​

Circular

​

Google Maps:

​

Start/End     Sinclair Hut

​

Total Distance: ~20km

​

Qualitative Danger: 1/5

​

A group of us did the new Harkerville, at the end of 2018, while the area was still under rehabilitation after the Knysna fires of 2017, as explained on the "Why" page, at "New Friends V" and "Next Level VI". The blogpost of 2020aug02sun explains that the exertion and danger trail-ratings do not accommodate multi-day hikes. Also, having been the first hike I recorded, edited and uploaded, the whole process involved a significant amount of experimentation and learning. For all these reasons, Harkerville deserves its own page, separate from the others.

​

The Harkerville Coastal Hiking Trail used to have a reputation as one of the toughest/most extreme hiking trails in the country, involving some rock scrambling, ladders and chain work along about 27km through indigenous forest, fynbos and down and up steep coastal cliffs over two days. The term "two-day Otter" has been used in this regard (for those who know what the Otter trail is like).

 

However, after the fires of 2017, the most exciting sections down along the coastline have been closed to the public for the purposes of repair and rehabilitation, cutting about 4.5km from the first day, and about 2.5km from the second day, making it about 10km per day. It is unknown whether the full trail has been reopened again since.

 

Google Maps give +27 (0)44 382 2095 as the contact phone number for the "Harkerville Hut".

​

Below are all the videos of the same Harkerville hike in decreasing order of quality.

​