2015 Feb Newsletter.pub

EAST RAND
HIKING CLUB
Rhenosterpoort Hiking Trail
Newsletter
March 2015
To
June 2015
Chairman’s Chat.
Compliments of the season to everyone and I hope all your wishes come true. In spite of
Eskom’s best efforts let us all hope it is a good year.
For some of us, we have been hard at work preparing for the Otter trail. We had a great turnout at Suikerbosrand on 25th January and this past weekend some of us were practicing at
Rhenosterpoort. Wow, the Waterberg is beautiful at this time of year. Swimming in the pools
and seeing all the waterfalls it is indeed a beautiful place and only a few hours from Johannesburg. We experienced two tremendous thunderstorms in the evening and we were reminded of
the awesome power of nature.
We are going down to the Otter Trail next week and we are all looking forward to it. (Did I mention that already?) We will prepare a presentation for you all when we get back. Watch the Social calendar.
Now for some bad news. Suikerbosrand is now closed completely. They have had ongoing
problems with the water supply to their facilities at Diepkloof (the main offices) and it finally
gave up completely. They have a connection to the southern pipeline that has failed and their
connection to the northern pipeline failed several years ago and was not repaired. Well the
long and short of it is that you can’t get in to hike or cycle or picnic. The only thing you can do
is go to the admin building and make a booking. Oh, wait a minute, the bookings are full till
April and the Reserve is closed anyway! Don’t bother to go until they get their emergency water plan sorted out. They told me they hope to open again by
the end of March. In the meantime there are many other options for hiking like Rietvlei and if you were at the last social
meeting there was a great presentation by one of the rangers
from Rietvlei, Sibusiso Dlamini. Things are well organised and
they also do overnight hiking. Also keep an eye on our Programme. We will keep it interesting.
This is the point where I encourage you all (all of you who
read the Chairman’s Chat) to get excited about hiking and
then find one you like on the program and BOOK. As simple
as that! You will have second thoughts like all of us do, am I
fit enough, I have so much to do I won’t have time, it’s too far
to drive, maybe my car will get stuck/ break down, maybe it
will be very hot, cold (pick one), I might forget something, I
may hold up the group, I might get lost, I can’t afford it, I may
get sun burnt, and many more. If you don’t make a booking you won’t get out and hike in some
of the most beautiful places in the world. Make the commitment and then stick to it. It is fun
and after all that is why you are a member of the East Rand Hiking Club.
See you on the trail.
Alex
ORIENTEER
An orienteer was running along one day when he
came to the narrowest part of the River Severn in
England. Seeing another orienteer on the other bank,
he called out, 'Hey, how do I get to the other side?'
The other orienteer, who incidentally came from
Wales, looked carefully along the bank to the left,
then carefully along the bank to the right, thought
a bit, then called back, 'You are on the other side.'
Our final get together for 2014 was the Namaqua Flowers presented by Derek and Gretta. As
Derek is a keen flora photographer, we were treated to their detailed pictures of a myriad of delicate blooms.
With members off in all directions for December, no meeting was held.
January saw an excellent turnout to hear Sibusisu Dlamini, a conservationist, from Rietvlei Reserve, in Tswane, speak to us about nature conservation. He entertained us with his humour and fascinating information about
the very apparent passion in his life, the Rietvlei Reserve. Amongst other
topics he covered the vast variety of fauna and flora available to see. He left us feeling inspired to do more to conserve our natural heritage and gave us a better understanding of the
cost involved in this noble cause.
In February we were going to see a presentation of The 2015 International Skydiving Championships but decided to postpone as many of our members would be away on the Otter Trail.
Carol Elliott has once again offered to blow our hair back with another of her adventurous trips
– this time to Austria.
March will once again be time for business – our Annual General Meeting. We hope, once
again to see our members willingly roll up their sleeves to not only keep the club going, but to
grow our membership and our active hiking participation. The Cheese and Wine after the
business of the evening has been wrapped up, is always a winner.
In April, Alex and Stuart, will entertain us with a presentation of The Otter Trial. In May we
hope to have the Skydiving presentation – dependant on the availability of our presenter, Carmen, who travels internationally 60% of the time. As winter approaches another firm favourite,
wine tasting, will once again draw all our members.
Once again it is worth mentioning that the meetings are held for You – and the success of the
meetings is dependent on Your continued support.
Yours socially.
Lesley
A lawyer invites his cousin from the Czech Republic to come and stay
with him in Canada. The Czech cousin arrives, determined to enjoy himself. Soon they decide to go rambling. They're right out in the middle
of the forest when a big grizzly bear appears. The bear hugs the poor
Czech cousin to death and then eats him.
The lawyer runs to the nearest village and tells everybody what has
happened. The villagers form a search party and return to the forest.
They come across some bears and ask the lawyer to identify the one
that killed his cousin.
'It's that male bear over there.'
They kill the bear and rip open his stomach, but there is
nothing there. They decide to kill the female bear nearby,
and when they rip open her stomach, they find the poor
Czech’s cousin.
So it all goes to show: 'Never trust a lawyer when he says
the cheque is in the mail.' [check; cheque; Czech]
PLEASE NOTE:
CHANGES TO CANCELLATION
OF BOOKING PROCEDURES
1. Any cancellation, in writing (E-mail), will be
dealt with by the Administration Secretary,
Gretta Jones—
[email protected]
2. Under no circumstances are members to give
their bookings to non-members. Any
acceptance of non-members on hikes is at the
sole discretion of the Committee and the hike
Leader.
APPEAL TO ALL MEMBERS
PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION OF HIKES
1.
PROOF OF PAYMENT:
E-mail to: [email protected] or
Fax to:
011-8499805
2.
SUMMARY: When paying for numerous hikes, a summary must accompany Proof of Payment: Each hike and
amount must be Specified.
3.
FAXES:
17h00
Do not send after hours. Office hours: 8h00 —
A cover charge of R20.00 per person is payable to cover the Cost
of hiring of the Remax conference centre and to cover the cost of
the “speaker”
IMPORTANT NOTICE
PLEASE NOTE:
CELL PHONES MAY BE LEFT ON DURING HIKES,
BUT MUST BE USED IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY
REQUESTED METHOD OF PAYMENT
Direct Deposits into our Banking Account
1.
2.
3.
Per EFT (Telegraphic Transfer) - This is the preferred method of payment.
Cheque Deposit—Please include R15 handling fee on cheque payments as we pay
for every cheque received.
Cash Deposit - This method of payment is the LEAST preferred - When paying cash,
please also include an encashment fee of R15.00 with your payment.
Do not forget to include your name and details of hike / fees on your deposit slip AND fax confirmation of payment to Gretta— Fax No: 011.8499805
Banking Details: Standard Bank, Benoni, Branch 013 042 Account No: 02 101 285
Hiking Table Mountain’s 3 peaks in one
day
Posted February 14, 2014 by Chris Davies
Hiking Table Mountain’s three peaks in one
day is tough and not for the faint-hearted.
Here’s how we did it
Last weekend I did something I’ve been
wanting to do for years: hike all three Table
Mountain peaks in one day – all without putting a foot on my least favourite route,
Platteklip Gorge. It’s not a hike for the fainthearted, but if you’re reasonably fit, aren’t
scared of heights, and (importantly) can find
someone who’s been through the tricky sections before, then it’s hard to imagine a
more exciting and rewarding way to hike on
Table Mountain.
Be aware, however: this is not an easy day
out. Hiking Table Mountain’s three peaks in
a day is tough (for a more relaxed hike,
check out these five hikes and walks in
Cape Town). From UCT to the parking lot at
Lion’s Head took nine hours and, except for
our (necessary) slow decent on Kloof Corner, we didn’t dawdle. There are also plenty
of exposed paths and some tricky scrambles up near-vertical rock faces, especially
on the eastern ascent of Devil’s Peak and
the ledges route from the saddle up to
Maclear’s. The first chain down Kloof Corner is also worth mentioning – it’s a sixmetre drop into a narrow crack with a 200metre vertical drop on the right-hand side.
Exhilarating, but not for anyone who isn’t
confident with heights. If there’s any wind at
all, find something else to do for the day.
My final disclaimer is just this: don’t try hiking Table Mountain’s three peaks alone, or
without someone who has done it quite recently and knows the way. In particular, the
ledges route up from the saddle is steep,
poorly marked and involves a few sections
of proper climbing. There are no signs and
only a couple of cairns here and there to
mark the way. You have been warned.
There are three main routes to the top of
Devil’s Peak. The most direct goes from the
blockhouse, up over the knife edge and
around the ‘front’ (eastern) face, involving a
little scramble up through a couple of cracks
just below the peak itself. The western side
is safer, with clear paths all the way. Head
around to the west if you are unsure
Taking a break on the north buttress ledges.
The ascent is steep and tricky and not advisable if you don’t have someone in your
group who knows the way. Keep a close
eye out for the cairns and two sections in
particular: when the path goes under a low
ledge (there is no climbing involved until the
waterfall at the end of the path), and the waterfall: do not climb the waterfall itself. There
is a rock face just before where a safer
route is marked with a small cairn.
Following the ledges up from the saddle to
Maclear’s Beacon is not easy. The path disappears in the thick undergrowth and it’s
easy to lose your way. The views, however,
are fantastic.
Peak number two: Maclear’s Beacon. The
highest point on Table Mountain. Look out
for the rather strange plaque dedicated to
Jan Smuts on the ridge below the beacon.
From the top of Platteklip Gorge there is another, far more interesting (and difficult)
route down Table Mountain. In fact there
are two. The ‘India Venster’ route starts with
this helpful sign, and then splits around the
corner with one path heading down the
main route, and another branching off below
the electricity pylons to Kloof Corner.
The first chain on Kloof Corner. With a 200
metre drop on one side, a chain hangs
down into a deep crack in the rock. First
lower your bags, then swing out to the right
onto an exposed ledge before cutting back
into the crack and exiting on the left hand
side. Not for the faint of heart
The second chain is also long and vertical
with few foot holds to work with. Easiest to
just trust the chain completely and abseil
backwards down the cliff.
All’s well that end’s well. Exhausted but
happy on Lion’s Head that afternoon.
I was at an ATM yesterday when a
little old lady asked if I could
check her balance, so I pushed her
over
ERRATUM IN “ FORTHCOMING HIKES”
(NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2014 TO FEBRUARY 2015)
With reference to the Windy Gap Drakensberg Hike scheduled for Easter weekend, we
would like to correct the popular misconception that gas stoves don’t work at that altitude –
they do! In fact, Carole Elliot, Ian and I have used ordinary camping Gaz stoves on Kilimanjaro summit (Uhuru peak) at an altitude of 5895m for our celebratory cuppa with no trouble at all!!
Furthermore, we have used them countless times on the top of the Drakensberg on escarpment tented backpacks lasting a week or more. This despite being told that we must use
fuel stoves at altitude.
Just thought we would mention it before people make an unnecessary purchase.
Still hiking once or twice a week with our 2 hiking groups - Mountain Meanders and Peninsula Wanderers. Just the place for mountain lovers like us!
Happy hiking everyone and all the very best for 2015.
Ian & Jo Goddard
The Unreasonable Wife
My wife and I were watching 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' while we
were in bed. I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have
sex?' 'No,' she answered. I then said, 'Is that your final answer?'
