The Jack and Jill hiking club’s March hike took place in the Normandien area, at Moorfield, just off Muller’s Pass.
The hike took place on the weekend of March 17-19.
Moorfield Mountain Farm off Muller’s Pass is now open to overnight and day visitors and campers interested in enjoying the superb walks up into the hills and swimming in the rock pools of the Ncandu River. Nature lovers and researchers value the beauty and biodiversity of Moorfield, as do those who just enjoy the quiet, respectful time in nature.
Moorfield attracts visitors from Newcastle and beyond for day and extended visits. Moorfield is 30km from Newcastle and 92km from Dundee.
The property includes a two-hectare ‘island’ formed by the Ncandu River before it runs into the kloof. The river almost makes a complete circle around this island where most of the buildings stand. The surrounding land is mostly hilly grassland, which is ideal for a wide range of wildlife, but it is grazed mostly by cattle and a few water buck at the moment. The Ncandu kloof has waterfall and rock pools that one can swim in, as well as many interesting places and spaces to discover.
Moorfield offers campers a kitchen facility and ablutions consisting of a bath, a shower and two eco-friendly toilets. The hikers soon discovered that there was absolutely no cell phone signal at Moorfield. All provisions are to be taken with one as the closest town is Newcastle.

Once they felt comfortable with the feel of the abseiling, they did the 65m drop of which 35m is hanging in the air, to enjoy a 180 decree view.

The hikers arrived at Moorfield late on Friday afternoon, some of whom had done a lot of sightseeing of the Normandien area along the way. Moorfield proved to be a bit of a challenge to locate. After a very warm Friday the hikers were surprised to feel the drastic drop in temperature as soon as the sun set and evening fell.
Saturday morning the hikers took on a hike along the kloof where there are a number of marked viewpoints.
One could look back at the majestic waterfall and from other viewpoints one could enjoy the scenery across the green rolling mountains. Chelmsford dam could also be seen, far in the distance, on the horizon. It was an enjoyable three hour hike, up and down a hill of two. Back at the campsite, mealies were braaied over wood coals for lunch.
It had been arranged that the adventurous hikers would do abseiling on Saturday afternoon. Four hikers geared up and prepared for the first trail run abseil down a 20m drop. Once they felt comfortable with the feel of the abseiling, they did the 65m drop of which 35m is hanging in the air, to enjoy a 180 decree view.
It was quite an adventure and thoroughly enjoyed by those that took part. Once at the bottom of the 65m drop into the kloof it was discovered that the climb back up to the top of the kloof was quite a sensuous and difficult climb involving ropes etc to pull themselves back up the difficult steep places.
The absailers’ returned to camp quite exhausted.
A braai fire was started for Saturday night. The members moved up to the kitchen facility for supper and to huddle around the fireplace as the evening air was rather nippy.
Sunday morning dawned to a windy and overcast morning and all ideas of having a swim were dismissed.
The next hike will take place in May 2017 and for further information Willem can be contacted on 082 856 7664.