Hogsback in South Africa has an unconfirmed reputation of where J. R. R. Tolkien got his inspiration for his Lord of The Rings series. Supposedly when he was a kid, he had a nanny from the Xhosa tribe who told him stories that influenced some of his characters for his famous books. I was excited to go spend a couple days in the mountains after being along beaches for the past couple weeks.
Hogsback Background
Hogsback is a tiny town tucked away along the Hogsback mountain range. The town here has a reputation of being a very laid back and more of a hippie town. Most people come here to get away and relax while hiking some trails that cut through some of the oldest forest known in South Africa which is home to the Yellowwood trees.
My Hiking Hogsback Adventure
I did three nights here while staying at Away with the Faeries. At this backpackers, they named everything after Lord of the Rings. They also had probably the best view possible right behind the place along with a bathtub that overlooked the entire edge. This was easily top three favorite places I stayed.
I spent an entire day hiking Hogsback and the waterfalls loop which is about six hours round trip. We started trekking down from our hostel and did a few cutbacks to the Big Tree which is a very old and large Yellowood. After, we made our way to Madonna and Child falls which was a pretty large waterfall. Next, we made our way up to Hogsback peak. The way up there are a ton of loose cows that liked to block our path. On the way back down we took a different route that goes over more waterfalls and through Hobbiton. Hobbiton was a school that was very friendly. Here we had a chance to interact with the local kids while the dean gave us a small tour. After a water and bathroom break, we headed up to Kettle Spout Falls which is where the school gets its drinking water.
The route up to Kettle Spout Falls is kind of hidden so as you walk up the school, look to your right. We ended up at the school accidently. On top of Kettle Spout Falls, we had a nice break where we drank the fresh water and enjoyed the view. Next, we made our way to the stone bench and followed the trail back to the main road. We followed the dirt road back to our hostel. Along the way, we spoke to a few different locals who were as friendly as ever.
Hogsback Bathtub
I ended my day taking a bath in the famous bathtub back at our hostel along the edge of the hill. The bath gives a magnificent view of the Hogsback peaks and will probably be one of the coolest baths I ever take in my lifetime. 10/10 going to Hogsback to unwind if you can. Hiking Hogsback is a must do in South Africa.
