Living High on the Hog

You don’t live in Hogsback. You live ON Hogsback. Or so the locals tell me. The magical settlement of Hogsback straddles the Amathole mountain range which is heavily bedecked in Afro-montane forest and is surrounded by hectares of state forest plantations. We arrived on a fairly sunny day but by evening were shrouded in a mist that blanketed the mountain top settlement within minutes. After setting up camp at Swallowtail country estate, we took the bullies for a long stroll along the main street to the “CBD” which largely consists of a few restaurants, art galleries, a general dealer and of course, a bottle store. Despite being surrounded by mountains and forests, there was a depressed air hanging over the settlement. Discarded bottles and packaging littered the main street and groups of people loitered around the shops. There were also signs that some properties and buildings have been abandoned. A real shame as these must have represented the hopes and dreams of people who chose Hogsback as their home.

Being Christmas Eve, our attention was on preparing our festive meal; our traditional gammon on the kettle braai style. Yummy. Except we didn’t have our usual Weber so I decided to use our new Safari Chef which had a dome. I unpacked the braai, but couldn’t find the gas hose and regulator. Popped down to the local ‘hardware’ shop. No luck. Took a drive to Alice as I had noticed a large Cashbuild store on our way in. Alice was absolutely heaving with pre-christmas shoppers stocking up with last minute goodies. Tina attempted the local Spar while I stalked the isles of the hardware. No luck. Looked like only basic stuff available in Alice (Alice? Who the *&%$# is Alice? kept rocking around in my head every time we mentioned the town). Back at Swallowtail, I asked Fritz, our host, if he could help out with the gas pipe. He got out the instruction manual. Within minutes he noted that I was looking for a gas canister and not a hose. Ha. And now what? Luckily Fritz had a Weber which wasn’t being used. Problem solved.

This was to be our first Christmas away from family… ever. The day dawned quiet and peaceful. No Christmas tree. No excited kids eagerly waiting to open prezzies. No Santa’s mince pie and milk to consume. No eggnog. Just two snoring bullies and the view from our new home. The gammon was soon on the Weber. Tina was in the campervan kitchen getting the potatoes and veggies ready. The sun was shining. It was another beautiful day in Africa that the Queen knew nothing about. Time to take the bullies for a long walk to help burn off some of their energy and to stave off the onset of cabin fever. There’s definitely more to Hogsback than first meets the eye along main street. There are a maze of lanes and side roads leading off into densely wooded glades, park-like estates and quite a few ramshackle abodes. The properties around here are on average about the five acre mark. Probably how they divided up the area way back when. We encountered cows along most of the roads that seemed free to graze along the verges. Most properties have cattle grates across their entrance to discourage the wandering bovines from eating their prize begonias or, heaven forbid, their roses. Seems like the new normal, so we got used to stepping around the many ‘land mines’ spattered along the road.

Back at camp, the gammon was ready for our special glaze of German mustard(or any kind that takes your fancy) and brown sugar, the sweet kind huh. Stoked the coals and dribbled on some Coke(we alternate between this and beer) which gives the meat a wicked combination of sweet tangy taste and crispy end bits. In no time at all, we laid the table, popped the champers and carved up the gammon. wow, our first Christmas on the road was a grand affair. Just missed the crackers and a tree ha ha. Maybe next year.

With the formalities of Christmas done and dusted, it was time to explore the rest of the the Hog. With probably more art galleries per capita than anywhere on earth, this seems to be that premier retirement spot for a myriad of arty farty types. We loaded the dogs and drove our little Zook along the winding lanes in search of something interesting. Well, we weren’t disappointed. The first place we visited was Starways pottery gallery which was tucked amongst tall pines on the hillside. We were greeted by owner and artist, Anton vd Merwe an internationally acclaimed potter who’s works grace many fine establishments around the world. The rustic surrounds completely belied the quality of the wood fired works that were being produced there. Anton’s work takes on a form of alchemy, albiet with clay, by using the wood fired method to cure the pieces. A process that requires constant attention with a constant supply of wood being needed to maintain the temperatures in the home made kiln. The results are astounding.

The Edge, literely on the edge of the escarpment provides a smorgasboard of restaurants, galleries and outdoor activities, including one of the biggest labyrinth in South Africa. Placed in a tranquil garden setting and views across the valley, it provides an ideal opportunity to get in touch with your soul. By far the best part of he Edge(not to be mistaken with any rock guitarist), was the cozy restaurant with magnificent garden views, great selection of cakes, good coffee and best of all, dog friendly.

 

With an endless list of activities including hiking, horse trails, mountain biking, bird watching and of course a meander around all the galleries and restaurants, Hogsback is an ideal spot to while away a few indulgent days just as we have done. Just don’t go near the lace if you; require constant entertainment, retail therapy, you melt in the rain, are tree phobic or get bored just chilling on a shady forest bench watching the world slip by.