A few km/mi east of Alice a road runs north to Hogsback, 50km/31mi northeast of Fort Beaufort. The town lies at an altitude of 1,300m/4,265ft in the beautiful Amatola Mountains. Hogsback and the little town of Katberg, 27km/17mi east, are popular holiday resorts in summer and winter, but the best time of year here is between June and September.
(On some days during the year there may be snow, but most of the rainfall occurs in summer, when thunderstorms and mist are to be expected.) Round Hogsback are dense forests - good walking country. The beautiful scenery in this area is said to have given J. R. R. Tolkien the inspiration for his "Lord of the Rings".
Part of the forested area round Hogsback is now the Auckland Nature Reserve, with a population of antelopes, gazelles, porcupines and reedbucks. Birds to be seen here include both predators and songbirds (among them the African golden oriole). The most striking natural features are the Madonna and Child Falls and the Kettlespout.