Author Sophie Neville plans to ride across the game reserves of South Africa

The Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride 2018

Are you up for a challenge?

Would you help Sophie Neville raise funds for Save the Waterberg Rhino along with education, health and welfare projects that uplift communities in the area?

Following the success of our third annual ride, we are looking for fit and experienced riders to join our group on a sponsored horse safari in January 2018 when Anthony Baber has offered to take us through the private game reserves of the Waterberg on his lovely horses.

- Sophie Neville watching white rhino - 

Saturday 20th Jan: Fly out to Johannesburg 

DAY 1 - Sunday 21st Jan We will be met at Oliver Tambo Airport, Johannesburg and driven north, about 3 hours, to Ant’s Nest Private Game Reserve deep in the African bush. After settling into the lodge we will go for a game ride looking for zebra and wildebeest to try out the horses.It will be high summer in South Africa, so the bushveld will be green. We’ll be able to hear about plans for the ride as we have dinner by the fire that evening.

DAY 2 - Monday 22nd Jan We’ll spend the day riding up to Ant's Hill, viewing game on horseback and looking for a breeding herds of buffalo, as well as rare sable and roan antelope. As the sun goes down, we’ll meet white rhino living on the reserve while Tessa Baber gives a talk on the work of 'Save the Waterberg Rhino'. The Waterberg is home to the third largest population of rhino in South Africa, so their protection on the plateau is vital.

DAY 3 - Tuesday 23^rd Jan We set off early, riding east through the reserve and onto sandy roads where we can canter for miles. We are planning to ride to the newly opened ‘Living Museum’ where we can learn more about rhino from the author and wildlife artist Clive Walker, one of South Africa’s leading conservationists. That afternoon we hope ride through a reserve breeding rare golden wildebeest up to Triple B Ranch, the cattle stud owned by Anthony’s family for over a hundred years. We’ll stay at Windsong Cottage - the farmhouse built by Ant’s grandfather, Alfred Baber.

DAY 4 - Wednesday 24^th Jan We will ride through the Sesotho village on the farm and down through the game reserve at Horizon, which will give us the chance of seeing impala, zebra, giraffe and eland along with primate species as we might spot vervet monkeys and baboon. Lunch will be enjoyed at a dam with the hope of spotting hippo. We’ll have a long ride in the afternoon, as we make our way over the hills and through Lindani private game reserve for the night. There is a good paddock here for the horses, a pool and we should be able to see game from the lodge. I’m assured we'll see a large number of warthog.

DAY 5 – Thursday 25^th Jan We will ride through Lindani, up a kloof to find game on plains that look down past a north-facing escarpment. We should see warthog, zebra, giraffe, eland, red hartebeest, wildebeest and greater kudu. We ride under high red cliffs, where vultures nest, to Jembisa, a private game reserve on the Palala River where we will have lunch. We’ll ride across the reserve and be able to relax at the lodge, enjoying comfy beds and hot baths.

DAY 6 – Friday 26^th Jan The Waterberg Trust enables local children to go on a residential course at Lapalala Wilderness School near Jembisa. We hope to be able to see around this project before riding across Jembisa that morning.

We should find hippos and perhaps see crocodile before riding up to a view-point to grab a few photographs before bidding our horses farewell.

DAY 7 – Saturday 27^th Jan After breakfast outside we will take a game drive to see ancient bushmen paintings on the reserve before brunch and drive back via an excellent sewing project selling curios and an educational project in the township enroute to the airport.

Sunday 28^th Jan - The flight will arrive back in the UK early am. 

The horse safari will be led by Ant Baber who owns Ant's Nest. Sophie Neville, a trustee of TWT who became a safari guide in the Waterberg back in 1992, will lead the group and take riders around established charitable projects in the area.

The ride is a unique opportunity to ride alongside wild animals in this beautiful area, now proclaimed a UNESCO biosphere. The itinerary may change - but only for the better! We are hoping for a group of 12 riders who need to be fit and experienced as there will be approx 25 – 40kms of riding per day.