She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, 'Yes..'
So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."
And that's when the fight started...
By
Before
I’m shocked—shocked!—that I undertook a
thru-hike of the 2,663-mile Pacific Crest Trail
with my husband, Porter, not to mention lived
to tell the tale. I look at the photos of our hike
and ask myself, who is that woman and how
did she get there?
My first experience with camping can hardly
be called that—a one-night sleep-out in a
chilly cabin at a Girl Scout camp. I was a tenyear-old kid from the projects. My mother
helped me pin blankets together for my bedroll and put me on the camp bus. All I remember, besides being nearly traumatized with
fear, was that the next morning I had French
toast for the first time. The Girl Scout leaders
upended a coffee can for our “buddy burner,”
lit a candle inside, and showed us how to
soak a slice of Wonder Bread in eggy milk to
cook on top. When mine was sort of done, I
drenched it in maple syrup. The sleep-out instilled in me a love for French toast, if not for
camping.
Fast forward twenty-eight years. I was dating
a doctor from an old Dallas family who grew
up spending summers at first-rate boys’
camps until he was old enough to go to the
National Outdoor Leadership School, then
went on to climb Kilimanjaro, Fuji, Rainier
and mountains all over the world, and to lead
ski mountaineering expeditions. Porter and I
had been dating nearly a year when he asked
me to go camping with him in the Big Thicket
of Texas, just for one night. I’d been putting
him through my own tests for “husband material,” and I suspect this was his way of ascer-
After
taining whether I had it in me to share his
passion for outdoor adventure, to any degree
whatsoever.
The Saturday morning he arrived to take me
camping, I was ready, in a cute sundress and
my silver tennis shoes, my rolling suitcase
packed with a complete change of outfits for
dinner by the cozy campfire and breakfast by
a burbling brook. Maybe he would cook me
French toast.
“Uh,” he said, “rolling luggage would be kind
awful hard to pull up the trail.”
We went back to his apartment where he dug
out a succession of his lighter backpacks for
me to try on, while I agonized over which of
my several outfits were least likely to wrinkle.
“Regrettably,” he said, “there’s no place in the
Big Thicket to plug in a travel iron.”
It was already lunchtime, so we unpacked the
lovely wicker basket I had prepared with tea
sandwiches, gourmet cheeses, eclairs, Malbec, wine glasses, and matching checkered
tablecloth and napkins. I ate and drank as
much as I could to fortify myself for the arduous journey ahead. We would have to make
do on the horrible freeze-dried concoctions
he had in his food bags. Then I needed a nap
to sleep off the wine.
We arrived at the trailhead as the sun was
going down. It was slow going because I didn’t want to get my silver tennies dirty. We
walked and walked for what seemed like
miles, Porter carrying our respective backpacks and food, and me carrying my purse.
We stopped to snack so I could catch my
breath. Even aerobic dancing hadn’t pre-
pared me for this. Night fell, and the mosquitoes came out. Porter led the way with his
tiny headlamp, and held my hand so I wouldn’t trip.
“I think we’d better just stop and camp,” he
said finally. “Here?” I said. “But it’s so—
dark.”
I sensed his interest in me as a future lifepartner waning ever so slightly, so I kept my
protestations to myself as he set up the tent
and spread out our sleeping bags.
We awoke at dawn to find we had camped in
a sea of poison ivy. I sat by the trail itching
and scratching while he gallantly packed up.
We trudged out and drove home in silence.
Well, I guess I blew that, I figured.
He thought he’d been the one who’d blown it.
“I have never before, ever,” he said, “been so
stupid as to pitch camp in a bed of poison
ivy.”
We married, but didn’t discuss camping for
the next seventeen years. We had weathered
much worse than poison ivy together by the
time he faced a devastating crisis in his career as a hospice doctor. His sense of integrity led him to resign from his job, and he
brought up a lifelong dream: to hike the entire
Pacific Crest Trail from the border of Mexico
to the border of Canada. And while he was
doing that, I’d be doing what?
“I know you’d love it,” he said, of sweltering in
the mountains of California, trudging across
the Mojave Desert, kicking steps up snow in
the High Sierra, fording rapids, stumbling
across lava fields in Oregon, and getting
soaked in the forests of Washington. Not to
mention sleeping outside for nearly six
months at bug-and-snake level in blowing
sand, rain, and snow.
“It’s more your kind of adventure,” I managed.
“Women need adventure too,” he said. So off
we went…..
The teacher asked the class to use the word 'fascinate' in a
sentence.
Molly put up her hand and said, 'My family went to my granddad's farm,
and we all saw his pet sheep. It was fascinating.'
The teacher said, 'That was good, but I wanted you to use the word
'fascinate, not fascinating'.
Sally raised her hand. She said, 'My family went to see Rock City and I
was 'fascinated.'
The teacher said, 'Well, That was good Sally, but I wanted you to use the
word 'fascinate.'
Little Johnny raised his hand.
The teacher hesitated because she had been burned by Little Johnny before. She finally decided there was no way he could damage the word
'fascinate', so she called on him.
Johnny said,
'My aunt Gina has a sweater with ten buttons, but her t...ts are so big
she can only 'fassen-eight!'
Paddy says "Mick, I'm thinking of buying a
Labrador ."Blow that" says Mick "have
you seen how many of their owners go
blind?"
Outdoor hiking has a myriad of benefits
for both the body and the mind…
It is a wonderful activity that is inexpensive
and easy to start and continue, due to its varied and customizable nature. Outdoor hiking
can help you to lose weight, clear and ease
your mind and build a healthier body.
Outdoor Hiking Promotes Mental Health:
Hiking is much more varied than many other
types of exercise, your workout can be different each time, depending on the trail you
take and the landscape will also change. Hiking outdoors can help you to maintain your
motivation for exercise by making it more interesting. Hiking outdoors will help you feel
closer to nature and its natural rhythms,
which may increase your happiness and help
you feel more fulfilled. A difficult hike, for exJust before the funeral services,
the undertaker came up to the
very elderly widow and asked,
'How old was your husband?' '98,'
she replied....
'Two years older than me'
'So you're 96,' the
undertaker commented..
She responded,
'Hardly worth
going home, is it?
ample, up a hill or mountain, can also help
you feel like you've achieved something more
tangible than completing a fitness circuit at
your local gym.
Outdoor Hiking Promotes Physical Health:
As hiking puts pressure on your bones, it encourages healthy bone structure and reduces
the chances of osteoporosis. Being exposed
to sunshine will also increase your levels of
vitamin D. Hiking is a cardiovascular activity,
depending on how hard you push yourself
during a hike, and thus has benefits for your
cardiovascular system, such as reducing the
chances of heart disease, and increasing
your overall fitness
By
Gretta Jones
SERENDIPITY
BACKPACK
TRAIL:
Modimile (Nylstroom) / Mokgopong
(Naboomspruit) district: 25 – 27 April
2015
A great hike for all the weekend backpackers
and good practise for the backpack hikes
which are lying ahead! Do not procrastinate
in reserving your place! Serendipity is situated in beautiful bushveld and is only 2 hours
drive from Johannesburg.
This is a spectacular two-day circular back-
pack trail with 12km on Saturday and 12km
on Sunday with a moderate/average grading. The trails stretch over an unusual combination of valleys, gorges and savannah.
There are mountain streams, rock pools with
crystal clear water, indigenous forests, waterfalls and panoramic views of the Waterberg. There is a large variety of trees, abundant bird life and game to be seen and enjoyed while hiking.
Arrive and sleep over at Bush Baby Camp
on Friday 25 April. This is a wooden cottage
with 2 levels and bunk beds. There is a
braai and wash-up area with braai grids, kettle, 1 gas plate, 2 pots, pans, cold shower
and flush toilet. Parking is 50 metres from
the camp. No Electricity. Fire wood can be
ordered in advance.On Saturday, hike to
Berg Camp which is a stone and thatched
hut. This hut also has a braai and wash-up
area, braai grids, 1 kettle and 2 pots. Cold
shower and flush toilet and no electricity.
Take your own small gas utensils: gas stove
and lamp.
KAAPSCHEHOOP:
MPUMALANGA:
Backpack Trail. Friday 1 May (public holiday) to Monday 4 May 2015. (You will
have to take a day’s leave for Monday 4th
May)
Arrive at Kaapschehoop Hut: 1 May and
sleep over.
Florence Hill – 2 May
Barretts Coaches – 3 May
Hike back to Kaapschehoop Monday and
depart.
Situated near Nelspruit, this popular, moderate to difficult backpack trail has been
booked for 8 backpackers only, therefore do
not delay your booking!
Hut Facilities: All the huts have bunk beds,
showers and toilets. Electricity only at Barretts and showers at Kaapschehoop and
Florence Hill are heated by donkey boilers.
Provide your own eating and cooking utensils.
You may see the famous wild horses on the
trail. Flora consists of yellowwood trees, aloes, endangered cycads and tree ferns. The
trail starts at Kaapschehoop Hut, follows
along the escarpment to Florence Hill and
includes magnificent views of the De Kaap
Valley, lush indigenous forests, gorges, pinescented plantations, streams and interesting
structures from the De Kaap goldfields that
are of historical interest.
From Florence Hill to Barretts the first section of the trail is through a plantation that
leads you all the way around a gorge to a
picnic table with a spectacular view back to
Florence Hill. Sappi Paper Mill, which can
be seen on this day, is the largest paper mill
in the southern hemisphere. Sleep in Barretts Train Coaches on Sunday night. Hike
back to Kaapschehoop on Monday and depart. Leaving Barretts on Monday morning
back to Kaapschehoop, the trail takes you
down into the first ravine, known as Jack’s
Corner. The path eventually traces a historical wagon path and enters a pine forest.
This area is known as Bannister’s Gold
Workings and was a major digging when the
diggers lived there. The trail gradually rises
over the grassy plain until it reaches the
cliffs from where it winds through some
rocky ledges, fynbos, yellowwood trees and
aloes.
Arriving back at the Kaapschehoop village,
the hiker can study the Victorian architecture, browse through fascinating arts and
crafts shops or have a bite to eat at one of
the tea gardens or pubs before departing for
home.
LESOBA, FOURIESBURG/CLARENS AREA, FREE STATE: Basecamp: 29 to 31
May 2015
Lesoba, a farm in the Eastern Free State, is
situated in one of the most picturesque areas of South Africa. The sand-stone mountains with their eroded krantzes make for a
photographic dream. Hidden away among
these mountains, rock pools glisten in the
sun and the streams that feed them trickle
out of crevices in the rocks. Rock overhangs
that have given shelter to humans and animals over the centuries, abound in the environment that forms the border with the
mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.
There are two day trails from the central
base camp plus a short nature trail that follows a stream for about 2.5km through riverine bush.
The first trail takes the hiker up a steep cleft
in the rock to the top of the mountain. A detour from here takes one to a vantage point
with panoramic views across the Caledon
River to Lesotho.
From here the trail
traverses the mountain top allowing distant
vistas of the surrounding areas. Eventually
the trail descends steeply through the krantz
along a rock-strewn path and then contours
around to an interesting cave formation.
From here the trail crosses a stream and
past the “Queen Victoria” rock formation
back to camp.
The second day follows a lower route until a
rock bridge comes into view. The trail de-
scends to cross the valley before beginning
a steep ascent to the top of the mountain.
