Limietberg Nature Reserve

My personal experience of Limietberg Nature Reserve is that the easiest way to do some birding is to drive to the Tweede Tol camping site. From there you can take one of the few short hiking paths and walk into the mountains. Within a few minutes of walk you find yourself removed from any noises in the camping sites, and being surrounded by the most beautiful mountainous areas. Birding is limited to typical species found in the local fynbos, therefore do not expect too much with regards to birding.

My personal list of birds I have photographed at Limietberg Nature reserve is:

Cape Turtle Dove, Greater Striped Swallow, Cape Bulbul, Familiar Chat, Cape Robin Chat, African Dusky Flycatcher, Cape Wagtail, Red-winged Starling, Malachite Sunbird, Orange Breasted Sunbird, Cape White-eye, Pin-tailed Whydah, Streaky-headed Seedeater and Cape Bunting.

Familiar Chat

Cape Bunting

Cape Bulbul

According to Cape Nature Limietberg Nature Reserve is a pristine nature reserve tucked away in the Du Toitskloof Mountains, near Paarl. The reserve stretches from Franschhoek in the south, eastwards towards Groot Drakenstein, and northwards as far as Voëlvlei Dam.

Limietberg offers a number of beautiful hikes through steep kloofs and deep valleys. Du Toits Peak, at 1 996m, is the highest point within the reserve. Visitors can also visit the many historical sites along the trails, including ancient rock art, a disused manganese mine and the graves of convicts who helped build the Bainskloof Pass.

The reserve gets extremely hot and dry in summer, but in winter the high mountain peaks are capped with snow. When visiting Limietberg, please check the weather forecast, as hikers can get caught in unpredictable conditions and the mountainous terrain makes rescue operations difficult.

Tweede Tol is a perfect spot for picnicking, but to avoid disappointment we suggest you come early, as day visitors are limited to 120 people per day.

How to get there:

From Cape Town: Take the Klapmuts/ Wellington turn-off on N1. Turn left and drive for 20km until you get into Wellington. At the third set of traffic lights, turn left into Piet Retief Street and then right at the next set of traffic lights into Church Street. This will lead you into Bainskloof Pass towards Worcester. Tweede Tol will be on your left, about 16km from the Bainskloof Pass signboard, outside Wellington. Drive cautiously as the road through the pass is narrow.

GPS: 33 43 58.91S 19 07 16.14E

Office hours: 08:00–18:00

Tel: +27 (0)21 871 1535/6/7
Emergency tel: +27 (0)82 4949 707
Accommodation and permit bookings Tel: +27 (0)21 483 0190.

According to Wellington Tourism The Nature Reserve stretches over a part of the Boland Mountain range and contains 9 different hiking trails through fynbos rich areas. The Tweede Tol campsite-cum-caravan park of 25 mostly shady sites is in Bainskloof Pass. The park is on the site of the old camp at which the prisoners who built the pass were kept, but things are more comfortable now. The ablution facilities, for instance, have hot showers.

Also part of the park is a day picnic site that can accommodate up to 120 people. Short, enjoyable hikes with stunning views are available to the camper, as are clear rock pools to cool off in on hot days. Peace and tranquility, especially during the week or outside of school holidays, is a certainty. There are a number of hiking trails and picnic places in the mountains and some of the most exquisite species of wildflowers can be seen at certain times of the year. Please obtain a permit from: 

Wellington Tourism: +27 (0)21 873 4604/8

or

Cape Nature Conservation: +27 (0)21 483 2949

To Summarize:

The Limietberg Nature Reserve is good for birding, but the real allure lies in the astounding natural beauty of your surrounds and the wonderful hiking trials you can take. The facilities is a basic camping type setup with a river and swimming holes nearby. The facilities have more more potential than what is actually done with the place. I give Limietberg Nature reserve an overall B for the complete birding experience.  

Paarl Mountain Reserve

According to Paarl Online, you can Enjoy the picturesque landscape of fynbos vegetation dominated by massive rounded granite rock formations set among wild olives, rock candlewoods and wagon trees. Take a vigorous hike, or climb Bretagne Rock, follow one of the many hiking trails, visit Millwater Wild Flower Garden where 15 species of protea may be viewed, catch a bass at Nantesdam or enjoy mountain biking or picnics. Fishing permits available at Paarl Municipality.

The Paarl Mountain Reserve is open on all public holidays. Entrance fee is R45.00 per vehicle plus R15.00 per occupant. A brochure can be bought at the gate, with a map of the reserve, at R30.00. There are no entrance fee wen you go during a normal weekday.

Both a Provincial Angling Licence (obtainable from CapeNature +27 (0) 21 87 11 535 or the Post Office) as well as a Fishing Permit (obtainable from Drakenstein Municipal offices 08h00-17h00 or at the main gate over weekends/public holidays) are required. Weekly permits are R30.00 and an annual permit R70.00. 

