Visit to Gobodweni

Up at 4:30 and off by 6:15! Winter has arrived, and it was still dark outside. With a few extra layers on, we climbed into the Jimnys. Gobodweni, here we come!

Our trusty trio of Jimnys

Mpondoland is stunning, with its dramatic waterfalls, deep gorges, and sweeping grasslands dotted with colourful homesteads. Goats graze peacefully while chickens scratch for the next tasty morsel. Nguni cattle roam the grasslands, each with its own poetic colour pattern, and the occasional pig snuffles along. Homestead dogs (Canis africanis) bark “stranger danger” as we pass. What an incredible way of life the amaPondo people live — it’s no wonder they protect it so fiercely. It’s heartbreaking that they have been sold out in the name of progress and greed, a progress that will bring long-lasting negative effects.

Breathtaking views of Gobodweni

We stopped along the way at one of the homesteads to ask permission to pass through the gate on their land. Sinegugu was our guide Thursday. We have so much love and respect for this incredibly humble man, who fights tirelessly to preserve the amaPondo way of life and their land.

Mpondoland sits on 360-million-year-old Msikaba sandstone. These ancient, nutrient-poor soils create the Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism — a unique landscape home to species found nowhere else on Earth.

We followed the contour down to Vulture Stream, so named because it has long been a favourite drinking place for Cape vultures. Of course, we stopped for coffee and tea. We were joined by a young man and three young women — content creators mixed with a bit of curiosity to see what we were all about. The mood was jovial.

Acridocarpus natalitius (Moth-fruit), so called because of the fruit’s large wings resembling those of moths, were still full of bright yellow flowers. It may have been the end of a long flowering season that started in November last year. 

Acridocarpus natalitius

Acridocarpus natalitius winged fruit capsule

Sinegugu led us onto a path that disappears into the forest. Coddia rudis (Small bone-apple), with its tiny pomegranate-shaped fruits dangling from the branches like Chinese lanterns, is plentiful. So too is Canthium ciliatum (Hairy turkeyberry) and Clutia pulchella (Warty clut), with its trademark tangerine-orange leaves full of tiny flowers and fruit. Oh wow — that’s the biggest Hyperacanthus amoenus (Doringkatjiepiering) we’ve ever seen; Anne is dwarfed by it! The forest is filled with birdsong.

Coddia rudis

Canthium ciliatum

Clutia pulchella

Anne dwarfed by
Hyperacanthus amoenus

The wispy seeds of Secamone alpini (Bobbejaantou) dangle from dried pods, waiting for the wind to carry them away. The deep scarlet-red fruit of Carissa bispinosa (Num-num) caught your eye in the sea of green.

Secamone alpini 

Carissa bispinosa 

Along the path, a Dice moth caterpillar — with a head of burning amber, dressed in bold black and white with feather-like plumes — munched away on a leaf, oblivious to us passing by. The pale pink cauliflorous flowers of Bachmannia woodii (which grow from old woody stems rather than new growth) are unique; they have no petals, and their beauty comes from striking sepals and a tassel-like cluster of stamens.

Dice moth caterpillar

Bachmannia woodii

As the trail left the forest we spotted Maytenus acuminata var. acuminata (Silky bark), easily identified by gently breaking a leaf to reveal silky threads. Alberta magna with its spectacular clusters of bright red tubular flowers is always a highlight. Out in the grassland there was little to see except that the grass was heavily overgrazed.

Maytenus acuminata var. acuminata 

The silky elastic strands of latex
of Maytenus acuminata var. acuminata

Alberta magna

We wandered over to the edge to view the waterfall, but there was only a small stream cascading down. The sandstone terraces, eroded by years of pounding water, lay mostly dry. On a small rocky outcrop, the vivid orange-yellow lantern-like fruits of Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus (Candlewood) stood out — arguably its most striking feature. Cotyledon orbiculata (Pig’s ear) was coming into flower, along with Delosperma sp. and Colpoon compressum (Coastal Tannin-bush) with its lovely grey-green leaves.

Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus 

Cotyledon orbiculata 

Delosperma sp.

