The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve must be one of CapeNature's best kept secrets. Whenever we tell people about our wonderful five days there recently, they look blank and admit they've never heard of it. Yet those in the know, know it as a special place, famous for its mountain fynbos and so remote that Lillian Beckwith's famous quote "even the hills is lonely" suits it perfectly.
Yet the Kogelberg is only about 90 minutes from Cape Town and 11km from the holiday resort of Kleinmond. We did not need our GPS helper "Joyce the Voice" to get there. The route along Clarence Drive, or via Bot River, is tarred except for the last three bone-shaking kilometres to the gate.
The reserve is huge. Its history of isolation accounts for the fact that it is remarkably free of alien vegetation. This bonus has enabled about 1 650 plant species to flourish, including many spectacular proteas including Thomas Stearnes Stokoe's legendary lost-then-found Mimetes stokoei with its silver foliage and golden pink flower heads. In 2001 it reappeared after an absence of 50 years.
Kogelberg, particularly in winter, was a paradise for Yorkshireman Stokoe, one of the Cape's best known collectors who was 43 when he arrived from England in 1911 and until his death at 91 was still climbing mountains.
Among the 150 plants new to fynbos which he discovered - some never even photographed in flower books - came from Kogelberg. We were privileged to see on arrival one of the 30 species which bear "TP's" name - the Nivenia stokoei with its brilliant blue clusters of star-like flowers. Hence its local name "blousterretjie".
The reserve's floral wealth dictates that only low-impact recreation is encouraged and visitors are limited.
We were the only people in one of the three self-catering wooden chalets. As there are no camping, tents or picnic sites, we had the high mountain peaks, steep kloofs, valleys and several tributaries of the pristine Palmiet River to ourselves from Monday to Friday night. Bliss!
We were not even bothered by baboons. Our only uninvited guest was a large leopard tortoise which barged through the front door, stomped confidently around the kitchen spraying the floor liberally with wee, and could only be tempted out with a handful of fresh lettuce leaves.
There are not many large animals in Kogelberg and the birdlife in fynbos is always a bit disappointing, but what is great is the chance to experience the Palmiet River.
Initially we did this from within the reserve - taking brisk 20-minute walks for a dip in the wide safe pool of clean brown water that used to be the colour of Cape Town water.
One late afternoon we worked up an appetite for our braai by following the Palmiet River Walk for several kilometres as it wound its way through the pristine fynbos, turning back before the path joined the 26km mountain bike trail which ends at Stokoe Bridge where the collector's ashes were scattered.
Another day we left the reserve and, starting from below the road bridge over the Palmiet River, followed a path down one side of the estuary, crossed the sand bar at the Atlantic, and came back the other way.
A beautiful easy walk in veld so packed with patches of brilliant pink and white everlastings, small hardy annuals and loads of restios that it could have been a planted garden.
A more strenuous outing was the three-hour hike over the mountains to the Harold Porter Botanical Garden.
Part of the route was like climbing up Skeleton Gorge, with the tinkling sound of water over rocks accompanying our panting strides up steps in the shade of old trees. Another part was through an indigenous forest with stinkwood, boekenhout and yellowwood trees, one of which bore the marks where a leopard had sharpened his claws.
The walk ended with a sharp descent to the Harold Porter (jokers call it the Harry Potter) along a narrow path with chains to prevent lightweights from being blown over the edge.
We were grateful not to have to retrace our steps back up this steep path, but the downside was the long hot slog along the coastal road to the Kogelberg and chalet.
The accommodation is affordable - our chalet was R560 a night, but not fancy. There are three bedrooms with comfy beds, a sitting room with a fireplace (it gets very cold in winter), a bathroom with a delicate shower and a kitchen.
The equipment is a bit lopsided. There's not a single hook, or cupboard in the house to hang a thing, yet the kitchen has a very smart four-piece toaster, a good kettle, microwave and an electric table top stove. Unfortunately it is placed so high that you can't see what's cooking in the pot.
All of which gives you reason for a smile, but does not detract in any way from finding such a wonderful unspoilt wilderness so close to civilisation for supplies, restaurants and a cellphone connection to check all is well at home.
- Call the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve at 028 271 4792, or fax 086 611 5900. See www.kogelberg biospherereserve.co.za