PLEASE NOTE: DON'T DO THIS FIND ON YOUR OWN. GROUP OF TWO/THREE OR MORE PEOPLE RECOMMENDED. KRANSKOP IS A HOLY PLACE FOR SOME OF THE LOCALS AND YOU MAY MEET PEOPLE WHO MAY BE QUITE AGGRESSIVE!
Hierdie cache is op Jeugdag 16 Junie 2015 geplaas tydens die Voortrekker-jeugbeweging van Modimolle se Nasionale Jeugdag vieringe. Die houer is ‘n toebroodjie-grootte deurskynende plastiese houer. Dit bevat items wat geruil kan word. Onthou dat heelwat “muggles” gereeld die berg besoek om te aanbid. Moet hulle nie steur nie en maak baie seker dat hulle jou nie sien wanneer jy die cache opspoor of weer wegsteek nie. Maak asseblief seker dat die cache weer deeglik op die oorspronklike plek weggesteek word.
Parkering is beskikbaar aan die oostekant van die N1-hoofweg. Van daar af is dit ongeveer 1.5km (of net langer as 1 uur) se stap en klim teen die berg uit na die cache toe. Indien ‘n mens suid op die N1 ry, is die parkering maklik en veilig bereikbaar. Daar is twee maniere om die parkering te bereik indien noordwaarts op die N1 gery word. Die onveilige manier is om oor die aankomende (suidwaartse) verkeer se baan te ry. Die veiliger manier is om by die Kranskop-tolhek af te draai na Modimolle toe en dan oor die punte Afdraai 1 en Afdraai 2 daarheen te ry. Maak seker dat niks waardevols in die voertuig sigbaar is voor jy begin stap nie. Die voertuig self behoort veilig in die parkeer area te wees.
KRANSKOP
Kranskop is ‘n prominente losstaande berg sowat 13 km Oos van Modimolle. Dit troon ongeveer 180 meter bo die omliggende vlaktes uit. Hierdie alleenstaande berg is sowat 1,365 meter bo seespieël en is al wat oor is van die hoogliggende Waterberg sediment wat hierdie gebied baie lank terug bedek het maar sedertdien deur erosie weggekalwe is.
Wanneer ‘n mens die bopunt van die berg bereik, word jy beloon met ‘n ongelooflike gesig. Na die suide en ooste kan die Springbokvlakte gesien word. Die vlakte lê vir sowat 130km van oos na wes en oor nagenoeg 100km van noord na suid. Die naam is al wat oorgebly het van die reuse-troppe springbokke in die vorige eeu. Noord en wes kan die Waterberge gesien word. Die Waterberge word so genoem vanweë die talle stroompies water wat oor die rotse in die berge vloei. Die hoogste punte is 600m bokant die omliggende omgewing. Wes van Kranskop is die dorp Modimolle en as jy mooi kyk, kan jy ook Mookgopong (Naboomspruit) aan die noordekant sien.
Die plaaslike Tswana- en Pedi-sprekende inwoners noem die berg Kranskop “Modimolle.” Vir hulle is dit ‘n heilige berg. Die berg word feitlik daagliks steeds deur talle plaaslike mense wat daar kom aanbid besoek en uitgeklim . Die naam “Modimolle” kom van ‘n Tswana frase, “Modimo o lle”, wat beteken “die voorvaders se geeste het geëet” of “God het geëet”. Dit is nie baie seker waar die naam vandaan kom nie. Volgens een tradisie kom dit van die gebruik van ‘n plaaslike stam af wat mense aan hulle voorvaders geoffer het deur die slagoffers van die kranse van die berg af te gooi. Volgens ‘n ander tradisie het dit al baie gebeur dat iemand wat die berg geklim het, spoorloos verdwyn het. Sodanige verdwynings is toegeskryf aan ‘n voorvadergees wat die ongelukkige persoon geëet (doodgemaak) het. Plaaslike stamhoofde het ook volgens tradisie hulle vyande tereggestel deur hulle van die kranse af te gooi.
Volgens oorlewering het die bekende argitek, Gerhard Moerdijk, wat in Modimolle gebore is en ook vir ‘n tyd in die omgewing gewoon het, sy inspirasie vir die ontwerp van die Voortrekkermonument in Pretoria by die vorm van Kranskop gekry het.
