16/06/2026
The beauty, the splendour, and the utter devastation!
It all feels almost apocalyptic.
To walk through Meiringspoort and experience its beauty up close is something altogether different from simply driving through it. Thousands of plant species thrive here. With the recent launch of Mal'va De Rust, I have become so much more aware of the malva plants in the Poort – plants I had never truly noticed before.
Could we have discovered Cape Mountain Zebra spoor and droppings? Although endemic to this region, they have never been recorded here in recent memory. Could the absence of traffic have encouraged wildlife to venture back into the Poort? Higher up on the slopes, we also spotted what may have been Grey Rhebuck. And sadly the remains of a bushbuck that washed away caught in a branch.
The vegetation is blooming in spectacular fashion. Or perhaps it always has, and we have simply never paused long enough to truly see it.
Yet, alongside this beauty lies the overwhelming force of nature. One cannot fully comprehend the power of angry water until witnessing the destruction it leaves behind. From Meijersrust to the Waterfall and beyond, the devastation continues.
It does make one wonder whether some of the damage could have been mitigated had the flood debris at the drifts been cleared timeously, rather than allowing them to become instant blockages. These are difficult questions, but important ones.
And then another thought arises: if the road through Meiringspoort were never repaired, would the Poort itself become one of the most iconic wilderness destinations in South Africa? A place where people walk, cycle and quietly reconnect with nature in all its raw splendour. It is a provocative thought, especially for those whose livelihoods depend on this vital route. Yet there is something extraordinary about experiencing the Poort without the constant movement of traffic.
For now, Meiringspoort stands as both a reminder of nature's incredible beauty and its immense power – scarred, but still magnificent. -Werner Alberts
