Living with Baboons

Living in harmony with baboons can be a challenge to say the least. We have compiled this video as a guide to a more harmonious coexistence with our close relatives. This can be achieved through better understanding and the way we handle our waste. 

Water water everywhere

We arrived here yesterday to find the Valley full of holiday makers. During the coarse of the day we noticed a drop in water pressure usauly attributed to a drop in reservoir level when the pumps cant keep up with the demand from the  2000 or so visitors. The situation became a little more serious when a patrol car with loudhailer cruising though Natures valley announcing "water crisis do not water your gardens" and this morning no water. The reservoir is empty. That can only mean that the pumps were not pumping during  the night. Fortunately we have a full 5000l watertank but for those without its going to be a dry sticky Christmas day.

Occupants a long time ago

Natures Valley is situated in the Tjitsikamma National park and is the only village in South Africa that is inside a national park. This wonderful gem that encompasses most of natures fauna and flora and nestles next to the Groot river has an interesting and colourful history.

Walking along the coastline towards Storms river you come across caves hewed out of the stone face by nature and occupied by man a million years ago.

These "strand lopers" had a diet of mainly crustations and lived mainly from the proceeds of the sea. As can be gauged by the layers of mussel shells the population numbers dwindled as they ate toxic mussels and rebounded when the mussel toxicity passed.

It is not known whether they died of poisonous food or whether they were driven off by hostile tribes but they were displaced by the San people who in turn were displaced by the Khoi.

The best place to regain sanity

Nature's Valley is a small village that will have a definite and lasting impact on the people who visit.

This is about as close to nature as anybody can imagine. It is part of the Tsitsikamma De Vasselot nature reserve and sits at the mouth of the “Groot River”.

There is a lot to do for the outdoor and nature lovers. Flora and fauna abound. Beaches are pristine and the night skies are filled with clusters of stars rarely seen by city folk.

Hiking trails meet at Nature's Valley and the Otter trail starting at Storms river ends in Nature's Valley, where a cold beer at the quaint pub is usually the last stop.

This is a definite stop for those who love nature.

More