Seru Pretu 20150205 025 smallIn the area of Zorgvlied in the Christoffel park lies a mountain that we didn't climb yet. Thursday February 5, 2015 was the date that we decided to do just that. We met at the parking lot of the Christoffel park. We means François, Fred, Carel, Eddy, Hetty and me. We went into the park with two cars and parked these cars at the Knip Viewpoint. From there we started our hike. First we followed the asphaltroad downhill. Soon we crossed the border between the former plantations Zorgvlied and Knip; this border is marked by a dry-stone wall that is visible on both sides of the asphalt road. We continued on the road till this road made a turn. There we went straight through into the vegetation.

Also there we soon found a dry-stone wall; this time not a border between plantations but a so-called 'green wall' on the Werbata map, which means that this is a boundary to separate one area from another. It is indicated as a green line on the Werbata map because it doesn't have to be a dry-stone wall; it also could be a fence or a row of cacti.

We went uphill to reach the first subtop of the Seru Pretu. There we took a short break to enjoy the view. From there we continued in the direction of the top. We found a Kadaster measuring point, the VH 1302. Normally such a measuring point is positioned at the highest point of the mountain. Strangely enough the Werbata map showed another point as the highest. And indeed that location is a few meters higher according to the GPS. Apparently there was a better line of sight at the location of the measuring point.

It is unclear why this mountain is called Seru Pretu (black mountain) although we saw some dark patches in the rock. Maybe a high content of iron in the rock.

We decided to descend along the same path that we took on our way up. At a certain point we left this track to check the density of the vegetation in the neighborhood of a roi that we want to investigate another time. After a break next to the roi we went back to the road and from there to the parked cars.

  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_001Our track from the parking place at the Knip Viewpoint
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_002Orchids at the foot of a cactus - strange place
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_003The road crosses the border wall between Knip and Zorgvlied
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_004The road makes a turn; we go straight through into the mondi
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_005This is a green wall on the Werbata map
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_006Interesting structure in the rock
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_007Nice tree with hanging moss
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_009Different species of moss on this rock
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_010View from a subtop of the Seru Pretu in the direction of Shete Boka
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_011The sleuths enjoying the view from the subtop
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_015Tiny flower
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_016Moss with something that looks like flowers
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_017A large Kibrahacha
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_018Blooming orchid in the Kibrahacha
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_019Teku on the rock
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_020Kadaster measuring point VH 1302
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_023Close to the top of the Seru Pretu
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_025Hetty and Fred on their way to what Werbata considers the top
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_028Flower of the Prickly pear with a guest
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_029View on the Christoffel mountain from the top of the Seru Pretu
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_034Meeting of the wise old men
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_036Another tiny flower
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_039Young Kadushi di pushi
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_040Time for a break close to the roi
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_042The dry-stone wall is clearly visible on the mountain side
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_044Border wall between Knip and Zorgvlied
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_045Our cars are just over the hill along the road
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_046So first we have to go downhill
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_048More tiny flowers
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_049
  • Seru_Pretu_20150205_050Back at the parking lot