Colpoon compressum
Photo credit Dorothy

Off the path, Tracy spotted Crassula streyi, a very special endemic found on the sandstone cliffs of the Mtamvuna and Mtentu river gorges. Creeping along the large sandstone boulders was Peperomia bangroana (Round-leaf Peperomia), with its fine, intricate foliage. It has long been confused with Peperomia rotundifolia. Clutia abyssinica var. nov. with its velvety leaves and stem was plentiful. 

Crassula streyi

Peperomia bangroana 

Clutia abyssinica var. nov.

While some of the group opted not to go any further, Sinegugu took Anne, Christine, Hilary, Julian, and Tracy to see “The Crack” — a massive rift between two towering sandstone cliffs. What a spectacular sight! It is definitely worth a return visit to venture down the trail between the cliffs to the bottom. Twining around a dead tree nearby was Secamone filiformis, while Justicia campylostemon (Isipheka) displayed its creamy-yellow hooded flowers.

The Crack

Secamone filiformis

Justicia campylostemon

We ventured further down the trail to a colony of Clivia robusta. Sadly, some had been harvested for muti. Anne, Sinegugu, and Tracy set about replanting the ones that could be saved. A very tall Stenoglottis fimbriata (Fringed Stenoglottis), with its dainty pink flowers, clung to a rock nearby. At this point we turned and headed back up the trail for lunch. We sat in the shade of a grand Syzygium cordatum (Umdoni).

Stenoglottis fimbriata 

Lunch under a grand Syzygium cordatum

After lunch we ambled over to take in the stunning view inland. A Tarchonanthus trilobus (Southern Broad-leaved Camphor-bush) stood proud at the edge. As we talked about everything we had seen, we made our way along a new trail through the forest, spotting Cassine peragua, Rhynchocalyx lawsonioides, Homalium dentatum, Nectaropetalum zuluense, Strychnos usambarensis, and Helinus integrifolius.

Tarchonanthus trilobus

One last hike to the top to take in the splendour of Gobodweni revealed a Bersama swinnyi (Bitter-bark) with clusters of pompom-like fruits. Full of wonder and a little melancholy, we said goodbye and started the journey homeward.

Rhoicissus digitata

Christine, Hilary and Anne discuss the importance of a good stick.

Pelargonium capitatum

Spiny flower mantis

Viscum obscurum

Pellaea calomelanos

Anne living on the edge

African Dwarf Chameleon

Crassula alba

Putterlickia verrucosa

Pyrrosia africana

Empogona lanceolata

Fruit of Empogona lanceolata

F Denge, S Hicks, S Zukulu, M Abott, A Skelton, J Hicks, M Denge
H Henderson, D McIntyre, S Booker, C Toerien, Aseza, Vuyiswa, Nosipho

A prehistoric terrapin

Synclostemon Slopes 9 April 2026

This blog is written by Tracy Taylor - published by Gail Bowers-Winters.

We met Gail and Maggie at Beacon Hill, and I quickly jumped in with them and we were off. As we drove, we were a little unsure of our destination and briefly wondered if Anne had bumped her head. We soon stopped in what felt like the middle of nowhere, where Anne explained that her Jimny was low on fuel and she had made a last-minute change of plans. No worries—Synclostemon slopes it is. We happily drank our coffee.

It was going to be a scorcher. We ambled towards the reserve, surrounded by swathes of Erica aspalathifolia. The white flowers were beginning to turn a beautiful earthy russet. Otherwise, there was little to see—just the occasional Argyrella canescens (Marsh disotis).

Erica aspalathifolia var. aspalathifolia
ERICACEAE
South African endemic

Tracy walking the slopes with swathes of Erica's below.

Syncolostemon rotundifolius
LAMIACEAE
South African endemic


Photo credit: Tracy

Diospyros scabrida var. scabrida
EBENACEAE
South African endemic

Crassula nudicaulis var. nudicaulis
CRASSULACEAE

In the shade of a small rocky outcrop, an Anastrabe integerrima (Pambati-tree) stood in full flower. Its yellow blooms contrasted beautifully against the dark green leaves. Beyond that brief shelter, the air was heavy, and there was no escape from the heat in the open grassland.