Once on top, take a break and survey the
amazing spectre which pans out before you.
The trail then crosses the plateau before a
rocky descent down another gully and then
along the edge of a dyke back to the base
camp.
Take your own crockery, cutlery, sleeping
bags etc. There is a communal kitchen and
a modern ablution block.
Lesoba is a trail that is certainly worth doing!
STAMVRUG BACKPACK TRAIL: WATERBERG: 2-Day Circular Backback Trail, 3
to 5 July 2015. Friday night Kloof Hut,
Saturday night Stamvrug Hut
This trail is situated in the Waterberg, 120
kms from Gauteng, 26 kms from Bela Bela
(Warmbaths). Hiking distance on the first
day from Kloof Hut to Stamvrug is 13 kms
and back to Kloof Hut on Sunday is 7 km.
Degree of difficulty is “Average”.
Overnight Facilities at both camps:
Showers & toilets.
Kitchen: Pots, pans, 3 legged potjies
Braai facilities and wood, braai areas
NO ELECTRICITY
There are beds with mattresses
Day One: From Kloof base camp, which
is situated in the gorge overlooking the
krantzes, take the Kloof Trail which goes up
a koppie and winds around the escarpment
to provide a spectacular bird’s eye view of
the whole area. finally if goes over the ridge
into the game-fenced area and over the
grasslands until it reaches the cool waters of
the Kaalgat Dam. Hopefully it will be warm
enough for a dip in the dam – kaalgat! Spend
time here at the dam as the distance to the
hut is short. Overnight at the Stamvrug Hut:
Day Two: From Stamvrug the Zebra Trail
starts with a mild climb up the koppie, over a
rock bed and grasslands, keeping on top of
Degree of difficulty: The trail is overall average with some difficult climbs. The longer trail
has several areas where the hiker will need to
climb the mountain but on the whole well laidout on the contours. The shorter trail has a
short climb initially until the trail is on the plateau and thereafter it is quite a comfortable
walk back and this trail should be completed
by midday. This will give the hiker ample time
to freshen up before the journey home.
OVERNIGHT FACILTIES: BASECAMP, TEPELKOP BARN
Semi luxury hiker’s accommodation: 5 bunkbeds per room i.e. 10 beds and mattresses
per room. Each room has an en-suite ablution
facility, very neat and tiled throughout. There
are two showers, basins, flush toilets and basins. The kitchen is very well equipped with
the ridge. It then leaves the game breeding
perimeter and enters the indigenous forest. It
passes a massive Naboom tree next to a
most magnificent rock bed with a dam nearby
for swimming, ascends the ridge and then
starts descending into a kloof filled with ferns,
water lilies and water grass, and leaves the
gorge with a short climb to return to Kloof
base camp.
The game, bird life and beauty of the Waterberg and the bushveld will be enjoyed by all
hikers.
TEPELKOP BASECAMP TRAIL: EASTERN
FREE STATE: 24 to 26 July 2015
The Tepelkop hiking trail is situated in the
Witteberg Mountain range about 16 km west
from Slabberts, 40 km from Bethlehem and
40 km from Fouriesburg and is a cattle farm
with some cultivated lands for winter feed and
maize in the valley. The slopes of the mountains are natural grazing and veldt.
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAIL: Distance
and duration:
The hiking trails are two circular day trails setting out from and returning to the base camp,
a total distance of 22 km. The first day is
about 12 km whilst the second day is 10km.
electricity, 4 plate electrical oven, fridge,
freezer, toaster, kettle, microwave oven,
plates, glasses, pans, electrical braaipan and
comfortable seating inside.
PERTINENT INFORMATION: You are advised not to start hiking later than 8h30 on the
longer trail. Carry enough water, at least 2 litres per person, as the streams are not perennial.
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAILS: Day One:
12 km: The start of the trail goes through the
gate on the farm track past the poplar grove
and continues on the jeep track, to the foot of
the mountain. The trail zig-zags up the mountain crossing several small mountain streams
through ouhout shrubs until one reaches the
first sandstone ridge. This can be a perfect
spot for a rest under the white stinkwood tree.
The trail then ascends on the sandstone floor
(be careful in wet weather as the sandstone
can be very slippery) to get to the top of the
plateau with the first view of the Tepelkop
Mountain. After a short distance through the
grass veldt one reaches the boundary fence
where you will enjoy a spectacular 180 degree vista of the landscape. The Maluti mountain range to the west, the Witteberg mountain range to the south towards Visierskerf
and the three peaks that stand to attention
alongside Tepelkop. Hereafter the climb to
the top of the mountain is tough but rewarding. In the saddle one finds fine examples of
the Vingelpol(euphorbia) succulent that completely covers round rocks. For the fit hikers,
here is the opportunity to deviate from the trail
and make the ascent to the summit of the
mountains. From the Tepelkop the trail evens
out, following the contours of the three peaks.
After the first peak one walks through ouhout
and through interesting rock formations. The
third peak’s route is very comfortable on the
contours and one should be able to make up
some time. The trail begins to descend
through more ouhout and through the fence.
From here one gets another great vista of the
patchwork of cultivated land with the Malutis
as a backdrop. The trail keeps above the red
sandstone ridge for a short while before it
starts to descend in a southerly direction.
It keeps to the top of the indigenous forest till
one reaches a white sandstone rock plate.
The trail cuts through big boulders through
more ouhout shrubs. At this spot one enters
another world – the sandstone walls are covered with ferns and moss and water drips all
along. The path hugs the rockface and the
roots of the trees offer essential natural steps
in a very slippery patch. This part can be very
wet and slippery so do take extreme caution.
Just before the descent there is a beautiful
waterfall grotto to be seen. The trail meanders through big boulders that have broken
away before one reaches the old farmyard,
Lynfontein, where traces of old fruit orchards
and pine trees still grow. The last 3 km of the
trail goes through the maize lands, past the
poplar grove and back where you started.
Day Two: 10 km: The first stretch of this days’
trail follows the mountain stream and reaches
the top of the plateau. There are some interesting rock formations and lovely patches of
indigenous bush. The trail continues in a northerly direction over the savannah till one
reaches the rock ledge. The trail then descends through a gorge. One follows the
deep dongas which have cut into the soil over
many years. It passes several pine trees and
crosses the water stream at a massive old
tree. The trail keeps to the right of the donga
and criss-crosses the water until the hiker
reaches the jeep track. It follows the same
route as the first day for the last 2km.
This days’ hike will take the hiker about 5
hours of hiking but will afford enough time to
have a hot shower and freshen up before the
return trip.
ENVIRONMENT: Climate: The Witteberg has
a climate of extremes – very hot summers
and very cold winters. The temperature can
reach above 30°C in summer and will fall below freezing point in winter. The dominant
winds of the area blow west to northwest.
Flora: Much of the flora in the Witteberg is
still pristine. The big variety of flora found
here can be ascribed to the fact that the
mountains are situated in a transition zone
between the dry and wet climate areas. Forests and shrubs in the gorges and “fynbos”
with a variety of mountain ferns are found.
Several tree species have been identified of
which the most common are karee, taaibos,
blue- ghwarrie and ouhout. The most important plant species found in the areas of the
mountain are the “Vingerpol” or the euphorbia.
Fauna: Endemic game and cats found in the
mountains are springbok, blesbok, mountain
reed buck, baboons, porcupine, aardvark, civet, duiker, steenbok, rabbits, mongoose, rock
rabbits, mice, and otters. The roaming brown
hyena might be spotted by the lucky hikers.
There is a rich bird-life and more than 44 species have been identified.
This farm offers to both the artist and photographer many wonderful opportunities.
GIANT’S CUP TRAIL, SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG: 4-Day Backpack, 6 Nights: Arrive Sun. 27 December and stay over at Sani
Backpackers, start hiking on 28 Dec and
leave, Friday morning, 1 January 2016
This 4-day backpack runs along the foothills
of the Drakensberg from Sani Pass to
Swiman Hut in the Garden Castle Nature Re-
the Pholela Valley, to the first stopover at the
Pholela Hut.
On day two the trail ascends the slope past
Tortoise Rocks before dropping into the
Mzimkulwana Valley, where the hut nestles
alongside one of the tributaries and close to a
clear pool. Lunch at Bathplug Cave, named
after the hole in the cave floor through which
water disappears. Indigenous trees and flowers may be seen along the trail, including
Cape holly, yellowwoods, cabbage trees, proteas, tree ferns, watsonias and gladioli. Overnight at Mzimkulwana Hut.
On day 3 there are pleasant vistas towards
Little Bamboo Mountain. Blue cranes may be
seen around Crane Tarn. Swim in the fresh
mountain water at Killiecrankie Pools. Overnight at the Winterhoek Huts.
On day 4 brace yourself for a steep climb up
the slopes of Garden Castle after which the
trail is relatively level to Swiman Hut, the last
night stop-over. Do a short walk on the morning of 1 January, if you wish, and drive home.
All huts have flush toilets and cold water.
It is advisable to arrive early on the Friday at
Sani Pass in order to shuttle cars from there
serve. Some sections are steep but any reasonably fit hiker will have no difficulty completing each section. Huts are basic with bunk
beds and mattresses and hikers must supply
their own food, cooking and lighting equipment (candles and torches) as well as sleeping bags.
The price for the hike includes the first night
stay (Friday) at the Sani Lodge Backpackers.
Supper and breakfast can be arranged in advance at an extra cost.
to Swiman Hut so that you have transport on
the last day. Your leader will discuss this with
you at your pre-hike meeting.
Murphy says to Paddy,
"What ya talkin into
an envelope for?"
"I'm sending a voicemail
ya thick sod!"
Set out on the first day, 28 December and enjoy your lunch at the Ngwenja Pool before ascending through beautiful country-side into
Statistically, 6 out of 7
dwarfs are not Happy
Cederberg Wilderness Reserve - Western Cape
The Cederberg Wilderness Reserve, stretching from the Pakhuis Pass in the north to the
Grootrivier in the south, is loved for its rugged beauty and solitude. Rich with San rock
art and endemic flora and fauna, it’s a wilderness so remote and wild there are places yet
to be explored.
Did you know?
The Cederberg Mountains’ catchment area is
home to the richest variety of endemic fish
species south of the Zambezi.
The Cederberg Wilderness Reserve is a protected public-private mountain reserve, occupying 71 000ha of rugged terrain inland from
the Cape West Coast and lying between the
towns of Citrusdal, Clanwilliam and Ceres.
The reserve forms part of the Cape Floral
Kingdom, a World Heritage Site, and is host
to numerous rare and indigenous plant, animal and fish species, including the rare
Clanwilliam Cedar tree, after which the region is named.
The Cape Cederberg is the equivalent of an
open-air arboretum, sheltering red data species plants, scarce fynbos, South Africa’s famous rooibos tea plant, many different varieties of buchu, and among the high-peaks of
the Sneeuberg, the rare and endemic snow
protea.
In spring, drive the Agter-Pakhuis pass
where wild flowers carpet the boulder-strewn
hillsides as far as the eye can see.
Some of the peaks of the Cederberg Mountains, in Clanwilliam, rise above 2000m.
Amid the oxide-stained and lichen-covered
red sandstone cliffs are hundreds of overhangs and caves adorned with San rock art,
I'vesuregottenold!