Directions

As you enter Paarl Main Street via the N1 from CT, take the Taalmonument turn off (Gabemma Road) and follow the road past the Amphi theatre, past the picnic area on the mountain until you find the sign and turn off to the reserve.

According to South African Birding,

The Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve comprising 1910 ha falls under the control of the Paarl Municipality and offers a variety of birding opportunities to visitors. The picturesque landscape is dominated by fynbos vegetation and rounded granite outcrops. Together with species associated with the surrounding fynbos vegetation, the mountain attracts a number of species associated with the drier western and moister eastern regions.

The Nature Reserve is open daily from 07:00 - 18:00 during winter & 07:00 - 19:00 in summer.

Specials

Protea Seedeater, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Siskin, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Karoo Scrub-Robin.

Habitat

Paarl Mountain is covered predominantly by fynbos, interspersed with densely vegetated granitic outcrops and riverine valleys on the southern and eastern slopes.

Facilities

The reserve consists of a network of gravel roads and paths. The roads and paths are dotted with numerous picnic spots and viewpoints. A picnic spot is also present at the Wildflower garden.

Birding

The Wildflower garden is a good place to find a variety of the commoner species such as Cape Bulbul, Bar-throated Apalis, Karoo Prinia, African Dusky Flycatcher, Cape Batis, Southern Boubou, Cape Sugarbird, Malachite Sunbird, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Cape Siskin and Brimstone Canary. The garden is also home to the elusive Protea Seedeater, which should not be confused with the similar Streaky-headed Seedeater, which is also present. Check the drier vegetation on the northern side of the garden for the inquisitive Karoo Scrub-Robin.

In the reserve itself one can expect to see species such as Neddicky, Acacia Pied Barbet, Cape Spurfowl, Grey-backed Cisticola, Karoo Scrub-Robin, Cape Bulbul, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Grassbird, Speckled Mousebird, Ground Woodpecker and Cape Rock-Thrush. The various dams hold African Black Duck and Giant Kingfisher. Keep a check on the skies above for Alpine Swift and African Black Swift as well as Greater Striped Swallow (summer).
The fringes of the forested valleys on the southern and eastern sides of the mountain are an excellent place to look for the Protea Seedeater as well as a number of other species including Fiscal Flycatcher, African Olive-Pigeon, Swee Waxbill, Black Saw-wing and Klaas's Cuckoo. More unusual visitors to this part of the reserve include Brown-backed Honeybird and Grey Tit. Within the forested valleys and more densely vegetated areas, you can hope to see Cape Batis, Red-chested Cuckoo (summer), African Paradise-Flycatcher (summer), African Dusky Flycatcher and Southern Boubou. Although recorded infrequently, birders spending time in the thicker riverine vegetation might be lucky enough to see birds such as Olive Bush-Shrike, Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatcher and Knysna Woodpecker.
Birds of prey recorded on the mountain include Verreauxs' Eagle, Booted Eagle (mostly summer), Peregrine Falcon, African Goshawk, Black Sparrowhawk, African Harrier-Hawk, Steppe Buzzard (summer) and Jackal Buzzard.

The mountain can be accessed from various places, the easiest of which is from the main road in Paarl. Take the N1 from Cape Town and travel approximately 60km and then take the first turn-off into the town of Paarl (R45). Travel along this road and shortly after the KWV buildings on the right, look for a signpost towards the Jan Phillips Drive on the left. Take the Jan Phillips Drive on the left. Follow the road up the mountain until a T-junction where one turns right towards the Flower garden. Entrance to the mountain Reserve is a short distance past the garden. Alternatively, form the main road, one could head towards the Language Monument and then take a small gravel road to the right shortly before the monument. A small fee is required for entrance to the mountain Reserve.

My personal list of birds photographed at the Paarl Mountain Reserve is: Reed Cormorant, Jackal Buzzard, Cape Spurfowl, African Olive Pigeon, Greater Striped Swallow, Pied Crow, Cape Bulbul, Olive Trush, Neddicky, Karoo Prinea, African Dusky Flycatcher, Fiscal Flycatcher, Common Fiscal, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-Breasted Sunbird, Souther Double-Collared Sunbird, Yellow Bishop, Cape Canary and Yellow Canary.

Cape Spurfowl

Karoo Prinia

Fiscal Flycatcher

Cape Sugarbird

My personal experience at Paarl Mountain Reserve is that the birding there is not as excellent as one would have hoped for, but still worth a visit. The beauty of the area, and especially the drive there are really WOW. At many spots there are the most amazing views over the beautiful town of Paarl. Just walking around at the picnic areas and the indigenous garden is worth it, but there are the options of a few other more laborious walks if you preferred. There are picnic areas there, but no real facilities with regards to shops or restaurants. I felt safe walking there, but you could be alone there if you go in quiet times such as weekdays outside holiday periods. I give Paarl Mountain Reserve a C overall, since birding was slightly disappointing, facilities was okay, but beauty and hiking is very good.