on the right path

Lace up your boots, we're going birding on Magoebaskloof's Louis Changuion trail.

- TAMSYN HENSHALL

You can feel the locals’ pas­sion for this region as you enter the calm and quiet town of Haenertsburg. Nestled in the Magoebas­ kloof region of Limpopo, among the northern peaks of the Drakensberg, the town is clearly well loved by residents. As you meander up and down the few streets, you see well cared­for and wild gardens, where a passion for the natural environment is unmistakable.

From late December to mid­January one of many bird calls you may hear is the unmistakable squawking of the na­ tionally Endangered Cape Parrot. This beautiful species, also the Bird of the Year for 2023, is found here thanks to the mist­belt Afromontane forest. The Wild Bird Trust’s Cape Parrot Project has begun studying this small, isolated population, although locals and citizen scientists have been monitoring the species for decades.

Wearing muddy hiking boots is a completely acceptable fashion trend in the town of Haenertsburg, as there are many spectacular trails in the area. These range from the overnight Magoe­ baskloof Hiking Trail in the Woodbush Forest to shorter walks such as the Leso­ di and Louis Changuion trails.

The Louis Changuion trail starts in the town itself, just next to the commu­ nity hall. A moderate hike of just over 10 kilometres, this trail is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. As you start by walk­ ing alongside the houses, you would be forgiven for thinking that you are in a quaint English village as rivers trickle by in lush drainage lines. You are reminded that you are not in the Cotswolds thanks to the wonderful calls of Burchell’s Coucals, Red­chested Cuckoos, Dark­ capped Bulbuls and, if you’re lucky and early enough, Buff­spotted Flufftails, among many others.