I'vehadtwobypasssurgeries,ahipreplacement,
newknees,foughtprostatecanceranddiabetes.
I'mhalfblind,
can'thearanythingquieterthanajetengine,
take40differentmedicationsthat
makemedizzy,winded,andsubjectto
blackouts.
Haveboutswithdementia.
Havepoorcirculation;
varying in age between a few hundred and a
few thousand years. The Stadsaal caves are
one of the best sites to view these ancient
paintings.
Unforgettable in this pristine, elemental landscape, are the Cederberg Wilderness Area’s
extraordinary rock formations. Fissured and
weathered by the elements, the Wolfberg
Arch and Cracks, the Maltese Cross, Tafelberg and the Spout leave awestruck hikers
feeling as though they’ve stumbled across a
rock garden conjured from the mind of Salvador Dali.
Walking trails criss-cross the landscape,
leading nature lovers to ravines where rivers
spill into cool streams and rock pools beckon
hike-weary bodies. The Cederberg is also
attractive to rock climbers, mountain bikers
and quad bike enthusiasts.
Animals in the area include many species of
birds, reptiles, antelope, baboons, caracal
and leopard.
The Cederberg offers a true wilderness experience not easily surpassed. Head for
these mountains to lose yourself. You may
just find what you’re looking for.
hardlyfeelmyhandsandfeetanymore.
Can'trememberifI'm85or92.
Havelostallmyfriends.But,thankGod,
Istillhavemydriver'slicense.
Windhoek Lager Fish River Canyon Ultra
Trail Running
(Not hiking, but Impressive)
The Fish River
Canyon is the
second largest
canyon in the
world, surpassed
only by the famous Grand Canyon in Colorado,
USA. The Canyon
is stark, rugged,
magnificently desolate and harshly
unforgiving.
On the 13th of
July 1990, two
South Africans,
Bruce Mathews and Ronnie Muhl attempted
to run the Fish River Canyon hiking trail in
under a day. They managed to achieve their
goal, eventually finishing in a total time of
11hrs 42min.
On the 16th of August 2003, four Namibians
decided to better this record. They were
Russell Paschke, Charlie du Toit, Coenraad
Pool and Tommy van Wyk. They succeeded
in their quest, finally finishing in a total time
of 10hrs 54min (Fish River Record Summary).
On the 1st August 2012, the world renowned
Ultra Trail athlete, Ryan Sandes, made his
second attempt at this record. In 2011 he
had to abandon his attempt as heavy rains
resulted in dangerously high river levels and
the threat of flash flooding. Ryan showed his
class by smashing the previous record in a
time of 6hrs 57min, shedding an amazing 4
hours off the previous time.
The Fish River Challenge is a non-stop selfsupporting race whereby runners are expected to complete the course in 24 hours.
Water is supplied at designated checkpoints
that also serve to monitor progress of the
various athletes and provide updates to the
organizers.
The race commences at the top of the world
famous Fish River Canyon where the race
village for the first evening is positioned on
the edge with magnificent views. From there,
competitors follow animal tracks and paths
heading cross-country until they reach the
point where they descend into the Canyon.
Once down in the Canyon, they follow the
river, with an occasional detour across wide
meandering bends in the river, and eventually finish at the wonderfully soothing hot
springs resort of Ai-Ais.
Race Format:
The race format changed in 2013, with an
additional “Lite” version being added, thereby providing for a 65km option and the Full
96km option. Both versions were unsupported (except for water) foot races whereby
competitors were expected to cover the distance in the designated cut-off time. Competitors were expected to carry along certain
basic essential equipment.
The distances can vary due to environmental
factors as well as the fact that the hiking trail
consists of various trails along its course of
following the Fish river. At places there is the
availability of short cuts, these are shown on
race routes, however it is the up to the individual participant to navigate their own way
through the course. It is for this reason that
this event is seen as a adventure challenge
rather than a official distance Ultra.
The full 96km distance must only be undertaken by seasoned ultra distance runners,
with experience in crossing, in parts, extremely difficult terrain as well as the likelihood of
completing the course after dark. Event date
is considered to coincide with full moons,
nonetheless the canyon can be an imposing
place after dark and requires athletes with
sound judgement. Sweepers experienced in
the lie of the canyon do back up behind the
last athletes.
I was at the Senior Centre today and failed a Health and
Safety course that was put on
for us old fogies. One of the
questions was: “in the event of
a fire, what steps would you
take?”
“F...ing big ones was apparently
the wrong answer…..”
FAST FOODS
Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favourite 'fast food' when you
were growing up?'
'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him. 'All the food
was slow.'
'C'mon, seriously.. Where did you eat?'
'It was a place called 'home,'' I explained. ! 'Mum cooked every day and when
Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table,
And if I didn't like what she put on my plate, I was allowed to sit there until I
did like it.'
By this time, the lad was laughing so hard I
was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part
about how I had to have permission to leave
the table.
Learning What You Need to Know in Order to
Enjoy Hiking
If you can walk, hiking is easy. Really! Hiking
is simply going for a walk, but doing so in the
wilderness. Its not really that much different
than taking a walk anywhere else except that
the surfaces you are walking on may be more
uneven than the paved or flat surfaces you
usually find in a city.
In addition to walking you need to be prepared for whatever the weather conditions
are when you go for a hike, and you need to
be able to find your way back home again.
The following suggestions are intended to
help you ease into hiking if it is a new experience for you. If you are unsure or uncomfortable with the idea of going off into the woods
for a walk, they may help you to get started.
A walk in the park
Probably the closest
thing to hiking that
you can do in the city
is to go for a walk in
the park. If this business of hiking is really new to you going
for a walk in a park is
probably a good way
to get started. Find a
park that has some
unpaved walking paths or just some open areas where you can get a feel for walking on
unpaved surfaces. I find walking on unpaved
surfaces much more pleasant than walking
on concrete or pavement. The hard city surfaces give my feet blisters faster than walking
on bare ground.
A short hike
One of the best ways to get started is to start
with short hikes first. That way if your muscles or your feet aren't used to hiking or if you
find you are not properly dressed for the
weather you won't suffer unnecessarily.
One of differences between hiking and walking around in town is that you need to become more aware of your circumstances and
what you need in order to take care of your
body. While you are hiking there generally
won't be a car, bus, house, store, or any other shelter to duck into if you get too hot or too
cold or too tired or too hungry. And depending on when and where you go there may not
be anyone else around. If you misjudge
something on a short hike, it won't take long
before you can get back to warmth, shelter,
food, water, and more familiar surroundings.
If you want to do it the easy way, use short
hikes to learn what you can expect before attempting to tackle longer hikes.
A hiking club
Start out by hiking with others in a group. It is
also a good idea at least at first to go with
other people who have already been hiking
and know what to expect and can help you
out when you don't know what to do. Find an
organized group to go with. Check with local
hiking clubs, municipal parks and recreation
departments, outdoor supply stores to see if
they have some organized hikes scheduled.
If you have trouble locating any of these, surf
the internet.
A Group
Some people
find they enjoy
hiking so much
with a group
that they never
get around to
hiking by themselves. Others
really enjoy the
solitude of hiking alone. It gives them a chance to think
about things, or the opportunity to not think
and just experience. Hiking alone is a big nono. You should always hike in a group of
three. One person to stay with the ill/injured
hiker while the other goes for help. If you
wish for solitude, drop back—keeping the
group in sight—and enjoy some private time.
Footware
One of the most common mistakes made by
the hiking novice is the wrong choice of footware. Choosing the right footware is very important. Hiking by definition is walking which
means being on your feet. So you should
choose footware that is designed to make
your feet comfortable while walking not footware whose sole purpose is to look good and
get attention. Some people prefer hiking
boots, but you do not need boots to go hiking
especially if you are just going hiking for a
few hours or a day. A good pair of good walking shoes is quite adequate in most areas.
The footware needs to be comfortable and
needs to have the kind of sole that won't
have you slipping on any surfaces that aren't
perfectly flat.
Another common mistake is to buy brand new
footware and wear it for the first time on a
hike. This is more of a problem with boots
than it is with shoes. Give your feet a chance
to get used to any new hiking footware by
wearing it for short periods around your home
or for short walks in the park. Generally the
heavier the footwear the longer it will take for
your feet to get used to the new shoes. If you
wear something on your feet for a hike that
don't already feel very comfortable, you may
be sorry. Blisters are the most common result,
and while not life threatening blisters certainly
aren’t fun. They can in fact be quite painful.
Clothing
The clothes you wear are also important for
comfortable hiking. Wear only clothes that
feel comfortable while you are walking. Generally this means loose fitting clothes. You
don't want clothes that will bind with every
step you take. At the other extreme you don't
want your clothes so loose that they get in
your way and trip you up or catch on things as
you walk by. Your clothing should also be
chosen to help your body maintain a comfort-
sirable for hot, sunny hiking weather, and
clothes that aren't warm enough can be miserable in cool to really cold weather. That's an
advantage to learning about hiking by going
with a group. You can ask around and find out
what's most appropriate for the area and time
of year in which you will be doing your hiking.
Experience
Experience will be your best teacher if you're
paying attention. To gain experience start out
with some short, easy, group hikes. Ask questions when something doesn't feel right or you
don't know what to do. The experience you
gain will help you make sense out of what
others have to say, and pretty soon you will
be able to decide for yourself what feels most
comfortable to you while you are out walking
in the wilderness.
Once you have some experience under your
belt, if you want to do more by expanding
your hiking season, or going out for longer
trips, or tackling more difficult terrain, go on
base camp hikes with a hiking club. Hiking is
a very personal experience. What works best
for you, what brings you the most joy while
hiking, won't be the same for everyone else.
Don't worry about it. Get the most out your
hiking that you can. Most importantly enjoy
your hiking.
Good luck and happy trails to you!
able temperature while hiking - not too hot
and not too cold.
The best type of footware and clothes to wear
while hiking will vary some based on locale
and weather. Really warm clothes aren't deThey Walk Among Us!
I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area and went to the
lost luggage office and reported the loss.
The woman there smiled and told me not to worry because she was a
trained professional and said I was in good hands. 'Now,' she asked me,
'Has your plane arrived yet?'...
(I work with professionals like this.)
RHENOSTERPOORT HIKE
6 – 8 February 2015
By Frikkie and Anette Knop
Participants: Tonie, Bertha, Sebastiaan Lazarus, Alex Elshove, Mike Bisset, Karen Irwin,
Frikkie and Anette Knop, Francios and
Lynette Pretorious (a couple who joined our
group).
The backpacks were packed and with the
road map in my pocket, we were on our way
to the Waterberg Mountains. The 40km gravel road was acceptable at 60km/hr but a
wheel cap was lost on the road. The first
camp (Bosbok) consisted of a two bedroom
hut, a lapa with cooking utensils, table and
chairs, a bathroom with flush toilet and shower. Unfortunately the gas geyser, which was
serviced during the week, did not work and
we ended up having a cold shower. No problem, we are hikers. After the braai and some
refreshments, we went to bed.
Early on Saturday morning we re-packed our
backpacks and left the rest of our belongings
in the cars. Tonie had to stay behind because of two broken toes. He was going to
enjoy “ME-TIME”! The rest of the group, eight
adults and Sebastian, an 11year old boy,
started the trail. The trail followed the river for
a short distance and then ascended up the
side of the mountain. As we were walking
amongst the indigenous trees and shrubs,
providing shade, the sun was no problem.
