Sandi Leigh Moore has always been an outdoor girl and when she discovered the magical Magoebaskloof, she was instantly attracted to the beauty of the unique, evergreen, luscious rain forests and endless mountain views. Giving in to her passion for nature, she made Haenertsburg her home in 2012 where, true to her philosophy of being the exception to the norm, Sandi’s motto has been "Work to Live." As a triathlete, mountain biker, Springbok duathlete and table tennis player, Sandi spent 30 years competing and partaking in multiple sporting activities. However, as age and injuries caught up with her she shifted from competitive to recreational sports and spent more time exploring and hiking.
The founder of The Mountain Company, Sandi and her team of guides focus on giving hikers a memorable, fun, social, interactive and educational time in nature. The exercise element is a bonus and many of her half-day hike routes accommodate first-timers and families with young kids. Hikers also love outings with Sandi knowing they will get a choice of new profile pictures for their social media feeds because another passion she has is photography and, with her creative eye, is always capturing the moment. The main purpose of every hike, though, is to highlight the most fundamental part of life that is neglected by the material world we belong to, this being the things that feed your soul. Nature is a place where you can feel lost and yet it is the very space that you find yourself again… in the crystal clear waters, fresh air and silence of a forest relatively unspoilt by humans.
Sandi’s favourite route in Magoebaskloof is the Waterfall and Forest hike from the Debengeni picnic site up through the Woodbush Forest to the Dokolewa rock pool that affords hikers an opportunity for a glorious swim. This scenic trail winds through 6.5km of dense, lush rain forest with many rock pools and waterfalls along the Ramadipa River. The hike usually takes most groups about 3 hours with plenty of time for photographs and stopping to enjoy the views because a Mountain Company hike is never about chasing time.
The first 2km offers a barefoot walking opportunity even for those with soft city feet. If you have never walked a trail barefoot, then this is your opportunity and it may just change the way you feel about the planet you live on but seldom touch.
Sandi has walked this route over a hundred times but she says that she would do it every day with the same enthusiasm, because just like each new day, the same route is never experienced in the same way. Sandi has recently headed off for an extended holiday to explore South Africa’s hidden gems and spread the word about this beautiful place called Magoebaskloof but she will return soon enough and the Mountain Company guides are still running the hiking weekends.
If you feel like creating magical memories in a forest , along a stream or up a mountain contact The Mountain Company on mistymountainvillage@gmail.com or whatsapp 082 441 8088.