Anastrabe integerrima
STILBACEAE
South African endemic
Photo credit:  Tracy

Then, despite the dryness, we found it—a Disa polygonoides. Its vivid reddish-orange flowers glowed against the parched grass, small and densely packed along a slender stem, standing proud as if to say: I made it. I’m here. After taking a few photos, we continued on to the stream, only to find the bed completely dry. No trickle, no pools—just silence.

Disa polygonoides

ORCHIDACEAE

GBW

Photo credit:  Tracy
Hemiempusa capenis
Twig mantis

We finally crossed into the reserve, carefully stepping over long, rusted barbed wire and burnt fence poles. Walking was easy; the grass had been grazed down by cattle. Everywhere you looked, deep paths cut through the grassland—trails made by unsupervised, hungry animals.

Ushi going through the Park's Board fence or lack there of!

Bovines!

On the reserve side, water emerged quietly from the ground. Gail pointed out a small cluster of Drosera madagascariensis (Sundew) that had somehow survived the trampling hooves. Along the stream, the ground was a muddy mess, churned by cattle, the plants that once thrived there crushed into the soil. The mood grew heavier as we spoke about the ongoing problem of illegal grazing in the reserve.

Drosera madagascariensis 
DROSERACEAE

We picked our way carefully along the bank when Anne suddenly shouted, “Snipe!” We stopped and turned just in time to see it—the African snipe, which had been sitting motionless in the grass, burst into flight. For a brief moment, its long bill and cryptic brown plumage flashed before it disappeared again into the landscape. A wonderful sight.

Further along, we found Coleus kirkii, the hedgehog flower, its distinctive spikes still holding a few fading mauve blooms. Nearby, the fronds of Osmunda acuta were plump with fertile spores.

Osmunda acuta
OSMUNDACEAE

Plectranthus kirkii (formerly Coleus kirkii & Pycnostachys reticulata), the hedgehog flower.
 Lamiaceae

Erica cubica clung to the stream bank, its pink, bell-shaped flowers bright against the rock. At the end of the stream, water trickled between large boulders before dropping into the gorge below. We sat there in the shade, looking out over the view, and enjoyed a cool lunch.

Erica cubica var. natalensis
ERICACEAE
South African endemic

Heading down the stream to find a cool place to sit and have lunch

Photo credit: Tracy

Rhynchosia totta var. totta

FAVACEAE

Ushi, Anne, Maggie, Alf and Tracy looking at the Rhynchosa creeping through the grass.

What a view.

Gail

Photo credit:  Tracy

Tracy

Anne and Ushi

A sheer drop.  Quite exciting botanising on the edge.

The vista was breathtaking. Gail and I climbed the side of the koppie, while Anne, Uschi, Maggie, and Alf walked around below. At the top, Tarchonanthus trilobus was covered in flowers, alive with small black ants moving busily among them.

Tarchonanthus trilobus var. trilobus
ASTERACEAE
South African endemic

But as we headed back towards the cars, the damage caused by the cattle became impossible to ignore. Paths crisscrossed the landscape, and the once-clear stream had been reduced to mud. A pristine seep—once rich with Merwilla, Gerbera, and Ledebouria—had been completely obliterated.

Cattle destruction.

Cryptocarya wyliei 
LAURACEAE
Near Threatened B1ab(iii,v)
South African endemic

Crassula ericoides
CRASSULACEAE
South African endemic

Photo credit:  Tracy

Lampranthus fugitans
AIZOACEAE
Vulnerable C2a(i)
South African endemic

Delosperma subpetiolatum 
AIZOACEAE
Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii)
South African endemic

Bird rock

Gail and Anne's Jimny's.

Pondoland CREW
Alf Hayter, Maggie Abbott, Tracy Taylor, Anne Skelton, Uschi Teicher and Gail Bowers-Winters

“These landscapes speak softly—but their message is one we cannot afford to ignore.” - Unknown