Since we plan to visit a number of projects being supported by The Waterberg Trust you will get the chance to meet local people who would benefit from the funds you are raising.

To participate you need to raise a minimum sponsorship of £1000 for The Waterberg Trust. As a registered UK charity, Gift Aid can then be added. 50% of sponsorship raised will go to Save the Waterberg Rhino Trust and 50% will go to community projects in the Waterberg. While we encourage riders to find sponsorship some of us are raising the donation of £1,000 in other ways such as hosting a sale or asking for donations instead of birthday gifts.

- Sophie Neville-

Please contact Sophie for help with fundraising ideas and making a Justgiving page

sophie@sophieneville.co.uk

You can see photos from previous rides, along with information about the projects and info on how to make donations on The Waterberg Trust website: http://thewaterbergtrust.com

Travel with a purpose

- Author Sophie Neville in South Africa - 

I have been passionate about promoting the conservation of the rhinoceros all my adult life. This year we gathered a group of twelve experienced riders to generate funds for Save The Waterberg Rhino and associated community projects in rural South Africa.

The idea was to raise sponsorship by riding 180kms across the Waterberg hills to the Palala River, a six-day trek through the big game country featured in my memoir 'Ride the Wings of Morning'. Each rider paid their own safari costs and raised £1,000 or more for The Waterberg Trust - a small but effective UK registered charity.

We set out on 20th January. It was high summer in southern Africa where the bush was blooming after recent rains. We came across zebra and wildebeest enjoying lush grazing after a year of dought. 

To our joy we saw animals great and small from warthog to giraffe.

We came across Cape buffalo

along with a number of different species of antelope, including rare roan antelope recently been re-introduced to the area.

And then we encountered white rhino.

I was cautious about approaching these two young males but they are used to horses, who graze with them on the game reserve, and I was able to get pretty close. 

-The author Sophie Neville riding with rhino-

The threat of poaching is so accute that their horns have been saturated in poison to negate their astonishing commercial value. They also have a 24 hour armed guard.

Details of the current crisis were revealed by Save The Waterberg Rhino. There are five different species of rhinoceros in the world. All are threatened, some to the edge of extinction. In South Africa along, poachers have been slaughtering about four white rhino a day. These are breeding animals. Females with small calves are shot, their horns hacked off and exported to the Far East. 

There is a huge market for the horn. It is only keratin and can smell revolting but sadly it is fashionable to own what has become a symbol of wealth. 

The good news is that The Waterberg Trust raised over £30,000 this year. 50% of funds will be used to install a vital security post with high-tech vehicle recognition systems. 

-Sophie Neville with some TWT Riders outside a security post about to be installed-

The remainder will go to established community projects in the area that benefit local children. £2,000 has been sent to Lethabo Kids Club for the provision of school shoes and bags. 

-TWT riders financing a 'Back to School' project-

We've been able to send more than 100 pupils from the township of Leseding on a residential course at Lapalala Wilderness School to learn about nature conservation. After gaining environmental awareness some chose to work with wildlife or in education and there is a marked committment to re-cycling.  

-Sophie Neville speaking to the students of Metshesethela School-

If you would like to know more or get involved please contact us at The Waterberg Trust

  

Riding for Rhinos

On 15th January 2017, author Sophie Neville led twelve intrepid ladies across the Waterberg Plateau in South Africa on horseback. The aim of the challenge rides is to gain an understanding of this pristine wilderness and learn about challenges faced by the rural community. 

Lying three hours drive north of Johannesburg, the Waterberg is home to the third highest population of rhino in the world. As up to four rhino are being poached in South Africa every day, it is imperative to guard this upland area where they can be protected.

Would you help us to raise funds for Save The Waterberg Rhino, who are combating anti-poaching, the Lapalala Wilderness School who help ensure local children grow up with an understanding of nature conservation, and other community projects in the region?

