

Wildebeest on the plains

It’s a place for hiking, and driving (although there are only two loop roads) and cycling (no dirt roads for the mountain bikers) for horse riding and lots of relaxing whilst absorbing the scenery.
There are seven hiking trails, five of which are less than an hour (fitness depending). And of the two longer ones, Wodehouse Peak is a four hour trail, and the Ribbok Hiking trail is a two day affair.
(I have to say, as a side note here, for a place where hiking is high up on the ‘to do’ list, their trails could use a bit of TLC. Reinforcing rod sticking out in the middle of the paths is not exactly conducive to safe hiking)

Echo ravine trail

Hikers enjoying the trails

Mushroom rock trail

Which way?

The park is steeped in a rich and varied history, from long long long ago, with the oldest dinosaur embryos ever discovered (Triassic Period – 220 – 195 Million years ago) being found in the park in 1978. To more recent times when the Khoisan inhabited the area, (evident by the rock art in the caves) until the arrival of the Basotho and Voortrekkers wiped them out or scared them off. Golden Gate was razed to the ground during the Anglo-Boer wars. And a lot of the Boer women and children took refuge in the kranse to escape the horrific English concentration camps. After all the turmoil and heartache that must have taken place on its soils, it’s quite ironic that it is now such a calm and peaceful place.

The path to the vulture hide

Little Caledon River

Drakensberg view

Van Reenen Family Graveyard

Our holiday was one of sunny days and blue skies, with rain clouds rolling up the valleys in the afternoon.
We didn’t stay in the park, but instead at De Molen Farm, about 10km’s west of Golden Gate. We ended up doing hikes in the park almost every morning and then returning to the comfort of the cosy lounge to read and chat the rainy afternoons away.

As a place where one can take a time out from the world, no rushing off to do this, or see that, but just to sit in quiet contemplation, or clear the mind and cleanse the soul with a good hike, I can highly recommend Golden Gate; it imbues a strong sense of serenity.

Which way?