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Bale Mountains National Park
Bale Mountains
National Park is an area of high altitude plateau that is broken by
numerous spectacular volcanic plugs and peaks, beautiful alpine
lakes and rushing mountain streams that descend into deep rocky
gorges on their way to the lowlands below. As you ascend into the
mountains you will experience changes in the vegetation with
altitude, from juniper forests to heather moorlands and alpine
meadows, which at various times of year exhibit an abundance of
colourful wildflowers.
Bale Mountains National Park is the largest area of Afro-Alpine
habitat in the whole of the continent. It gives the visitor
opportunities for unsurpassed mountain walking, horse trekking,
scenic driving and the chances to view many of Ethiopia's endemic
mammals, in particular the Mountain Nyala and Semien Fox, and birds,
such as the Thick-billed Raven, Wattled Ibis, Blue-winged Goose, and
Rouget's Rail.
Topography
The Bale Mountains rise from the extensive surrounding farmlands at
2,500 m above sea level to the west, north and east. The National
Park area is divided into two major parts by the spectacular Harenna
escarpment that runs from east to west.
North of this escarpment is a high altitude plateau area at 4,000 m
altitude. The plateau is formed of ancient volcanic rocks (trachytes,
basalts, agglomerates and tuffs) dissected by many Rivers and
streams that have cut deep gorges into the edges over the centuries.
In some places this has resulted in scenic waterfalls. From the
plateau rise several mountain massifs of rounded and craggy peaks,
including Tullu Deemtu the second-highest mountain in Ethiopia at
4,377 m above sea level. (Ras Dashen, near the Simien Mountains
National Park in the north is the highest - 4,543 m). A major part
of the central peaks area is covered by a capping of more recent
lava flows, still mainly unvegetated, and forming spectacular rock
ripples and pillars. Many shallow depressions on the plateau are
filled with water in the wet season, forming small lakes that mirror
the surrounding scenery. Larger lakes such as Garba Guracha ("black
water"), Hora Bachay and Hala Weoz, contain water all year round.
These many lakes provide habitat for water birds, especially
migrating ducks from Europe during the northern winter.
Best time to visit
The climate of the Bale Mountains, as is to be expected in a high
altitude mountainous region, is characterized by a high rainfall and
periods of damp cloudy weather, interspersed with periods of
sparkling sunny weather with brilliant blue skies.
The climatic year can be roughly divided into three seasons -the
dry, early wet and wet seasons. The dry season is usually from
November to February. Very little rain is experienced and
temperatures on the clear sunny days may rise to as high as nearly
30° centigrade. Nights are star-filled, clear and cold, usually with
heavy ground frosts. Temperatures may fall between minus 6° and
minus 15° centigrade in the main peak area of the Park. This is the
best period to visit the National Park, especially for walking and
horse trekking in the high mountain area. The vegetation can get
very dry in the dry season, and fires must then be very carefully
tended.
The early wet season lasts from March to June, and about two-thirds
as much rain falls in this period, as in the wet season from July to
October. Throughout these eight months, days are generally cooler
and nights warmer than in the dry season. Despite the wetter
weather, the area can still be enjoyed with adequate warm and
weatherproof clothing. Bright sunny periods may be experienced at
any time. Snow has been recorded, but does not lie around for very
long.
South of the
Harenna
escarpment, the land falls precipitously to a large area of dense
Podocarpus forest, that slopes gradually down to an altitude of 1
500 m at the southern Park boundary. A few kilometres further on the
land changes.abruptly to open wooded grasslands, with higher
temperatures and the surprising sight of camels in the area of
Dolo-Mena.
Vegetation
The high rainfall in the Bale Mountains, together with the great
variation in altitude and topography, result in rich diversity in
the vegetation. Changes in the vegetation with altitude are clearly
seen, this zonation being a result of increasing then decreasing
rainfall as you ascend, generally decreasing temperatures, and
increased exposure of rock and resulting poorer soils.
The mountains are surrounded to the northwest and northeast by
fertile plains at 2,500 m that are heavily utilized for agriculture
mainly wheat growing. This is succeeded by remnants of beautiful
juniper and Kosso (Hagenia abyssinica) forest -a belt that reaches
up to about 3,300 m altitude, which is the upper limit of the tree
zone, apart from a few isolated trees in protected valleys. Above
the tree line the heather moorlands begin, reaching to about 3,600 m
altitudes on gently sloping ground, and as high as 3,800 m on steep
rocky slopes. Above this are various forms of Afro-Alpine moorland,
dominated by different plants depending on slope, drainage and
rodent activity. The tops of most of the high peaks are either bare
rocks, or exposed soil with very small hardy tussock herbs or
grasses. To the south, the land falls away far more, through rich
and varied forest below the heather, containing bamboo and giant
Podocarpus trees, and finally giving way to dry short-tree wooded
grasslands at 1,600 m on the southern boundary of the Park.
The northern forests are open with little under-growth, and while
dominated by Juniper and Hagenia trees, also contain St John's Wort
and bushes (Hypericum spp.) with large golden-yellow flowers,
Schefflera abyssinica and Rappanea simensis trees amongst others.
The grassy forest floor makes for easy walking and viewing of
animals; the wonderful fruity smell of fallen Hagenia leaves rising
from your path. This large tree of the rose family, has separate
male and female trees; the female flowers contain anthelmintic, and
are widely used in a decoction against the tapeworm. Another member
of the rose family - Rosa abyssinica is found here, with its
beautiful white flowers and delicate scent, the only indigenous
African rose.
The southern forests, in contrast, are much denser with a greater
variety of tree, shrub and herb species. Juniper is not found on the
south side, but the other species are. The trees are covered in
epiphytes and creepers, and in many cases rise to over thirty metres
in height. Higher reaches of the forests, near Katcha at 2,600 m,
are interspersed with bamboo groves, and many wildflowers beside the
small rushing torrents. Early in the wet season, dense thickets of
edible Rubus steudneri in the blackberry family are in flower and
fruit. Streamside beds of the white-flowered Crinum ornatum with
their heavy sweet scent also bloom at this time. Occasional grassy
glades occur mainly where drainage is poor and small swamps form
along River and stream courses.
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