Die berg het ook ‘n rol gespeel in die stigting en benaming van die nabygeleë Modimolle. Die dorp se naam is in 2002 deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regering verander na Modimolle. Voorheen was dit Nylstroom. Gedurende 1860 het ‘n groep Voortrekkers wat bekend gestaan het as die “Jerusalem-gangers” die omgewing bereik. Hulle uiteindelike doel was om die beloofde land van die Bybel te bereik. Hier het hulle ‘n rivier gevind wat noordwaarts vloei en wat met riete toegegroei was. Die nabygeleë piramiedagtige berg (Kranskop) het hulle geloof versterk dat hulle die beloofde land (of ten minste Egipte) bereik het. Dit is onseker of hulle werklik gemeen het dat hulle die Nyl en Egipte bereik het en of hulle die rivier en berg net as tekens gesien het dat hulle hul beloofde land bereik het. Hoe dit ook al sy, hulle het die rivier Nyl genoem en daarna het die dorp Nylstroom ontstaan.
Op die suid-oostelike punt van Kranskop staan ‘n 12 meter hoë ysterkruis. Dit word in die aand verlig. Die kruis is gedurende 2012 deur ‘n kerkgroep opgerig.
The cache is hidden almost at the highest point of the mountain Kranskop. A steep climb to the hiding place ascending about 180m is rewarded with a fabulous view of the surrounding plains. On the way up the varying vegetation can be admired. Some mountain game such as dassies and even kudu may be seen.
This cache was hidden on Youth Day 16 June 2015 during the National Youth Day celebrations of the Voortrekker youth movement of Modimolle. The container is a sandwich-size transparent plastic box. It contains items for trade. Remember that many muggles regularly visit the mountain to pray. Do not disturb them and make sure that they do not see when you find or rehide the cache. Please make sure that the cache is again hidden well.
Parking is available on the east side of the N1. From there, it is a hike and climb up the mountain to the cache of about 1.5km (or just over 1 hour). There is easy and safe access to the parking area when driving south on the N1. When driving north on the N1 there are two ways to reach the parking area. The unsafe way is to cross the oncoming (southbound) traffic's lane. The safer way is to turn off to Modimolle at the Kranskop toll plaza and then drive to the parking area past the points Afdraai 1 en Afdraai 2. Make sure no valuables are within sight inside the vehicle. The vehicle itself ought to be safe in the parking area.
KRANSKOP
Kranskop (meaning "Cliff Hill" because of the high cliffs) is a prominent lonely hill about 13km east of Modimolle. It towers about 180m above the surrounding plains. This freestanding mountain, 1,365m above sea level, is all that remains of the high-lying Waterberg sediment that covered this area long ago but has since been eroded.
When you reach the top of the mountain you are rewarded with an incredible view. To the south and east the Springbolvlakte (Springbok Flats) can be seen. The Flats lies about 130km from the east to the west and about 100km from north to south. The name itself is all that is left of the massive herds of springbok roaming the Flats in the previous century. North and west the Waterberg can be seen. The Waterberg is so called because of the many streams of water flowing over the rocks in the mountains. The highest points are 600m above the surrounding area. West of Kranskop is the town Modimolle and if you look closely, you can see Mookgopong (Naboomspruit) in the north.
The local Tswana and Pedi-speaking residents call the mountain Kranskop "Modimolle." For them it is a sacred mountain. The mountain is still almost daily visited and climbed by many local people who worship there. The name "Modimolle" comes from a Tswana phrase, "Modimo o Ile", which means "the ancestral spirits ate" or "God ate". It is not quite sure where the name came from. According to one tradition it comes from the custom of an old local tribe who sacrificed humans to the ancestors by throwing the victims off a cliff of Kranskop. According to another tradition, it often happened that someone would climb the mountain, only to disappear without trace. Such disappearances were attributed to an ancestral spirit that ate (killed) the unfortunate. Local chiefs have also according to tradition executed their enemies by throwing them off the high cliffs.
Legend has it that the famous architect Gerhard Moerdijk, who was born in Modimolle and for a time lived in the area, got his inspiration for the design of the Voortrekker Monument from the shape of this mountain.
The mountain also played a role in the establishment and naming of the nearby Modimolle. The South African government officially changed the name of the town to Modimolle in 2002. It was previously known as Nylstroom. During 1860, a group of Voortrekkers who was known as the "Jerusalem-goers" reached the area. Their ultimate goal was to reach the Promised Land of the Bible. In this area they found a river flowing northward that was overgrown with reeds. The nearby mountain looking like a pyramid (Kranskop) strengthened their belief that they reached the promised land (or at least Egypt). It is uncertain whether they actually thought they had reached the Nile and Egypt, or if they just saw the river and mountain as signs that they had reached their promised land. Whatever it may be, they called the river Nile and then the town Nylstroom was established.
On the south-eastern tip of Kranskop is a 12 meter high iron cross. It is illuminated by night. The cross was erected in 2012 by a church group.