The drag of everyday duty somehow leaves you as you float on the Pont across the Kei River with your dog, car and family to the land on the other side.
There across the Kei, nothing is contrived or unnecessary.
Rather than a garden with designer rules and ideas, what lay before us was the freedom of the landscape interrupted only by mealie fields, acacia thorn and other trees, and sustenance gardens around the homesteads of the Xhosa families.
Our destination was a 1km hike inland to the riverbank from which The Gates could be accessed by boat.
The Gates are 3km from the Qolora River mouth along a narrow gorge with steep cliffs forming a passage either side.
We met at the Trennery’s Hotel. The road to the place where we were to begin the hike needed a four-wheel-drive vehicle ride.
The tar road between our crossing of the Kei was quite an adventure before the real one began, as the holes in the road’s surface were cavernous, probably as whoever had laid the tar over the dirt road did so sparingly.
Besides, a road which might otherwise encourage high-speed travel would have defied the point of exploring and enjoying the gentle rhythms of the former Transkei region.
This too probably keeps the free-roaming cattle safe. A random speed hump every now and then among the many potholes merely brought amusement.
Before you set out with the guides of Trevor Wigley of Trevor’s Trails, Trevor himself invites you to sing/read the verses of How Great Thou Art, in acknowledgement of God’s hand in the creation around us.
The initial hike was downhill with some wobbly rocks (so was glad I had brought a walking stick) — through lush subtropical forest.
Then we were taken on a boat ride, floating slowly along the water in a big flat-bottomed vessel between steep cliffs comprising huge square blocks of rock forming the cliff sides.
I’m told the dramatic landforms on either side of the river were created by a geological fault and water erosion.
Peace like a river, the words of the song became so true.
As we drifted along, we literally drank in the awe-inspiring views and majestically beautiful surroundings.
Reflections of the cliffs and their plant growth in the water, with weaver birds’ nests and pendulous growth overhead.
And monkey ropes dangling overhead from trees.
These which nature had allowed to grow in the rock clefts, and pockets of earth formed by the geography where a variety of indigenous trees, shrubs and smaller plants grew.
Even a water monitor lizard sunning itself on a low cliff rock ledge just above the water’s edge lay peacefully looking up as if it were enjoying its every day as much as us in our first time there.
Our two guides, Carlos and Alex, were attentive and knowledgeable, being on hand to make sure our steps over the stones with the possibility of a treacherous fall among the rocks or into the water were secure and without unhappy incident.
Here are some of the plants that Carlos, who is a plant fundi, highlighted.
Carlos pointed out the common hook thorn, Acacia caffra tree, umyamanzi, which he explained is used by Xhosa women to craft smoking pipes as the centre of the branch is soft, making it easy to hollow it out.
It is a graceful, attractively shaped tree, often with a crooked trunk and dark bark with fine bright green feathery foliage on branches which are slightly drooping.
In spring, it is covered in pale yellow flower spikes. In the garden, it is an ideal subject for open lawns.
Another was the paperbark thorn tree, Acacia (Vachellia) sieberiana var. woodii, the quintessential (best example of) African tree, which has an attractive shape and is identified by its bark which has thin curling layers that look like parchment.
Alex explained that the wood of this tree was used to craft wagon wheels due to its flexibility.
It produces cream-coloured scented flowers from September to November.
Seed pods appear from February to August.
It is moderately fast-growing, providing light shade under which other plants may grow.
The white-coloured double thorns easily hook into your clothes if you get too close.
Do not plant it near buildings or other structures with foundations.
Why should you grow the Paperbark thorn tree?
It serves as a habitat for many species of birds which are protected from their predators by its thorns.
So, it is helpful for attracting birds to your garden.
Dietes grandiflora, or the Fairy Iris were also growing around the area.
It is an indigenous iris species with leaves that grow up to 1.5 metres tall making them useful for adding foliage variation to the garden. Grow it in full sun to part shade.
The Cabbage tree, kiepersol (Cussonia paniculata) is identified by its leaves and strong sculptural architectural form.
It is used as an ornamental tree for this reason.
Suited to growing in small gardens it is fast-growing, where it makes a striking feature.
It can also be used to grow in containers. The wood of the tree is soft and it is said that it was used for making brake blocks for ox wagons.
In traditional nomadic cultures, its roots were chewed for rehydration on long trips.
On the subject of softwood, Trevor told us of the Leucospermum innovans, also called the Pondoland pincushion or the Transkei protea, which was also once used for making ox wagon brake blocks.
It is an endangered species due to its habitat degradation and decline in its population over three generations.
Endemically it only occurs in this small area. It produces yellowy orange pincushion flowers from July to December.
A most unusual cycad Stangeria eriopus is a perennial which “lives to a great age”.
The body of the plant consists of a tuberous root which grows underground.
It is swollen and carrot-shaped and may have up to 10 to 12 heads, some producing a cone at the same time.
My daughter, Jos, cautioned us well ahead of the trip.
We now know it to be true, that not partaking in the jump from the 5m cliff into the 7m-deep water (which means jumping is safe) at The Gates site would leave one having missed out.
That is on braving it as much for a thrill as in rising to meet the wonder of the experience.
It took courage. But I did it. She was right.
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