The climb was fairly steep and we took
breaks to revive our energy. This gave us an
opportunity to enjoy some sightseeing and
nature.
There was a cool breeze which helped to
cool us down while we were sweating up the
steep mountainside. Francois, one of the visitors, and Sebastian became partners in chal-
lenges. It seemed that they had endless energy climbing up and down the rock formations. Bertha had to reign them in out of
fear that they might tackle a challenge which
may end up with an injury which no-one
wants.
On the other side of the mountain, we followed a river which we had to cross at several places. Boots were taken off and put on
after the crossings till we found a waterfall
where we enjoyed lunch and a swim. The
trail to the camp went relatively easy with a
few more river crossings. The rock formations next to the river were really a sight to
be enjoyed.
At the overnight hut we could choose on how
many mattresses we would like to sleep on
as there were at least twelve bunker beds.
The gas geyser was in operation and hot
showers were enjoyed.
Due to the lack of space and the limitations
on weight, refreshments were left at the first
hut. With the hot weather, the need for those
refreshments increased drastically resulting
in a serious discussion and after a quick calculation and so it was decided to go back to
the other hut via the road to fetch these refreshments!
A bit of an afternoon nap was enjoyed. A few
of us decided to visit the big waterfall which
was not far down the trail from the hut. The
waterfall was not less than thirty metres high.
The sound of the water rushing over the
rocks, was music to a nature lover’s ears.
The water was warm. There was a rope on a
tree which we used to swing over the pool
area below the waterfall and dropped into the
water. This brought out the child in some of
us and brought back good childhood memories.
Back at the hut, the braai fire was started.
The guys enjoyed their hard earned refreshments. The braai grid was placed on the fire
and the braai started. The meat was just
about ready when the rain came down in
buckets. A space blanket appeared and the
meat was covered from the rain ‘til ready.
The persons holding the space blanket got a
bit wet. A fire was then started in the lapa
braai but died due to the lack of air flow as
the chimney was blocked. A fillet steak,
which could not be completely cooked, was
left for the next day. The rain fell till late on
Saturday night with heavy thunder and lots of
lightning.
Sunday morning we got up and got ready for
the next 10km hike. The area was soaked
and from a safety point of view, it was decided to abandon the hike. Instead we took the
road, which crossed two rivers by means of
low water bridges. At first bridge the water
was ankle deep and at the second bridge the
water was just below knee deep. Boots were
taken off and put on after the crossings. The
farm gate is a double gate, which means two
gates were put on top of one another. Fortunately the gate structure was solid built with
stone pillars on either side. As the gate was
locked for security reasons, we had to climb
over the gate to get to the road.
The farmer and his wife met us with their
Land Cruiser after we had walked a while.
They came to warn us not to do the second
stretch of hike, as the mountains were wet
after the rain. (They were a little bit late in
their effort to warn us!) We got a lift to the
other hut where our cars were parked. The
road was wet in certain places which had me
worried because the Toyota Yaris is not a
4X4! After saying goodbyes we tackled the
wet and slippery road. Being the second vehicle on the road the muddy areas were not
too bad.
After a shortened but enjoyable hike, we got
home safely.
HIKING
Hiking as Exercise
For optimal health it’s absolutely clear that
human beings need exercise on a regular
basis, and hiking is one of the best forms of
exercise you can engage in. It will benefit
your cardiovascular system, your respiratory
system, and virtually all other systems of the
body. As long as you take proper care
(especially to avoid tripping and falling), it’s
also safer and less likely to lead to an injury
than many other forms of exercise.
Hiking can be done at a slow, leisurely pace
-- and if that’s your preference, by all means
do it that way, which can be wonderfully relaxing -- but it’s especially good for your
body when practiced aerobically (at a vigorous pace for a sustained period). And since
the more hiking you do, the more calories
you’ll burn, hiking regularly can help you
keep trim.
If hiking and walking become your primary
modes of exercise, you won’t even really
need to go to a gym, have a membership in
a health club, or invest in body-building
equipment (although you may still want to
do other exercises, including upper body
work, to achieve the most complete level of
fitness). If you have access to parks or other
natural areas near where you live, you can
enjoy your workouts whenever you wish and
at no cost.
Hiking as Pleasure
Pleasure is a major motivator in life for
many people, and hiking is as reliable a
source of gratification and good feelings as
can be found. There are other reasons why
we become hikers, but the physical pleasure
of it is one of the best incentives.
Unless you’re injured, ill, overly tired, or
completely out of shape, the activity of hiking should feel good from beginning to end
(allowing for minor aches and sore muscles,
especially on longer hikes). Sometimes
you’ll experience a wonderful high -- a feeling of elation, or a warm inner glow. Such
natural highs sometimes last for hours or
days, and there’s never a corresponding letdown later.
Hiking as Release
Given all the stresses of modern life -- the
difficulties, dangers, unhealthy conditions,
and the way we overload ourselves with
work and other responsibilities -- it’s amazing that most of us actually maintain a semblance of sanity. To lead a reasonably
healthy and balanced life it’s vital that we
find ways to relax and let go of stress.
While there are a number of things you can
do to release tension, hiking is unbeatable
on this count. It can’t possibly fail to help
you unwind. There’s nothing you need to do
except… basically put one foot before the
other and walk/hike to your heart’s content.
If you’re someone who spends long hours at
work, or who are involved in other demanding and stressful situations, it’s easy to find
yourself knotted up inside and feeling irritable at times. You can begin to hike away the
tension in a matter of minutes. To fully unwind, the longer the hike (within reason), the
better.
Hiking as Leisure
Leisure has become a scarce commodity in
our culture. Although the art of relaxing and
enjoying life hasn’t been lost, most of us don’t
schedule enough free time for ourselves.
Aside from the demands of daily life, some of
us find it difficulty to just “be,” to enjoy a day
without accomplishing something that we can
point to. Yet we all need a respite sometimes.
While hiking can be done in a very goaloriented way, an easy-going, non-goaldirected hike can be one way to help revive an
atrophied sense of leisure. Take an easy hike
and forget about the time, any previous plans,
or thoughts about what else you should be doing. Enjoy the moment. Appreciate nature’s
beauty.
If you’re a hiker who enjoys physical challenges, who likes to push yourself and perhaps
accumulate accomplishments, try doing it differently once in a while. Let go of your ambitions. Relax, breathe deeply, and set off on a
slow, leisurely hike.
Table Mountain Trivia
Published November 12, 2014 | By Binny
Some Interesting facts about Table Mountain
Being one of my favourite places I read as
much as I can about Table Mountain and its history. Its amazing what odd facts one can learn
over time. Here are a few of them:
The first horse ridden up Table Mountain was in
1798.
The first blind man to ride up Table Mountain
was in 1829.
In 1937 Sidney Jarman became the first person to ride a bicycle from Constantia Nek to
Maclears Beacon.
The first motor car to make it up onto the back of Table Mountain was in 1928. It took 4 hours!
The fastest ascent of Platteklip Gorge is 27 minutes
The fastest descent is 11 minutes
The first passenger cable car was introduced in 1929 (there had been a previous cable car
but this was used for dam construction not pleasure)
There are more species of plant on Table Mountain than in the whole of the British isles.
The surface area of the mountain is 56km sq.
The back of Table Mountain is home to 5 reservoirs constructed in the 1890′s.
The indigenous people of the area called the mountain Hoeriwagga. Meaning Mountain of the
sea.
In 1503, Antonie de Saldanha became the first person recorded to climb the mountain (there
is no record of the indigenous people having done so, although this does not mean they did
not ever scale its lofty heights.)
The first recorded lady to reach the summit was Lady Anne Barnard in 1797.
Joshua Penny, an American sailor, was the first recorded person to live on the mountain. He
stayed on the mountain for 14 months in 1799 -1800.
1. Walking isn't a lost art - one must, by some means, get to the
garage. - Evan Esar
2. The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk. - Jacqueline
Schiff
My First Hike in South Africa
My first hike in South Africa! Hiking has been
on the top of my list since we arrived in Cape
Town!
On our first free weekend I hiked Lions Head
with Sarah, Mel, Nisha, Kate. Our hike started
off on a red sandy, dirt-like path that overlooked the city. Within 5 minutes of our hike, I
already had my camera out! As we continued,
I could see the city in the distance and began
overlooking the ocean. While I was looking at
the deep blue water, a man paragliding flew
RIGHT passed me!! We were so close it felt
like I could touch him! It was so neat!! He flew
right off the summit! As we continued up the
mountain, the terrain changed. I loved this! It
made me feel like a mountain goat! We
climbed ladders that were built into rocks,
held support chains, and even climbed freely
in order to make it to the top! When we arrived at the summit, we were in awe. Mel and
I gave each other a big old high-five! When
we looked down, the city and ocean went on
for as far as we could see! We spent the
beautiful afternoon sitting on the rocks, eating
our lunch, and taking it all in. How lucky are
we!?
Love from Cape Town, Natalie
Before I even came to Cape Town, I knew
that I had to hike up Table Mountain; it just
seemed like one of those things you had to
do in order to get the full experience. Last
weekend, we broke off into two separate
groups; some of us took one trail on the east
side of the mountain (facing the city), but my
group climbed up the west side on the
Kasteelspoort trail.
When Kate, Wendy, Nadia, and I set off, we
had no idea what we got ourselves into! The
beginning of the trail was pretty easy and
travelled horizontally alongside the mountain
with breath-taking views of the ocean. It was
encouraging until we reached the part of the
trail that suddenly started to climb vertically
and we found ourselves using every ounce of
muscle in our legs. There were rock steps
that were surprisingly very steep, but not
steep enough to require the use of our arms
to climb.
It wasn’t long before I found myself needing a
break; we hadn’t been hiking uphill for more
than 10 minutes and I was already out of
breath! “At this rate,” I thought, “I’ll never
make it up this thing!”, but I had some of the
most encouraging friends who pushed me to
work harder than I thought I could. It was incredibly hot in the sun that day, and we all
had to make sure that we packed enough water to make it all the way up to the top. I personally brought 2.5 litres of water in my backpack and I drank every single drop of it before
we even reached the summit. Areas of shade
were far and few between, so we became
very acquainted with the sun. I normally burn
very easily, but Kate was kind enough to let
me use some of her sun lotion and thank
goodness she did! I counted my blessings at
the end of the day when I walked away with
some mildly burned legs.
Poets and writers always compare life’s challenges to climbing a mountain, and now I understand why. Reaching the top of the mountain was a satisfying experience (despite the
fact that Table Mountain is not actually flat on
the top! To reach the tourist-y area, we had to
climb up and down several valleys). Staring
out at the ocean was something surreal; the
sky was so blue that you couldn’t even tell
where the ocean started. In total, it took us
exactly 4 hours, 22 minutes and I’m sure we
could’ve made better time with fewer breaks
(but part of the experience involved appreciating the scenery as we hiked).
I was so proud of myself for making it further
than I ever dreamed,
I couldn’t have done
it without my team!
