On the 1st January 2014, New Year's Day I climbed Mount Horeb which has been a dream for many years. Mount Horeb is an imposing 2449 metres high and towers 600 metres above the town of Clarens below. We were thirteen early birds who gathered at Ettiene and Annali Bossert's place which is the Gourmet Shed at the base of Mount Horeb on the south side.
The walk up was rather steep as we zigzagged to get to a particular ridge. I was huffing and puffing as not exactly physically fit and after what looked like a third of the way up decided rather to take time out and continue at my own pace. Kobus Basson stayed with me and we ended up having a great chat before I got my second wind. The going was slow however we took time to enjoy the views and Martin Fouche spotted a young buck cowering in the grass just below the top of Mount Horeb.
Once on top the views were simply magnificent and we had a clear view of the beautiful village of Clarens below us. We enjoyed some ice cold water and had a refreshing picnic surrounded by endless vistas right round. Whilst looking up we were treated to a beautiful display of storks soaring effortlessly on the thermals of the hot day. As a real treat we saw two large groups join and coalesce into one spiral of a flight of storks. For photographs I took the compact Nikon V1 with the 10-30mm and 30-110mm lenses which made for a perfect hiking kit with excellent results
The descent was easier for me however the steep downhill took it's toll on many knees. We finally arrived back at the house where Annali had ice cold Cokes and ice cream waiting! A huge thank you to Ettiene for taking us on this hike and for his patience too - it was a memorable day. The hike wasn't exactly a walk in the park for me and it was the dream of getting to the top that kept me going after that first stretch of over exertion. Standing on top of Mount Horeb was an enlightening experience - the higher perspective and the stork party was something else.
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| Mount Horeb Landscape |
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| Mount Horeb with clouds hugging the mountain below in 2010 |
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| The Group about to ascend Mount Horeb |
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| Ettiene showing the proposed route |
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| The Steep part up |
The walk up was rather steep as we zigzagged to get to a particular ridge. I was huffing and puffing as not exactly physically fit and after what looked like a third of the way up decided rather to take time out and continue at my own pace. Kobus Basson stayed with me and we ended up having a great chat before I got my second wind. The going was slow however we took time to enjoy the views and Martin Fouche spotted a young buck cowering in the grass just below the top of Mount Horeb.
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| Time Out |
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| Almost at the top - a small buck cowering in the bush |
Once on top the views were simply magnificent and we had a clear view of the beautiful village of Clarens below us. We enjoyed some ice cold water and had a refreshing picnic surrounded by endless vistas right round. Whilst looking up we were treated to a beautiful display of storks soaring effortlessly on the thermals of the hot day. As a real treat we saw two large groups join and coalesce into one spiral of a flight of storks. For photographs I took the compact Nikon V1 with the 10-30mm and 30-110mm lenses which made for a perfect hiking kit with excellent results
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| The View From Mount Horeb overlooking Clarens |
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| On Top of the World! |
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| Storks overhead catching the thermals |
The descent was easier for me however the steep downhill took it's toll on many knees. We finally arrived back at the house where Annali had ice cold Cokes and ice cream waiting! A huge thank you to Ettiene for taking us on this hike and for his patience too - it was a memorable day. The hike wasn't exactly a walk in the park for me and it was the dream of getting to the top that kept me going after that first stretch of over exertion. Standing on top of Mount Horeb was an enlightening experience - the higher perspective and the stork party was something else.
Whilst reading up about the biblical Mount Horeb after which the Clarens peak is named some interesting stories emerged. It was on Mount Horeb that Moses received the ten commandments and it was Mount Horeb which Moses struck with his staff as commanded when the water came out for the people to drink. It was also at Mount Horeb where the Lord spoke to the prophet Elijah in a whisper after a hurricane wind, an earthquake and a fire occurred in which none of which He was present. I can't exactly say that I heard Him whisper on New Year's Day but He certainly was communicating in so many more mysterious ways that particular day. The day's events set the tone for the coming year and holding onto one's dream with a little help from one's friends makes mountains into molehills!
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