UMHLANGA RIDGE

This week it was our turn to walk on Marion's side of town. We started at 6am at her apartment in Durban North and walked up to Umhlanga Rocks Drive - then along the ridge in a large, squigily up-and-down loop back to her place.
The Province of Kwa-Zulu Natal is like a crumpled up tapestry with undulating hills and valleys and a few rivers that start in the Drakensberg Mountain range and end in the Indian Ocean. Walking along the ridge we had stunning views of the Indian Ocean on one side and inland urban sprawl on the other.
It was a hazy day and even Durban was cloaked in smog.

SUNSHINE, BLUE SKIES AND TWO GORGES

Sunday 22nd March.
We did a walk through the Two Gorges today. One is the Kloof Falls gorge and the other is the Everton conservancy gorge. What a beautiful day to walk.
We had a full dress rehearsal with boots and spats, shorts, shirts, waist-bags, backpacks etc.
It started off coolish but the sun was shining, blue skies and spectacular scenery. The entire Kloof Gorge system lies within the Kranskloof Nature Reserve and falls under the juristriction of KZN Wildlife. We had a pit-stop at the picnic site and then continued up Kloof Falls road to the View site. Magnificent in the early morning with swallows still swooping above and the waterfall noisy and full after recent rains.
Glynis (who walked the Coast to Coast with us in 2001) and Linda walked with us too, but they didn't have backpacks.
The road up from the gorge is very steep and by the time we reached Waterfall after 2 hours walking we needed a coffee break. We stopped at the Waterfall centre and had a good stop there before carrying on along parallel to Inanda Road, turning left at La Domaine into Acutt Drive and the Everton Gorge.
Val, Marion and I decided to change from boots to sandals (might as well get used to walking in both) and walked the rest of the way back to Kloof in our sandals. I'm not so sure about the sandals anymore. They have a very high instep and after a while my left foot started feeling the pressure. I might have to have a rethink on taking them on this walk.
A good 22.5km trek this morning; backpack feels good; boots were comfortable and no hotspots or chaffing anywhere.
We had a lovely lunch at Sam Brown's in Kloof before going home.

SUNSHINE, SEA SHORE AND SANDALS

What a beautiful day it was today! It was our turn to walk in Durban North so John and I met Marion at her place just before 6am.
I decided to try out my sandals today. Most of the walk was on pavements, grass verges and on the road and this could be similar terrain to parts of the Aragones and Ingles.
We started walking to Umhlanga Rocks at 6am. I think we're getting fitter because we really motored along! Unlike last week's walk, this one is relatively flat so it is quite hard going on the muscles.
The view was a great distraction - the sea was spectacular with huge waves which has brought out all the surfers. The sky was the deepest blue and there was hardly a breeze for the first 2 hours but a little cooling breeze on the way back.
We stopped at the pavement cafe on the Umhlanga waterfront on the way back for a drink ... a-la-camino walking! When we got back to Marion's she gave us another drink and a muffin.
Next weekend I'll be in Johannesburg for their Camino Workshop but the following weekend we are going to walk "The Two Gorges" in Kloof and Everton - back to the hills!

PRETTY OLD THINGS

Sunday 1st March:
This morning we did a stunning hike. We started at the Pot and Kettle - a restaurant overlooking the scenic Valley of a Thousand Hills - down into a rural valley of small subsistence farms and horse stables. We call it the 'Wildlife Walk' because one sees all sorts of farm animals, cows crossing your path, ducks and geese, chickens, horses, as well as buck, wildebeest, zebra and other animals at the Wildlife Sanctuary on the way.
It is a tough walk with very steep up and down hills. Today it was cool and we walked through a mist belt at the top of Alverston.
John (the perennial pilgrim) and his friend Kenny joined Val, Marion and me. John is 75 and Kenny is 80 so they were a great inspiration to us 'young' ladies not to moan or groan as we trekked up and down the hills.
Walking through the small village of Botha's Hill we passed an antiques and collectibles shop called Pretty Old Things. We couldn't resist having our photo taken next to the sign! Further on we entered horse country where horses have the right of way.
Those bright red things on our boots are plastic spats that I cut out at 4h45 this morning when I saw that it might rain. We have decided to make waterproof spats (from a pattern I found on the internet) but these worked just fine this morning.