Happy birthday
February
Sabine Dresen
Sandra Madsen
Harold Rees
Alison Cramer
John Tyldesley
Sally Jones
01
09
11
21
23
25
April
Graeme Chown
Alan McKendrick
Audrey Tyldesley
Lesley Chown
Phyllis Morris
Brenda Sparke
Trudy Elshove
John Snyders
02
07
15
19
21
25
25
26
March
Bettie Haltzhausen
Lesley van Vuuren
Rina Scheepers
May
Vickie Bowey
Lynette McKendrick
Cynthia Webber
Elizabeth Simoncelli
Lesley Youens
Diane Snyders
George Fowler
Eddie Grant
Antoinette Watson
Some people try to turn back their odometers.
Not me!
I want people to know why I look this way.
I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.
16
23
24
01
01
06
08
13
20
22
22
23
TRANSPORT ON HIKES
Members should note that transport for hikes is the responsibility of the individual
hiker. While the Hike Leader will co-ordinate transport, it is not part of his/her responsibility to provide it !
If you do not have (or are not prepared to use) your own transport, you must realise that you arrive at the planning meeting as a suppliant, and should not harbour resentment if you cannot be fitted in !
IMPORTANT NOTICE
BANK DETAILS FOR DIRECT DEPOSITS:
East Rand Hiking Club
Standard Bank, Benoni
Branch 013042
Account Number: 02 1010 285
PLEASE REMEMBER TO ADD A R15 CASH FEE WHEN PAYING CASH, EITHER TO
THE CLUB DIRECT OR WHEN PAYING CASH INTO OUR BANK ACCOUNT then fax your
proof of payment, either electronic or personal deposit, to Gretta on 011 849 9805 or EMail to [email protected]
This proof of payment must clearly indicate your name and the hike or hikes for which you are
paying.
The Standard Bank deposit slips have a row of 22 squares in the bottom left hand corner.
Print the name of the hike in these squares. Also print your name clearly in the “signature
space”. From time to time we have nameless deposits in our Bank Statements causing a lot of
wasted time and consternation!
If your deposit slip copy is faint please ink over the information. Faint copies are often too indistinct to read after transmission, and if we cannot read them, we will not be able to confirm
your booking!
EAST RAND BIRD CLUB
The East Rand Branch of Witwatersrand Bird Club meets every third Tuesday of the
month at Benoni Library Auditorium at 19h30 and would be pleased to welcome anyone
interested in joining them. The evening consists of a presentation by a Bird specialist
and/or other interesting topics, and you can find out about our frequent outings.
Please phone Erich Hahn 011 747 7514 if you would like more information





Federal Agents raid Gun Shop—find
weapons
Homeless survive winter - Now what?
Homicide victims rarely talk to police
Bridges help people cross river
City unsure why the sewer smells.



Study shows that frequent sex enhances
pregnancy chances
Statistics show that teenage pregnancies
drop off significantly after the age of 25.
Diane was still alive hours before she died
BOOKING PROCEDURE
We would like to remind members who intend to do day-hikes that it is essential
to ‘phone the leader a few days in advance, advising him/her that you wish to attend the hike. He/She will confirm the meeting place and time. It is also important to leave your home and mobile ‘phone numbers in case the leader has to
contact you regarding any changes in meeting time or place. Please note that in
some instances the programme calls for hikes to be booked through Gretta, in
which case your name is placed on the waiting list until payment is received and
confirmed with Gretta per fax on 849 9805 or by e-mailing to: [email protected]. Ensure that your name and details of hike are
clearly endorsed on document, or you stand to forfeit your place to another
on the waiting list! You’re not on the trail unless you have paid and Gretta
has been advised.
In the case of pre-booked day hikes, also ‘phone the leader 2 days before, confirming arrangements, otherwise the leaders have to contact you at their own expense. The same booking/payment procedure applies to weekend hikes and
trails. In the case where a member has to withdraw from a hike, please note that
no refund can be made unless a substitution is possible from the waiting list.
THIS POINT BEARS REPEATING
You are not booked until you have paid!
When booking hikes names are placed on the Waiting List and will only
be transferred to the confirmed list when:
Payment is Received and confirmed with Gretta.
INDEMNITY
The Club assumes no liability for any of the information contained in the Newsletter. All ideas,
opinions, and suggestions are those of the contributors. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the contents and advertisements, the Club, their members, Hike Leaders and Committee
assume no responsibility for any effects arising there from.
The Club, Hike Leaders and Committee will not be held responsible for any losses or damages
of any nature whatsoever incurred during or resulting from any club function or event of any
nature. Members will be deemed to have indemnified the Club by their participation under
their rules.
They Walk Among Us!
While working at a pizza parlour I observed a man
ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and
the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6.
He thought about it for some time then said 'Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces.
CLUB RULES AND CODE OF CONDUCT
HIKE RULES
Hikers must make sure who the appointed leader of the hike is, and follow only him/her.
No fires may be lit.
All litter must be taken home, including fruit peels/apple cores etc.
Cellphones to be used only in emergencies; no radios, music, noisy behaviour, dogs etc.
No uprooting of plants or picking of flowers. Care must be taken to avoid damage to trees,
fences and private property.
COMPULSORY REQUIREMENTS
Hiking boots, lace-up shoes or tackies – no sandals, slip-slops or high-heeled shoes.
A filled 2 litre bottle of water per person.
A sunhat, a sweater for warmth and an anorak/raincoat for wind/rain protection.
A daypack for day hikes, larger backpack for trails and a whistle. (No plastic bags to be carried
in the hands).
LEADERS MAY REFUSE TO ACCEPT HIKERS WHO ARE NOT SUITABLY EQUIPPED
MEETING PLACE AND TIME
Contact the leader before the hike to ascertain where to meet, or get the directions to the
venue.
HIKES
Sunday hikes are normally for a full day. A packed lunch is usually required for day hikes unless “braai” is indicated on the Programme. It is necessary to contact leaders of the day hikes
to inform them of your intention to attend such hikes and check arrangements (unless the programme states “book with Gretta”). An entrance fee is usually charged by landowners.
LEADERS
Make sure that you know who the leader of your hike is and follow only him/her. Do not deviate from the main hike without his/her permission.
TRANSPORT
Transport for hikes is the responsibility of individual hiker.
Hike Leader will co-ordinate transport, if requested, but it is not his/her responsibility to provide
it
VISITORS FEES
Non-members are requested to donate R20 (scholars R10) per hike to the Club until such time
as their Membership Fee has been paid.
CHILDREN
Anyone under the age of 18 who attends a hike, must be the accepted responsibility of a Club
Member, and no child under the age of 12 is allowed to hike, unless permission has been obtained from the leader in advance.
ALL PERSONS TAKING PART IN EAST RAND HIKING CLUB
ACTIVITIES DO SO ENTIRELY AT THEIR OWN RISK
Nice to meet you, are you new in
town? Thank you and yes, we ‘ve
just moved here. Welcome, let me
buy you two a drink. Thanks, I’ll
have an ale and she will have
wine. It’s her favourite drink.
Coincidentally, it is
also her favourite
hobby.
Cancellation of Bookings
Members will appreciate that, when bookings are cancelled, there are certain difficulties.
Cancellations and refunds involve telephone or E-Mail costs, bank charges, book entries
etc., and at the same time, when the trail has been fully booked, other members have been
precluded from participating and it is difficult to find replacements at a late stage. This often
results in popular hikes being only partially filled when they are, in fact, in heavy demand.
The majority of trail authorities require payment in full in respect of bookings well in advance
of the date of the trail. In many cases these payments may be required some six to twelve
months in advance. The National Parks require payment within two to three weeks of making the reservation, for a date up to a year in advance on the popular trails.
Where a booking by a member is cancelled and the trail authority has provision for refunds
(usually less a cancellation fee depending upon the number of weeks before the date of the
trail), the Club would then assist by applying for such refund from the trail authority on behalf
of the member concerned. The amount refunded to the member is not guaranteed, but
would be subject to the trail authority’s acceptance of the cancellations, less the cancellation
charges.
Any cancellation, in writing (E-mail), will be dealt with by the Administration Secretary,
who will give preference to members already on the waiting list, or when no waiting list exists, the Admin. Sec. will put the member in touch with other members who might be interested in taking over a cancellation. In that event, payment would have to be made direct between the members involved and not through the Club’s books, resulting in no loss to the
cancelling member. However, where a replacement has been found by the Admin. Sec., the
member will forfeit a cancellation fee of R10-00.
Under no circumstances are members to give their bookings to non-members. Any
acceptance of non-members on hikes is at the sole discretion of the Committee and
the hike Leader.
Where the Club has paid over the fee to the trail authority concerned and it is not possible to
obtain a refund or to find a replacement, then the fee in respect of the cancelled booking
would have to be forfeited by the member.
REMINDER: As bookings are only confirmed once your payment is made to the Club,
please ensure that your payment is received as soon as possible, as your name is placed on
the “waiting list” until payment has been received. It is therefore also very important
to either fax your payment to 011-849-9805 or E-Mail to [email protected] immediately after making the payment.
These aren’t wrinkles. They’re
laughter lines.
“Am I sexy yet?
Then something
must have been
bloody hilarious
DUST IF YOU MUST
Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it
be better
To paint a picture or write a letter,
Bake a cake or plant a seed,
Ponder the difference between
want and need?
Dust if you must, but there’s not
much time
With rivers to swim and mountains to
climb,
Music to hear and books to read,
Friends to cherish and a life to lead.
by
Rose Milligan
Dust if you must, but the world’s
out there,
With the sun in your eyes , the
wind in your hair.
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around
again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go, as go you must,
You, yourself, will make more dust.
The Cederberg’s Gabriel Slackpacking
Trail, Western Cape
Did you know?
The Cederberg is named (and misspelt) after
the rare Clanwilliam Cedar, only found in the
higher parts of these mountains.
The Cederberg Mountains rank as one of
South Africa's most scenic wonders. The
Cederberg Wilderness is one of the least trodden parts of South Africa – one of the many
reasons it is so alluring as a hiking destination. Take the Gabriel Slackpacking Trail and
stay in a series of tiny mountain villages with
local families for an experience as authentic
as the local rooibos tea.
Only two hours’ drive north of Cape Town lies
an utterly different world. Here you’ll find untamed beauty and unusual plant life among
the weirdly shaped rock formations and
mountains coloured by iron oxides and the
setting sun.
The Cederberg Mountains fall within the Cape
Floristic Kingdom so they are botanically remarkable. And not for nothing is this area
usually referred to as a wilderness. The rugged terrain means that civilisation has never
had much more than a tenuous hold here.
The few roads demand respect and the settlements (mostly Moravian mission villages) are
thinly populated and far apart.
There are hidden treasures to be found in the
Cederberg – notably the rock art in overhangs. Walking is one of the best ways to appreciate the region’s breathtaking scenery,
and slackpacking offers the ideal way to do
that. As you walk with a small day pack, your
heavy packs are transported via donkey cart
or other means to your overnight stops.
The Cederberg’s Heritage Route’s Gabriel
Slackpacking Trail takes you on a four-night
experience through this remarkable wilderness, named for the highest pass you walk
over.
They are among the outposts of the Moravian Mission Church at the larger Cederberg
town of Wupperthal. Here people are involved
in subsistence farming, with the main crops
being sugar beans, potatoes, and rooibos tea.
The walks during the day vary in length and
difficulty. Hikers need to be fairly fit, since
some of the routes are steep and rocky, with
the longest walk being 14km. A community
trail guide accompanies the group, pointing
out the paths and special scenic attractions.
