Montagu - Bloupunt Trial

This is a nice hiking tour to the bloupunt summit in the Montagu Mountain Reserve.
The Bloupunt mountain is just 1226 meters high. But you start something slightly higher than 200 meters above sea level. All in all, you will make on foot 1200 meters of altitude including all opposite ascents and approximately a walking distance of 15 km.
It wasn't much crowded, because I did the tour during wintertime. It seems that the South Africans prefer the hot summer times.
I only met one guy from Capetown, who did the same tour with his son. As they rent a cottage in Montagu they started directly from there. Doing so, they had to cross two river beds via concrete fortified passages before and after the entrance at Joubert park.
The father - so as I - wore only hiking shoes and his son only sneakers. They had to put off their shoes to ford the river bed barefooted. I was more lucky. As there were only a few visitors at that winter day the ranger allowed me to drive further after the barrier to the second smaller parking place situated directly below the farm. So, I passed the fords while sitting in my car comfortably.
All in all, hiking boots might have been of advantage especially during winter times. One third of the way leads through the bed of small streams either directly next or even in the bed or the path crosses the stream several times.
Those people who are unlucky and step in the water right at the beginning of the tour have to continue their trail with wet socks and wet shoes. During the winter half-year the streams carry much more water. It might be easier during the summer half-year.
On my way back I wondered why it was so noisy in the bushes next to the path. Also the birds squawked a lot. Soon, I realised the reason as a horde of baboons was there. A place for braai as well as a lodge for simple over night stay are built at the lower part of the nature reserve. I assumed that the baboons searched for food close to these places. As soon as I passed this place the baboons immediately moved to the rocks above the path.

As normal, the descent is much faster than the ascent but for this trial by far because the descent is quite steeper than the ascent.
According to the description on the internet the tour lasts between 5 and 9 hours. I have some doubts whether one can do it easily within 5 to 6 hours. But, there are always a few people who are extremely fast.

This is a lovely and diversified hiking tour which I would recommend highly all experienced hikers.

Remark: The GPS-signal went off for a short distance. You can see the straight line. The path goes parallel to the stream. So, you can hardly miss it.