This past weekend I took some friends on one of my favourite walks in the Wilderness area, the 30 minute forest walk and "BIG Tree". If you`re feeling relaxed, not overly energised and in search of a therapeutic mini journey, this one`s the one.
Just 15 minutes drive inland from the beach and onto the plateau is a large stretch of afromontane forest, and behind the forest lie the Outeniqua Mountains.
For centuries now the population of trees here have established themselves as mature forests and the elders here are generally between 500 and 600 years old.
Amongst all the magnificent trees however, there is one family that stands out, the yellowoods, and in particular the Outeniqua Yellowood.
With their long flowing old man`s beards draped loosely from branches up to 40m high, these trees exude presence and magick. Fluted crowns and expressive branches,... this truly is Tolkien`s world.
On this particular walk you shall meet our oldest resident we know of, an 800 year old giant. At this stage of his life his girth measures 12 metrs and he towers 33m above the forest floor.
As a little seedling in the early 1200s he would have started his journey in life, growing through times like the middle ages, Bartholomew Dias and Vasco ds Gama sailing past on their wooden boats, possibly observed elephant and dreaded woodcutters, a couple of Khoisan running around and in all this time of international human action, movement, development and land occupations all round, he stayed in one space occupying the same 4 square metres at the base. How centred can one be!
Is it not amazing that that there is a force that powers plants to grow, continually so and for 800 years. Wow. This is fantastic. You see this is what happens when one meets a magician of this natue. He sparks one`s imagination, and before you know it, you`re on a rollercoaster of images and dreams; and is this not how stories develop?
At this point it is time for me to let go, let you sit back and wonder and imagine your own creation story or...possibly a visit to a magical Tolkien`s world.
Outeniqua Yellowood ( podocarpus falcatus)
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