The route ascends mountain passes, descends
intotogorges
with spectacular
waterfalls
The hike
the summit
includes some
serious
and
goes via some of the incredible rock art in
rock-hopping.
caves and overhangs. It also goes close to
some of the Cederberg’s most iconic rock formations: the Maltese Cross; the Wolfberg
Arch and Sneeuberg.
African Ivory Route: Hiking on the
Limpopo’s Blouberg mountain
Posted February 13, 2015 by Jacques Marais
The Bahananwa tribe live below the dramatic
Blouberg mountain in Limpopo. Jacques Marais and his family get into nature’s rhythm at
the African Ivory Route camp within their tribal
grazing lands on the edge of Blouberg Nature
Reserve.
Huge boulders surround the tranquil Pools of
the Whites, a couple of kilometres by foot
from Blouberg Camp.
This doesn’t quite qualify as the proverbial
Great Divide, you know,’ I chide myself as I
contemplate the one-and-a-half-metre jump
gaping at my feet. Yet my backpack feels like
it weighs a good 50 kilograms, and my palms
are as sweaty as a pizza addict three days
into Tim Noakes’ Banting diet. The reason, I
guess, is not so much the width of this leap of
faith, but rather the depth of the chasm plummeting beyond the tips of my trail shoes. I
lean forward to see how far the crevasse
plunges onto the jagged jumble of granite below, but quickly realise this isn’t a good idea.
‘Right. Visualise a pavement,’ I mutter to myself, and before my brain is able to re-convert
this mental vision of a narrow strip of concrete, I commit to my death-defying (and rather inelegant) hop. Fortunately, my fellow adventurers arrive a few minutes too late to witness my dubious athletic prowess, but in time
to see me – pleased as punch – on the opposite side of the ‘abyss’.
The hike to the summit includes some serious
rock-hopping. ‘Wait, let me just get the camera in place,’ I holler to my rag-tag band of
compadres. Our guide Khomotjo Sekiba
strides across the gap as if it’s not even there,
leaving my friend Pete with no choice but to
grit his teeth and follow suit. But in the 30 seconds it takes to fit the fish-eye lens, my wife
Karyn makes the mistake of looking down and
is instantly lost to the cause. She decides to
chill for a few minutes while we edge onto the
scalp-tingling cliff plunging down to the wooded savanna plains below. We grab some photos of the breathtaking Blouberg landscape,
then head back to jump the gap (which seems
to have miraculously shrunk) for the second
time.
We’re not home and dry yet, as the scramble
to the summit follows a sketchy line along a
near-vertical rock face bristling with thick and
tangled brush. As we sit catching our breath,
a shadow falls across us, blocking out the
warmth of the afternoon sun. It’s a colossal
Cape vulture, soaring so low we can literally
make eye contact as it cocks its primeval
head to give us the once-over. The proximity
of the bird – one of the key predatory species
here at Blouberg – lends it a prehistoric feel,
as if a gigantic pterodactyl has graced us with
a fly-past. Disappointed that no one had perished during the jump, the vulture banks into
a thermal and spirals effortlessly into the cumulus clouds above.
‘There is a colony of these endangered birds
in Blouberg Nature Reserve,’ Khomotjo explains as we tackle the arduous descent back
to camp. Although it’s only a 12-kilometre re-
turn route, the cumulative ascent is in the region of 1000 metres, much of it a major bundu-bash through thorny thickets and up a
ridge littered with loose rock.
­ Pitching
camp on the banks of the river
Blouberg.
Now, I know this thigh-buster of a hike/
scramble/trail run/climb may not sound like
everyone’s cup of rooibos, but it rates as my
personal stand-out memory of my family’s
time at Blouberg. The good news is that this
swathe of tribal land set within the wild heart
of Limpopo offers way more than heavy doses of outdoor adrenaline.
This is a good thing, as Karyn and I have
been joined on the trip by friends and family
covering a wide spectrum of ages and abilities. Two-and-a-half-year-old laatlammetjie
Grace loved the wide grassed space beyond
the fire boma, where she could ogle the grazing Bahananwa cattle herds, before toddling
off to the mountain stream a few metres beyond the camp fence to pitch pebbles at the
darting pond-skaters. She joined us (in the
carry-backpack, of course) on a shorter hike
to Ledjiba la Makgowa, or Pools of the
Whites. This leisurely two-hour return amble
also proved a perfect outing for my godmother and her husband, both well into their seventies. Don’t get me wrong, these two old
bullets can easily out-hike folk half their age,
and once they’d performed their babysitting
duties, they saddled up their mountain bikes
and pedalled off down the road to the nearby
village. It’s lekker to know an outdoor destination such as Blouberg can suit everyone from
rock-dassie types who want to soak up the
sun while ogling birds, to hardcore adventurers in search of an endorphin hit.
The surroundings here are breathtaking, accommodation is rustic, clean and great value,
and a lack of dangerous game means you
can hike, run and ride to your hearts’ content.
You can also occasionally brush shoulders
with the local Bahananwa community. The
guides and cleaning staff are part owners of
the camp and it’s rewarding to know you’ll be
contributing to its economic upliftment. The
Bahananwa is a splinter group which settled
here centuries ago. ‘These guys were basically like Tswana Voortrekkers, if you want,
who initially moved here from Botswana because they did not want to be subjected to
anyone’s authority there,’ Khomotjo explains
to me. To this day, they live very much in
tune with the natural rhythms ruling life at the
foot of these dramatic mountains.
‘There are leopards,’ Khomotjo tells us
around the fire one night. ‘But they keep to
themselves in the dense mountain kloofs.’
Orange flames flicker as we huddle closer for
warmth, a billion glittering stars studding the
dense velvet cloak of the African night. An
African wood-owl hoots in one of the fig trees
lining the stream, and I wander off with my
camera to see if I can get a photo of the night
sky. Away from the campfire camaraderie,
and with a soundtrack of river frogs, fruit bats
and melodic insects, the true essence of
Blouberg’s tranquillity shines through.
As I gaze up at the diamantine night sky,
framed by the wraithlike branches of a giant
ficus, the wood-owl takes flight in absolute
silence, and with it I perceptibly feel my spirit
soar into its own discreet space. My brain
tells me that soon we have to leave, while my
soul wants to settle, and have another week
of mañanas with the Bahananwa.
The writer’s wife Karyn and laatlammetjie
Grace enjoying one of the hikes at Blouberg.
Local Police hunting the 'knitting needle
nutter' who has stabbed six
people in the rear in the last
48 hours, believe the attacker
could be following some kind
of pattern.
OUTENIQUA HIKING TRAIL
27TH December 2014 to 1st January 2015
Participants: Sue & David Emmett (overseas
visitors), Jaqui Gush (overseas visitor), Graeme, Lesley, Matthew and Darren Chown, Edward Grant, Tonie , Bertha (leader) and Sebastiaan Lazarus.
Bertha and Tonie then went to the office to
book in, and get a map which they (the trail
managers) would have left at the office. But,
we found out that there was no map, and we
had to sign on the Cycle Book, with the cycle
route on the back, to do the Outeniqua Trail!
On requesting whether we could drive to the
hut, drop off our stuff, and then come back
and park the cars, they refused point blank to
allow it. A young person, on behalf of his
dad, even locked the gate.
The next day there was to be a cycle race in
the Farleigh Forest area, and it seems that
everybody was geared up for that. Bertha
then arranged for Tonie, and the other two
cars’ drivers, to do the vehicle shuffling between the various huts. Bertha, Sebastiaan,
and Matthew then hiked to the Platbos Hut.
The Outeniqua hiking trail, on the Outiniqua
Mountains between George and Plettenberg
Bay, for the most part of this trail you traverse
indigenous and evergreen forests, interspersed with exotic plantations and mountain
“fynbos”. The yellowwood trees were so tall
and still amazing to be seen in our forests.
We should cherish these forests as the
unique resource they really are and remain
committed to sharing their many fascinating
features with others by means of such trails
and other recreation facilities.
27th December 2014: Platbos Hut: By Edward and Sebastiaan ± 2 km
On our arrival at the Farleigh Forest Station,
Graeme and Eddie were already there, waited
for the Lazarus’s to arrive, and to start the
shuttling of cars to the Diepwalle and Harkerville Huts. The Chown’s and Eddie had arrived at the Farleigh Forest Station at 10h00,
as arranged, and then decided to hike to the
Platbos Hut, and drop off the backpacks, and
supper for the night, and then the two drivers
and Matthew hiked back to the parking area
to wait for the Lazarus’s, who at around
12h30 had then just arrived in a light drizzle.
The overseas people were running late, as
they were still doing shopping in George, and
would get to the hut at their own leisure. The
drivers arrived back at ±17h00, in the rain,
and the visitors from the UK, not long after
them. To our amazement, they drove up in
their car, with the gate having been left open,
and nobody confronted them. The fire was
going, everybody settled in, and we all started
to have a very relaxing evening around the
fire, and all went to bed at their own times.
(Tonie and Bertha - The reason why we were
late, was because we first went to the Family
farm, and did not know that the dirt road to
Steytlerville had been washed away. We
travelled the thirty kilometers at the maximum
speed of fifteen kilometers an hour, with ten
gates to be opened and closed. We hit the
tar road and picked up speed. Sixteen kilometers after Steytlerville, on our way to Willowmore, we came across a lady whose car
had overheated. The radiator was empty,
and we poured water into an overheated vehicle. It took quite a while. On trying to start
the vehicle, we discovered, the gasket had
gone. We then asked her if she knew someone who could help – yes, a friend in Wil-
lowmore, and we then gave her a lift. Ten
kilometers from Willowmore, she asked us to
stop, as she thought it would be best if she
hitch hiked back to Steytlerville, to her mother, as there was always a farmer that could
tow her car, and fix it up.)
28th December 2014: Platbos Hut to Millwood Hut (±15,5 km’s): By Tonie and Bertha
We all had breakfast and set off at 07H30 in
a light drizzle. Much of the route was along a
forest road, and when we did go into the forest, the path was very slippery and wet. Do
you know what CAW (George vehicle registration) stands for? “Cold and Wet”. And we
did experience this. As the day progressed,
down to the river crossing, the path was so
slippery and some people certainly found out
what it feels like to slip and slide. Luckily no
injuries were incurred, just some dirty pants,
and wet muddy boots. We reached the
Homtini River, which we had to cross via a
cable and a rope. The river was fast flowing,
not too strong, but we needed boots off, and
the ropes had to be supported by two people
on either side of the river. After the exciting
river crossing, we decided to have tea, before attempting an equally steep uphill climb
that followed after the steep downhill we just
had. This day’s walk can be considered as
moderate in Outeniqua standards, with the
kilometers feeling as if it was miles we were
doing. We reach the Jubilee Creek Picnic
spot and decided to have lunch there. After
lunch we set off on the last stretch of our
day’s hike, up the Jubilee Creek towards the
waterfall and swimming hole. Along the way
we passed a few old time mining shafts. We
crossed the river quite a few times, and when
reaching the swimming hole, we put our
boots back on for the last climb to Millwood
Hut. The route then follows the Creek up, up
and up, to the Old Gold Mining Town of Millwood. The “Mother Holly’s” tearoom was
reached, by 15h00, and the group could get
some tea, waffles and ice cream, cold drinks,
toasted sandwiches, etc. The Millwood Hut
was another 500 meters from there, when a
light drizzle was starting to settle in. We all
settled in, the fire was then lit in the lapa, to
dry boots, socks and other pieces of clothing.