The riders are paying their own way, so every penny will go straight to The Waterberg Trust, a UK registered charity who can send donations, plus any Gift Aid, to these small but effective projects in South Africa. Funds will go a long way to really make a difference in the Waterberg where they will be administered by trusted conservationists with years of experience. You can meet those who are striving to Save The Waterberg Rhino and protect the wilderness while uplifting communities in the Waterberg, here:

Those taking part in The Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride 2017 were able to observe a number of white rhino living on Ant's Nest game reserve, while being updated on anti-poaching initiatives by Tess and her husband Ant Baber who hosted the six-day ride.

Riders then crossed the Waterberg hills on horseback, traversing Kwalata private game reserve to Lapalala Wilderness run by Anton Walker, who also appears in this film. He cares for wildlife re-introduced to the area thirty years ago by his father, the author and conservationist Clive Walker.

While on this reserve, riders visited the Lapalala Wilderness School where children, often from deprived communities, come for a residential course on wildlife conservation. Many of them testify how this experience changes their outlook on life, giving them an appreciation for their environment and the future of South Africa's wild animals. The children take their enthusiasm into the community whose support is essential if poaching is to be combated.

After thirty-two hours in the saddle, riders ended up at the Palala River on Jembisa private game reserve. On their way home they went to visit Letabo Kids Club in the local township of Leseding who minister to the poorest of the poor and ensure all children attend primary school.

Sophie Neville at the Palala River

50% of funds raised by the sponsored ride will go to Save The Waterberg Rhino and 50% to support community projects in the area.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

• Support the project on Social Media and receive news:
• For The Waterberg Trust's Facebook page, please click here
• For Save The Waterberg Rhino's Facebook page, please click here
• For the Lapalala Wilderness School's page, please click here
• Find out about Save The Waterberg Rhino
• Make a donation to The Waterberg Trust, please click here for address
• Donate via The Waterberg Trust Justgiving page
• Sponsor Sophie on her Justgiving page

As a UK registered charity, The Waterberg Trust can claim Gift Aid on eligible donations, and organise transfer of funds to South Africa efficiently. Add a note to specify 'Save the Waterberg Rhino' or 'Lapalala Wilderness School' with your donation.

Author advocating the outdoor life-style

Sophie Neville with Nina Ninnar on ITV News at Ten

This summer, Sophie Neville, author of 'Ride the Wings of Morning' has been promoting the outdoor-life style on national television and BBC Radio in the UK and beyond. 

NZ3 in New Zealand

Sophie spoke on BBC Radio Cumbria and BBC Radio Suffolk, promoting summer camps for children that involve sailing, hill-walking and cooking in the great out-doors

'A grab a chance', Arthur Ransome wrote, 'and you won't be sorry for a Might Has Been.' Since Sophie starred as Titty in the original film of 'Swallow and Amazons' she has been interviewed about her life in the weekend supplements in view of the release of the new adaption, released in cinemas on 19th August.

Both in her own rights and as President of The Arthur Ransome Society:

Event ~ Mail on Sunday magazine 

Sophie was able to write about her own adventures in Africa on the Daily Telegraph 

Sophie Neville published in the Telegraph

and will next appear on BBC Television on 18th August speaking about:

Back from the Waterberg

In February 1992 I flew to the Waterberg, three hours north of Johannesburg and started writing the letters home that later became the essence of my memoir 'Ride the Wings of Morning'. 

The dream of riding through the game reserves of South Africa has not ended. This March it became a reality for twelve British riders when they took up the challenge of joining me in raising £1,000 each for Save The Waterberg Rhino and local community projects. 

The team was made up of experienced riders and was led by Ant Baber, who appears in the book.

Endless sandy tracks ensured the going was good and the pace was both fast and exhilarating.

The idea was to traverse 175kms  of remote country

while taking the opportunity to learn about rhino conservation and discover more about the Waterberg in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

If you would like to get involved or find out more The Waterberg Trust have a Facebook page here. Riders are raising sponsorship on Justgiving.com here

Author Sophie Neville riding with rhino, March 2016