The Take a Walk hiking group set out to do the River Trail on a cool spring morning. It is a circular trail. This section is quite exposed as it follows the ridge high above the Van Stadens river and there is no tree cover. It’s best to do this early in the morning or late afternoon. You can enjoy uninterrupted views of Lady’s Slipper Mountain.

We start from the trailhead board at the parking area. There are picnic benches and also bathrooms here. We walk over the bridge which crosses the national highway and soon we turn down a flower lined path. The trail is well marked. After 3.5km we come to a picnic area under a wide shady tree with views onto the Van Stadens road bridge. This is a great place to stop for some snacks. Then we take the gravel road back to the start.

This trail is quite rocky and uneven, so we recommend a hiking stick and Merrell shoes with good grip. Take enough water with you as there is none on trail. We hike far above the Van Stadens river, we don’t go down to it.