All had showers, and supper was then prepared and all went to bed at own leisure for
an early start on the 29th December 2014.
29th December 2014: Millwood to Rondebossie: By the Chown 4
The morning started off bright and sunny. As
we packed our bags, we wondered if we
were in for a very hot, humid day. Our group
was reduced by 2 when Edward decided that
his knee injury was too serious to carry on
and nephew Sebastiaan chose to accompany him. Edward had parked his bakkie at Diepwalle, so we would meet up with them in
two days again.
The first stretch of the day was a steady uphill on a forest road used by cyclists. There
are many cycling routes on the forestry roads
in the area. The roadside was a profusion of
colour, with red and pink erica’s and other
yellow fynbos bushes in full flower. After we
climbed over the hill, the road declined
steadily and then we headed off onto a footpath in the forest again.
forest - it just seemed to go up and up forever! When we finally emerged into the open,
we walked on a forestry road for a few kilometres before descending through forest once
again to the Rondebossie hut. On the roads
we could almost feel the presence of the old
foresters and miners - if you look carefully,
there is evidence of hewn ‘leiwaters’ or small
canals. We saw many signs of bushpigs, but
not the piggies themselves, as I’m sure they
smelled us first! All in all, it was an up-anddown day, but beautiful walking in the forest.
Most importantly – there was no rain!
Not too long into the hike we crossed a major
river flowing strongly and it was boots off
time. There was a rope to hold onto and
apart from Lesley losing her balance and getting wet up to the waist we all crossed without
incident.
On the other side the rocks were very slippery. We stumbled around, battling to find the
path. Until this point, the paths were decent
and well-marked. We tried to clamber over
the rocks to the left and came to a dead end.
To the right it looked even less promising.
We then decided to head straight up as there
was a bit of a path to scramble up. Luckily, we
crossed the path after a few hundred metres
and found the footprints again. We later
found out that there should have been clear
footprints on the rocks to go to the right and
then climb up. These were probably washed
away or covered by debris brought down by
the river. The path then followed the river
along a very steep bank, where there are ladders, ropes and chains at various spots to assist clambering. We finally descended to a
massive pool on a sharp river bend - what
better place for a swim and lunch?!
After lunch we climbed steeply up through the
30th December 2014: Rondebossie Hut to
Diepwalle Hut (+- 13Km’s): by Sue & David
Emmet (UK)
After a good night's sleep we left Rondebosse
at 7:30 am in high spirits, anticipating a picturesque walk with lovely views. It was a little
overcast but we imagined the sun would soon
burn off any remaining cloud cover. Our optimism was short lived! Not long after crossing
the Rooi-Els stream a light, misty rain descended upon us and became steadily heavier, as we climbed steeply to the top of
Jonkersberg. Sadly, we could see only cloud
and mist from the Beacon at the top but I believe on a clear day you can
see as far as Knysna Heads.
As we were all cold and wet and some of the
group struggling with minor injuries (blisters,
painful ankle, swollen knee etc) a wise decision was made not to linger but to press on to
the hut for a late lunch. David and I could not
resist the temptation to stop briefly to brew a
quick cup of tea, which was a real "pick me
up"!
After descending on a contour path going
round the side of the mountain we reached a
beautiful, lush section of forest - one of the
most stunning sections of the trail. We
walked through tall tree ferns and crossed
countless crystal, clear streams which had
overflowed and turned the path into ministreams. Eventually, the path joined the Elephant day walks and not long after this we
reached the Diepwalle Hut - a very welcome
sight indeed.
Wet clothes were draped in every conceivable
spot in the hut and soon it was starting to look
like a Chinese laundry but we were all so happy to be warm and dry that it did not matter
too much. Fortunately for us, Graham got
chatting to a German couple who offered the
use of their tumble dryer
for all our wet gear. After a delicious, early
supper at the Diepwalle Tea room, most of us
fell into a deep slumber, dreaming of what
the next day might bring .......
31st December 2014: Diepwalle Hut to
Fisantehoek Hut (+- 17 Km’s): By Jaqui
Gush (UK)
Overall – a relatively easy day’s walk mainly
through forest with a rolling set of not too
strenuous ups and downs, and it didn’t rain!
The aftermath of the previous day meant that
during the morning at least we were walking
down a regularly dammed river rather than a
path. Graham undertook some engineering
work to re-structure the stream - sorry path,
and Bertha managed to punch holes in the
‘dam walls’ to let the flow continue downhill
and drain the path.
We started walking on an extension of the
Elephant Walk in thick forest and continued
in forest for most of the day. The ups and
downs were mainly due to numerous small
streams cutting across our path, but for us
they were fast flowing rivers after yesterday’s
rain. However, boots off were not required
and in places bridges and boardwalks had
been installed. Occasionally we emerged onto forest roads and clearings, including a
lovely fynbos covered picnic spot we found
for lunch with great views across the hill tops
just clear of dark clouds rolling through.
Numbers declined again today as several of
the younger generation insisted on staying to
support and protect those injured adult members of the party. Seven of us made the 16.5
kms but the end was very welcoming as the
old cottage was situated high up with views
all around and Eddie and Lesley were unloading the bakkie with meat and champagne
for our New Year’s Eve celebration supper!
Let the party commence!
1st January 2015: Fisantehoek Hut to
Harkerville Hut (+- 12 Km’s): By Bertha
This day was by far the easiest of the whole
trail. After about 6,5 km’s of indigenous forest the trail reaches the main road which then
crosses close to the popular Garden of Eden
Tourist Centre. We decided to have tea with
our friends from the UK, as their lift was picking them up from there at 10H00. We had tea
with them and bid them a farewell, and a
thank you for good company and fellowship.
It was a great pleasure to hike with you, and
hope to see you in the future again. After
tea, Graeme, Matthew, Darren, Sebastiaan
and Bertha set off on the last stretch of the
day’s hike to the Harkerville Hut. We had yet
another short walk through the forest that
eventually brings the hiker to the end of the
Outeniqua Hiking Trail, at the Harkerville Forest Station. We slept at the Harkerville Hut
on the 2nd January 2015, before we departed.
The kids were promised a quick swim in the
sea, and then we went out to lunch at “Off the
Hook” Restaurant, because if you are at the
sea, you must eat fish. After lunch we returned to the Hut, sorted out the stuff, and
packed the cars as we were all planning to
leave early the next morning, to get back to
start working on Monday the 5th January
2015.
We would also like to thank Graeme for his
assistance with leading and Lesley, with her
planning for the old year’s eve party, Edward
for the transporting of people, and shuffling
the cars around. We appreciated it very
much.
May you all have a very prosperous 2015,
good health and happy hiking.
Regards
Tonie & Bertha
Backpacking from Cape Town to Addis Ababa
Source: Valerie Bowden Monday, 06 May 2013
South Africa: A
Backpacker's Paradise
Johannesburg who helped me find the right
bus and made the driver agree to look after
me so I would not miss my stop.
On my way to
South
Africa,
I
stopped in Ireland
for a long layover.
While I was there I
met a young Irishman named Owen.
Owen, who is planning to backpack
later this year, was
stunned when he
heard where my backpacking journey was
leading me.
“Africa?” He questioned. “I was planning to
skip over Africa.” He seemed shocked that I
was travelling through the continent. Equally I
was shocked that he was not visiting it at all.
“Isn't there only AIDS and poverty there?” he
asked. “What about your safety?” To him,
Africa, all of it, was one giant horror story.
Owen is not alone though. Many have wondered how a young, single, twenty something, female can travel by herself in Africa.
Based on my experiences in South Africa so
far, my response to Owen and the others is
one word: “Easy.”
The Wonders of South Africa
Besides the amazing people, however, no
doubt the other reason I loved traveling
through South Africa is simply because it is
beautiful. It's beauty is unrivalled, undeniable, and hardly describable.
For besides the ease of travelling, I have
found this country to contain anything and
everything a backpacker could ever want or
expect in a travelling destination.
No Plan? No Worries
In fact, I showed up in South Africa with no
map, no guide book, and little more planned
than a reservation that night at a backpacker's resort. The rest I figured out by word
of mouth once I arrived.
My total lack of planning worked in my favour
though. I found the local South Africans generous in sharing their knowledge and helping
me with whatever I needed. It was apparent
they wanted me to love their country as much
as they do. Their kindness ranged anywhere
from Daniel, the front-of- desk staff, arranging all the activities I wanted to do in Cape
Town to the man on the street in downtown
Summarising - it seems like an impossible
task as each part of the country is a pocket of
its own special uniqueness. While the country is large enough for a wide-range of scen-
ery, I found it to also be small enough to travel through and see the different regions.
Without a question, I believe travellers of all
interests could find something to do in South
Africa. I spent my time diving in Hermanus,
hiking mountains, and horseback riding. Yet I
also tanned on the beach, went shopping,
and enjoyed several wine tastings. Whether I
wanted to relax or have an adventure, there
was always an opportunity and option for
both.
The Logistics of South Africa
Although it is easy to focus on the marvels of
it all, realistic concerns always await-- such
as the cost. I was actually pleasantly surprised to discover reasonably priced accommodation, meals, and other necessities all
within my frugal budget. And of course the
question that most have asked, including my
mother, repeatedly, is safety.
a backpacker's paradise. For it is a full embodiment of every backpacker’s hopes and
dreams.
So to Owen and the rest, I will leave you with
the one piece of advice I wish someone
would have given me:
Go and explore this captivating country but
To be honest, I found travelling throughout
the country, in multiple cities, with local transportation with the normal precaution one
should have anywhere, to be completely fine.
In fact I felt safer in South Africa than I ever
did living in Miami, Florida.
The Great Injustice
The truth is, no explanation or short description can adequately express what a gem this
country is for backpackers. Any attempt feels
like an injustice.
Ultimately, all I am left with is overused clichés, but truly it is absolutely fitting to deem it
On a bitterly cold winter morning a husband
and wife in Dublin were listening to the radio
during breakfast. They heard the announcer
say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches of
snow today. You must park your car on the
even-numbered side of the street, so the
Snow plows can get through".
So the good wife went out and moved her
car.
A week later while they were eating breakfast
again, when the radio announcer said, "We
are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today.
You must park your car on the odd-numbered
side of the street, so the snow plows can get
through".
The good wife went out and moved her car
again.
They Walk Among Us!
My sister has a lifesaving tool in
her car which is designed to cut
give yourself more time to stay than you
would ever imagine necessary. For upon arriving, you will be quick to discover the
amazement of it all and will become filled
with an insatiable desire to stay for more.
The next week they were again having
breakfast, when the radio announcer
said, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of
snow today. You must park...."
Then the electric power went out. The good
wife was very upset, and with a worried look
on her face she said, "I don't know what to
do. Which side
of the street do I
need to park on
so the snow
plows can get
through?"
Then with the
love and understanding in his voice that all men who are
married to blondes exhibit, the husband replied, "Why don't you just leave the bloody
car in the garage this time."
through a seat belt if she
gets trapped. She keeps it in
the car trunk.
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